HIGH POINT, N.C. - The High Point University men's basketball team will compete against App State University at neutral site Novant Health Fieldhouse at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex on Saturday, December 14 at 2:00 p.m. The Novant Health Fieldhouse is the home of the Charlotte Hornets' NBA G League franchise, the Greensboro Swarm. The Panthers and Mountaineers have agreed on a two year contract playing both games at neutral sites with the 2025-26 season game taking place in Hickory, N.C.

Men's Basketball - Appalachian State University
Saturday, December 14 | 2 p.m. | Greensboro, NC | Novant Health Fieldhouse Greensboro Coliseum Complex
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Records: High Point 9-2, ASU 6-3
Last Meeting: November 13, 2012 | Result: HPU won 86-64
All-time Record: HPU, 61-38, first matchup in 1930

The Matchup
The Panthers and the Mountaineers will meet for the first time since the 2012 season. App State competes in the Sunbelt Conference and finished the 2023-24 season with a program overall record of 27-7 and a conference record of 16-2. App State was crowned the Sunbelt Regular Season Champs and earned an invitation to the NIT last season. Currently, the Mountaineers are 6-3 with the teams most recent win over Mid-Atlantic Christian by 40 points. App State is led by two players averaging double figures, including CJ Huntley with 14.7 points per game and Myles Tate with 12.6 points per game. The Mountaineers average 72.8 points per game while holding their opponents to 64.3 points per game. App State is coached by Steven Kerns who enters his sixth season with the program.

Last Time Out
High Point remains unbeaten at the Qubein Center after picking up the 76-71 win over the top ranked defensive team North Texas last Friday night. HPU's 76 points was the most points against UNT of any opponent this season as the Panthers secured the highest-ranked win over a Kenpom Top 75 team in program history. High Point was led by Kimani Hamilton with 19 points and six rebounds after going 11-for-16 from the line. The Panthers extended their record to 9-2. 

Notable Player & Team Notes
 

HPU on National TV
ESPNU selected the High Point vs. Radford game on January 2 as the First ESPNU Wildcard game of the season. The match-up will mark the first meeting between the squads on ESPNU. It will be Radford's 17th appearance in the Big South's ESPNU Wildcard series, and 11th for High Point. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m.

Undefeated at Home
With Friday nights win, HPU advances to 7-0 inside the Qubein Center. The Panthers finished the home non-conference season in 2023-24 with an 8-0 record.

Three Players Averaging Double-Figures
Three Panthers from the HPU starting lineup are averaging double figures per game, led by D'Maurian Williams with 15.9, Kezza Giffa with 15.1, and Kimani Hamilton with 13.7. High Point is the only team in the Big South with two players averaging 15+ per game.

CIC All-Tournament Team
Kezza Giffa was named to the Cayman Islands Classic All-Tournament team after averaging 16 points, 3.0 assists and 3.3 rebounds per game. He scored a week-high 23 points in the win over Old Dominion.

Pettiford Loves Thanksgiving Game Winners
In the final game of the Cayman Islands Classic, Bobby Pettiford secured the go ahead basket with 10 seconds left to go in the game. This was the third straight season that he scored a game winner in the game before Thanksgiving.

Best Start in DI History
The 5-0 start for High Point is the best start in Division I program history since becoming DI in 1999. In 2022-23, High Point started 3-0 before falling to UNLV in mid-November.

Giffa & Bodo Bodo on Lou Henson Watch List
The 2024-25 Lou Henson 'Early Season' Watch list has been announced as two players from the High Point University men's basketball team have earned recognition, Kezza Giffa and Juslin Bodo Bodo. Giffa was named a finalist in 2023-24 for the Lou Henson award after averaging 16.2 points per game, 2.9 rebounds and 2.9 assists. 

Top 10 - CollegeInsider.com Mid Major Rankings
In the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 rankings, High Point ranks No. 13 in the week five rankings. The Panthers highest spot in the rankings thus far was 8th in week two.

Bracketeer.com Preseason All-American Awards
In the Bracketeer's Preseason All-American Watch List Kimani Hamilton was named a First Team recipient while Kezza Giffa was named to the second team.
 
Preseason Polls
On October 15th, the Big South Conference announced the Preseason Men's Basketball Poll for the upcoming 2024-25 season. High Point University was picked to finish 1st in the poll, while Kezza Giffa was named the Preseason Player of the Year, while Kimani Hamilton & Juslin Bodo Bodo were named to the first team.
 
New & Improved
Returning eight players from last year's roster, the Panthers added 12 newcomers with six transfers and six freshmen. The reigning Big South Regular Season Champions are ready to jump back into full action after a historic 27-win season led by first-year Head Coach Alan Huss in 2023-24.
 
HPU Stat Rankings Following 2023-24 Season
-9th in NCAA in PPG (83.9)
-1st in NCAA in Free Throws Made (20.1)
-6th in NCAA in Free Throws Attempted (25.8)
-15th in NCAA in Free Throw % (77.8)
-16th in NCAA in Rebounds (40.00)
-25th in NCAA in Win % (75%)
-Highest National Kenpom Ranking in Program History (114th)
-Highest National NET Ranking in Program History (110th)
-8th in Kenpom Raw Offensive Efficiency
-10th in Kenpom Offensive Rebound %
 
2023-24 Regular Season CHAMPS
HPU was named the outright Big South regular season champs for the first time since 2015-16. This was HPU's 5th Big South Regular-Season Title and the 2nd outright title.
 
2023-24 Season Recorded Most Wins in D1 Era
With a record of 27-9, the Panthers set the record for the most wins in a single-season.
 
2023-24 Season Was the Most Wins by a First-Year Head Coach
Coach Huss won the most wins as a first-year head coach in the entirety of the men's basketball program history. Also registered the most wins by a rookie head coach in the country last season.
 
Bodo Bodo Awards
Juslin bodo Bodo was named a National Freshman of the Year and a Kyle Macy Freshman of the Year Finalist in 2023-24.
 
Lou Henson Award Finalist
Giffa was named a Lou Henson Award Finalist in 2023-24.
 
2023-24 Big South Postseason Awards
Head Coach Alan Huss was named the Big South Coach of the Year becoming the 2nd coach in program history to earn the award (Scott Cherry). Duke Miles was named the Big South Newcomer of the Year and Juslin Bodo Bodo was named the Defensive and Freshman Player of the Year. Duke Miles, Kimani Hamilton & Kezza Giffa were named to the First Team All-Conference selections while Juslin Bodo Bodo and Titas Sargiunas were named to the All-Freshman team.