High Point, N.C. — The High Point University Panthers will host its first home game of the season Saturday, November 8 against Averett University. This matchup will take place in the Qubein Center at 5:00 p.m. Fans will have a chance to receive mini prowlers upon entrance to the game.
 
Men's Basketball - vs Averett University
Saturday, November 8 | 5:00 p.m. | High Point, N.C. | Qubein Center
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Homecoming
 
Records: High Point 1-0, Averett 0-0
Last Meeting: November 12, 2016 | Result: HPU won 74-41
All-Time Record: HPU leads 2-0
 
The Matchup
High Point and Averett have only matched up two times during the regular-season, with the last meeting occurring in 2016, where High Point won 74-41. High Point's largest margin of victory was during their first matchup where the Panthers defeated the Cougars 89-53. 
 
During the 2024-25 season, Averett finished the year with an 8-17 record and a 3-13 league record in the USA South Conference. During the year, Averett recorded two early season upsets over ranked Division III schools in Maryville College and Christopher Newport University. Jackson Sellars returns for the 2025-26 season, he was Averett's second leading scorer last season averaging 10.7 points and 4.0 rebounds in 27.5 minutes. Mason Mitchell returns alongside Sellars coming off a freshman season averaging 8.4 points, 4.4 rebounds in 29.1 minutes. Averett was picked to finish 12th in the preseason polls. 
 
Last time out
The Panthers traveled to Rock Hill to compete in the Field of 68 Opening Day Marathon on Monday, November 3rd against Furman University. The Panthers had a dominant showing winning 97-71. High Point showed great balance with five Panthers reaching double figures in scoring. Led by Rob Martin, who had a game-high 22 points while Owen Aquino and Conrad Martinez each had 17 points. Cam'Ron Fletcher also pitched in a solid outing having 11 points and 10 rebounds for his first double-double of the season. The Panthers dominated the paint outscoring Furman 58-36. The Panthers showed their depth by having 38 bench points and shooting 45% from the three-point line. The defense by the Panthers became suffocating forcing 22 Furman turnovers and scoring 38 points off those turnovers. 
 
Notable Player & Team Notes
 
2024-25 Historic Season
High Point made history during the 2024-25 season by winning its first-ever Big South Tournament title and earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. HPU finished with an overall record of 29-6, which tied for the most wins in Big South program history (Winthrop, 2006-07) and the most wins in HPU program history. The Panthers finished the regular season with a 26-5 record and a 14-2 league record. The 26 regular-season wins is the most in program history and tied the Big South regular-season wins record with Coastal Carolina's 2010-11 season (26-4). High Point's offense finished 3rd in the NCAA in KenPom rankings for raw offensive efficiency, trailing only Duke and Gonzaga, and were ahead of 2025 NCAA National Champion Florida.
 
Continuing Success After Change
Coming off the most successful season ever for the Panthers after making it to March Madness the team's energy has never been higher. The energy for this season all stems with the new first-year Head Coach Flynn Clayman who was appointed in April of 2025 after serving as the Associate Head Coach under Alan Huss last season. 
 
Preseason Awards
High Point was picked again as the number one-ranked team in the Big South Preseason Poll for the second consecutive season and the fifth time in program history (2007-08, 2013-14, 2015-16, 2024-25, 2025-26). Rob Martin and Scotty Washington were picked to be on the First Team All-Conference as well. In the Blue-Ribbon Forecast HPU was picked preseason No. 1 and Martin was selected as the Preseason Newcomer of the Year. In two other preseason polls, High Point was picked fourth in the Field of 68 Mid-Major poll and eighth in the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25® poll. Since cracking the CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25® on December 26, 2023, High Point has remained in the top 25 for 36 consecutive weeks. The highest ranking that HPU received in program history was No. 5 on February 5, 2024.
 
Notable Transfers, Returning Players, and New Freshman
This season, the Panthers have a totally new squad and lineup looking to continue the standard of success they have created after making a tournament appearance. There are eight transfers that have made High Point their new home. Cam'ron Fletcher, a graduate student who has played at Kentucky, Florida State and Xavier, is bringing experienced veteran leadership to the team. He has already won a transfer award back in 2021-2022 as the ACC Impact Transfer per CBS Sports. Rob Martin who started at Indiana State and then Southeastern Missouri State University, is a senior who also brings some veteran leadership and was named to the Big South Preseason First-Team All-Conference selection. Another leader for the Panthers is Owen Aquino, who is coming to HPU after playing at Eastern Florida State and Liberty, a team that also won its league title and made the 2024-25 NCAA Tournament. Aquino a native of Spain, shares the court alongside Spain native Conrad Martinez, who spent his first two seasons at the University of Arizona. Scotty Washingtonis a senior transfer that played for CBU and CSUN, where he grabbed a 2024-2025 All-Big West Honorable Mention and was named to the Big South First-Team All-Conference selection. Vincent Brady II and Youssouf Singare are the last two transfers for the Panthers that also help strengthen the new identity and gameplan that the Panthers have for this season. Singare transferred from the University of Connecticut and Brady II joins the Panthers from Missouri State University.