DELAND, Fla. – The High Point University women's basketball team had four Panthers in double-digit figures as
Jaleesa Lawrence reached 1,000 career points in today's contest at Stetson.
Site: Edmunds Center
Score: High Point 72, Stetson 76
Records: High Point (4-7), Stetson (5-5)
Head Coach Chelsea Banbury: "I'm happy how we fought at the end, unfortunately it was too late. We just turned the ball over too much and gave up too many offensive rebounds to win. Stetson won the battle of possessions."
Nevaeh Zavala got off to a hot start for HPU as she started the scoring with a three pointer to put the first points on the board. Zavala would finish the first quarter with eight points. The Hatters and Panthers went back and forth all quarter as the Hatters drained a three right before the buzzer to take a 22-16 lead into the second quarter.
Zavala started the second quarter with a good jumper to bring the game to two possessions before the Hatters jumped out to a six-point lead. With 6:20 left in the half,
Lauren Scott drained a three pointer and was fouled to go to the line for a four-point play. HPU brought the Hatters lead down to one, 27-26. A good layup and a three pointer from Stetson took them back up six before HPU went on a 6-0 run to tie the game at 32 with just under three to go. The Hatters went on a 6-1 run to end the first half, 38-33.
Stetson was quick to extend its lead to nine one minute into the third quarter.
Chana Paxixe knocked down an open shot from beyond the arc to cut the lead to six before the Hatters made a three of their own. After a layup by
Aaliyah Collins and a three from Lawrence, HPU cut the lead to four, 47-43. Minimal scoring from either side in the final six minutes of the third quarter had the Hatters out front, 54-47 heading into the fourth quarter.
The Hatters jumped out to their biggest lead of the afternoon after a three pointer to put them ahead 13, 62-49. A pair of buckets from Scott and a good jumper from Lawrence cut the Hatter lead to seven with five minutes to play. After some back-and-forth action from both sides, High Point made a late push after Zavala drained a three pointer to make it a five-point game with 16 seconds left on the clock. One made free throw from the Hatters allowed Scott to sink another three pointer with eight seconds left to bring the Hatter lead down to just three points. After High Point went for the intentional foul, Stetson went one for two from the free throw line to pull ahead by four. Stetson held on till the final buzzer to pull away with a 76-72 win over the Panthers.
Lawrence registered her 1,000
th career point as Zavala also recorded a career high as she led the floor with 19 points.
Up Next: High Point will remain in Florida as they will match up with University of Central Florida on Tuesday, December 17 at 7:00 p.m.
#H3U x #GoHPU
