HIGH POINT, N.C. - The High Point University men's basketball team picked up a huge victory Friday night over the University of North Texas behind a second-half scoring surge from the Panthers. Five players scored in double-figures for HPU including 19 for
Kimani Hamilton and 17 for
D'Maurian Williams in the 76-71 win.
"We are very fortunate to get out with a win. We did not play particularly well but we played I thought very hard. I thought we matched their physicality level especially on the defensive glass," said Head Coach
Alan Huss. "I am really pleased with our guys finding a way to be gritty on the defensive glass. We did enough offensively, and hit some timely shots."
Site: Qubein Center
Score: High Point 76, North Texas 71
Records: High Point (9-2), North Texas (6-3)
After failing to knock down their first three three-point attempts, the Panthers'
Kezza Giffa drilled a triple from the corner to put High Point on the scoreboard first. Williams knocked down a pair of three-pointers of his own on back-to-back possessions to expand the Panthers' lead, 12-2. Williams stayed hot from beyond the arc as he drained his third three-point basket from the left wing to give him his ninth point of the game.
Bobby Pettiford added to High Point's phenomenal shooting early on as he splashed down his second three-pointer of the season. Williams advanced the Panthers' lead to double-digits, 28-18, after he drained his fourth made three-pointer out of five attempts.
North Texas closed out the first half on a 13-0 run as HPU trailed at halftime, 31-28.
Williams led the way in scoring for the Panthers heading into the second half with 14 points on 5-8 shooting from the court overall.
It took 2:04 of game time for the Panthers to finally get on the board in the second half as Hamilton attacked the basket for two points in the paint.
Chase Johnston got the crowd on their feet early in the second half after draining a shot from near midcourt to tie the game up at 33 all. Hamilton kept the Panther fans jumping as he slammed home a two-handed jam after receiving a dime from
Simon Hildebrandt to boost HPU's lead, 48-45, with 11:32 remaining in the game.
Williams found an open Hildebrandt from behind the three-point line to push the Panthers' lead back to double-digits, 66-56 with 3:23 left in the second half.
Down the stretch it came down to the Panthers' ability to knock down free throws, as the team went a combined 8-10 from the line in the final 1:04 of the game to help seal the second-half comeback for HPU, 76-71.
"We had a number of guys step up," Huss added. "I thought we shared the ball fairly well especially against a team like that where they dictate so much to you."
Hamilton led the way for HPU with 19 points to go along with six rebounds and four assists. Williams added 17 points while shooting 6-9 overall from the court and 4-6 from the three-point line.
In just Hildebrandt's second collegiate game in the United States due to injury, the Canadian finished with 11 points and seven rebounds.
"It felt great to finally be back on the floor," said Hildebrandt. "It felt great to kind of get my legs back. Obviously being out for as long as I was, that first game I had a couple jitters because it was the first time playing in the U.S. I felt much better today, just trying to work my way back."
The win over North Texas was the highest ranked win over a Kenpom Top 75 ranked team that HPU has defeated in program history as North Texas was ranked No. 67. Prior to that, HPU had only beaten one other top-100 KenPom ranked team in program history.
UP NEXT:
High Point will face Appalachian State on Saturday, December 14 at 2:00 p.m. in Greensboro, N.C. at the Novant Health Fieldhouse.
#GoHPU x #OnTheProwl
