HIGH POINT, N.C. — The High Point University women's basketball team faced the North Carolina Central Eagles in a Sunday afternoon contest. The Panthers took down the Eagles, 82-60, behind Macy Spencer and Aaliyah Collins as the game-changing duo led the way for HPU with 25 and 24 points, respectively. Spencer went 11-12 from the free throw line in the win. It propelled the Panthers to 10 total wins in their fifth straight victory, including a perfect 7-0 at home.
Site: Qubein Center
Score: High Point 82, NC Central 60
Records: High Point (10-1), NC Central (1-9)
Head Coach Chelsea Banbury: "I mean after a slow start, to finish the second quarter, I thought, we finally started doing a better job of taking care of the ball and playing our game and working for the shot selection we wanted. The two sitting next to me [Aaliyah Collins and Macy Spencer] were crazy efficient today with what they were able to put on the floor, and we were very fortunate because without them we could have been in a bad spot, but they came to play, they were able to get to the basket, get to the free throw line. Between the two of them, they drew 13 fouls on them, and that makes a big difference. We got them in foul trouble. I'd like to see us execute for longer stretches. We're definitely going to need that in the next game at Davidson. It's got to be 40 minutes of high energy intensity and executing a game plan. For Carolina Central, they came in, they played hard, and they played hard for 40 minutes, they were still pressuring us, and they didn't give up, so hats off to them, but, these two were excellent today, and we just got to be a little better for the next one."
The Panthers went up 8-7 before the first stoppage of play behind four early points from Spencer. Collins had a quick forceful basket and dished out two assists. After the timeout, Spencer knocked down another shot and Collins converted on the team's first three-pointer of the game. Both teams went back-and-forth going into the second quarter tied at 18.
Anna Hager got the Panthers on the board in the second quarter and Spencer followed it up by burying her first three of the game. Spencer forcefully blocked an Eagles' shot, gathered the ball, and led it up the court as Brecken Snotherly converted on a three-point play.
Peyton Gerdes then got her name on the board with a layup to give the Panthers a 28-26 lead. She followed it up with another basket. Spencer hit a pull-up jumper and four free throws after getting fouled on back-to-back possessions. HPU took a 34-28 lead into the half.
Collins got the scoring going in the second half as she drove to the basket and converted. After two Spencer free throws, Collins kept the ball rolling. She got fouled on a made layup, sunk a three, and made another layup. Spencer hit two more free throws after an Eagles' technical foul. Dom Nesland scored her first two baskets of the game to give the Panthers a 55-39 lead.
Nevaeh Zavala scored her first field goal of the game after another Collins' shot. Spencer then hit her 11th free throw as the Panthers took a 60-43 going into the final quarter.
Made shots from Collins, Gerdes, and a three-pointer from Spencer gave the Panthers a 22-point lead. Collins, Chana Paxixe, and Nesland kept the scoring going. Sky Donaie drained a three as time winded down in the fourth quarter and the Panthers came out with the win 82-60.
High Point forced a total of 26 turnovers, including 14 steals and nine blocks.
Up Next: The Panthers head to Davidson College for a mid-week game on Wednesday, Dec. 17 at 7 p.m.
#H3U x #GoHPU
