HIGH POINT, N.C. - The High Point University men's basketball team welcomes Carolina University to the Qubein Center on Tuesday night for a mid-week non-conference matchup. Tip-off is set for 7:00 p.m.

Men's Basketball - Carolina University
Tuesday, December 17 | 7 p.m. | High Point, N.C. | Qubein Center
Holiday Night

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Records: High Point 10-2, CU 2-10
Last Meeting: November 22, 1985 | Result: HPU won 106-55
All-time Record: HPU, 1-0

The Matchup
The Panthers and Bruins have met one time prior in 1985 when Carolina University was named Piedmont Bible College. HPU won 106-55. Carolina University has changed its name four times and was recently named Carolina University in 2020. The Bruins compete in the NAIA small college conference and finished the 2023-24 season with a program overall record of 8-16 and a conference record of 4-7.  Currently, the Bruins are 2-10 and are led by Živko Damjanokic and Cameron Parker averaging over 11 points per game. Carolina University is coached by Matt Glidewell.

Last Time Out
High Point matched up for the 100th time against the App State Mountaineers on Saturday afternoon in a neutral site setting at the Novant Health Fieldhouse, home of the NBA G League Greensboro Swarm. After going down by 15 points on 6-30 (20%) from the field late in the first half, the Panthers chipped away and took the lead for the first time in the second half at the 14:55 mark with a corner three-pointer from Terry Anderson. In the final minute of the game, Bobby Pettiford took over and scored back-to-back baskets to help HPU keep a four point lead and secure the 65-59 win. High Point had no double-digit scorer's and were led by Kezza Giffa, Simon Hildebrandt and Abdoulaye Thiam with nine points each. High Point extended the all-time record against App State to 62-38 since the first meeting in 1930.

Notable Player & Team Notes

Career Milestones on the Rise
Two Panthers are on their way to reaching 1000 career points. D'Maurian Williams is at 999 points entering the game versus Carolina University while Abdoulaye Thiam is at 967 points. Juslin Bodo Bodo is at 90 career blocks after playing in 48 games thus far in his young career.

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 over North Texas, 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. High Point has a chance to go 9-0 this season.

Three Players Averaging Double-Figures
Three Panthers from the HPU starting lineup are averaging double figures per game, led by D'Maurian Williams with 15.3, Kezza Giffa with 14.5, and Kimani Hamilton with 13.1. 

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. 14 in the week six 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.