HIGH POINT, N.C. - From tip-off to finish it was all the High Point University men's basketball team as the Panthers dominated and did not let up their enormous lead at any point of the game, winning in incredible fashion, 84-62, over Winthrop University on Saturday afternoon for Star Wars Night - Black Out.
"Proud of the bench. I thought in the first half Terry [Anderson] and Abdoulaye [Thiam] both gave us a really good lift off the bench. We are very fortunate to have guys like that, that are capable on the bench," said Head Coach Alan Huss. "We've just got to continue to get better. We have got to use this bye week, next week, to continue to address some of our deficiencies."
Site: Qubein Center
Score: High Point 84, Winthrop 62
Records: High Point (18-5, 6-2), Winthrop (13-9, 3-4)
D'Maurian Williams and Kimani Hamilton kicked off the scoring for the Panthers to start the game as they each converted a fadeaway jumper inside to give the Panthers an early 4-3 lead.
The 48.6 percent three-point shooter this season, Chase Johnston, found his hot-hand early as he nailed a three-point field goal from the right corner.
Kezza Giffa did what he does best as he drove to the paint, drawing contact, and converting the and-one basket to push HPU's lead early, 9-5.
Hamilton slammed home a two-handed jam to push the Panthers' scoring run to 11-0, and give HPU a double-digit, 15-5, lead.
Terry Anderson gave the Panthers a huge boost off the bench as he nailed a three-pointer as the shot clock ticked down, and then converted an and-one layup the next trip down the court.
"He's [Anderson] still just a fraction of where he is going to be. He is a really versatile wing that is going to really give us another dimension to our team," said Huss.
HPU's fantastic shooting, 60 percent, from the court continued as Hamilton knocked down a heavily contested, and-one jumper.
The three-pointers were raining in the Qubein Center as Abdoulaye Thiam drained a corner three-point bucket to tie HPU's largest lead of the game, 14 points, 30-16. Anderson drilled another three-pointer, giving him his second made triple of the game and his fourth of the season.
The Panthers terrific shooting stole the show in the first half as Thiam converted his second three-pointer of the game to give HPU its largest lead of the game, 21 points, 42-21, with 4:08 remaining in the first half.
HPU's pace and attack was too much for Winthrop to handle in the first half as the Panthers went into halftime with a 47-25 lead.
Thiam led the way in scoring for the Panthers with nine first half points. Williams and Anderson each had eight points heading into the second half. Williams continued the high scoring offense into the second half for High Point with a running jumper to give HPU its first bucket of the second half.
HPU's three-point shooting prowess from the first half transferred into the second as Williams and Hamilton each drained a three-pointer to further the Panthers enormous lead, 57-28.
Bobby Pettiford got deep in his bag as he pulled off a beautiful in-and-out crossover to lose his defender, leading to him converting an and-one left handed acrobatic layup for two points. Juslin Bodo Bodo got the building on their feet as he powered his way inside and dunked all over his defender after Giffa dished him a perfectly placed ball.
Before the shot clock horn sounded, Giffa buried a step back two-point jumper to add to the impressive offensive performance from HPU.
The Panthers 84-62 victory sealed HPU's sixth Big South conference win of the season and its third consecutive victory in a row. Five Panthers finished in double-figure scoring as Hamilton and Giffa each recorded 14 points. Williams finished with 13 points and five rebounds, Thiam added 11 points, and Bodo totaled 10 points and 12 rebounds.
UP NEXT: The Panthers get a week break before they travel to Clinton, S.C. to face off against Presbyterian College on Saturday, February 1 at 2 p.m.
#GoHPU x #OnTheProwl
