HIGH POINT, N.C. - The High Point University men's basketball team will welcome the University of North Texas to the Qubein Center for a late night Friday battle. Tip-off is set for 8:00 p.m. following the women's basketball game versus Winston-Salem State University at 5:00 p.m. 

Students can receive Pit Viper glasses upon entrance to the game. 

Men's Basketball - University of North Texas 
Friday, December 6 | 8 p.m. | High Point, NC | Qubein Center
Watch Live ESPN+ |  LiveStats

Records: High Point 8-2, UNT 6-2
This is the first meeting

The Matchup
The Panthers and the Mean Green will meet for the first time program history. North Texas competes in the American Conference and finished the 2023-24 season with an overall record of 19-14 and a conference record of 10-8. UNT earned an invitation to the NIT last season and defeated LSU in the first round before falling to the NIT Champs, Seton Hall. Currently, the Mean Green are 6-2 with their two losses to McNeese (61-68) and Utah State (57-61). North Texas has picked up wins this season over two Power Fives including Minnesota and Oregon State. The Mean Green have a balanced offense and are led by Atin Wright with 13.3 points per game and 2.3 rebounds. UNT is known for its sticky defense which has held its opponents to an average 56.5 points per game and forced 15.4 turnovers per game. North Texas is coached by Ross Hodges who enters his second season has the head coach and eighth season with the program.

Last Time Out
High Point traveled to UNCG on Tuesday night and suffered a 72-68 loss in the final minutes of play. Down by two points with a chance to tie the game in the last minute of regulation, the Panthers were unable to get a basket to fall. HPU was led by Kimani Hamilton with 13 points and three assists. Juslin Bodo Bodo and Terry Anderson led on the boards with seven rebounds a piece. Simon Hildebrandt returned to play for his first game with the Panthers and contributed five points and an assist. This was the Panthers second loss of the season.

Notable Player & Team Notes
 
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. 12 in the week three 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.