HIGH POINT, N.C. – Scotty Washington exploded for a season-high 26 points, including 17 in the first half, to lead the High Point University men's basketball team to a victory in the final contest of the 2025 calendar year against UNC Asheville, 87-69. The win marked the Panthers' first Big South Conference victory of the season and extended their win streak to a season-long five games, sending HPU into the new year with momentum.

This was HPU's first time beating UNC Asheville since the 2020 season. The 18-point victory was the largest margin of victory in Asheville since the 2006 season and the largest margin of victory in program history to open Big South Conference play on the road.
 
It was an impressive shooting performance from the Panthers as they shot 61.7 percent from the field and a season-best 52.6 percent from the three-point line as it's the second time this season HPU has shot better than 50 percent from beyond the arc. Three other Panthers finished in double-figures with Rob Martin registering 14 points and three assists, Terry Anderson posting 12 points and five rebounds, and Braden Hausen pouring in 10 points, four assists and three rebounds.
 
Head Coach Flynn Clayman: "I am proud of our group with their defensive and rebounding effort. That is what it takes to win on the road. Rob Martin did a fantastic job, Youssouf and Caden gave us great minutes with early foul trouble, and Scotty finally caught fire which was long over due."
 
Site: Kimmel Arena
Score: High Point 87, UNC Asheville 69
Records: High Point (13-3) (1-0), UNC Asheville (6-9) (0-1)
 
HPU showcased its early shooting ability by knocking in its first two three-pointer opportunities to get out to a 6-5 lead. It took the first offensive possession for Washington to fire the shot and bury the triple. Then, a few possessions later, Hausen drained the long three-ball plus the foul.
 
Washington provided the spark that HPU looked for to maintain its lead through the first 10 minutes of action. Washington got to his spot at the free-throw line and knocked down the jumper for two. After the timeout break, Washington continued his hot hand with a three-ball from near the top of the key to give him a quick eight points and a 21-14 HPU advantage midway through the first half.
 
Cam'Ron Fletcher found his shooting stroke, knocking down a pair of three-pointers for the team's fourth and fifth triples of the game out of seven attempts to help HPU jump out to their largest lead thus far in the game, 13 points, 35-22, with 5:33 left until the half. The pair of triples was Fletcher's third basket of the game to put him and Washington tied for a team-high eight points.
 
Conrad Martinez drilled a three-pointer for his first three points in the final seconds of the half to head into halftime with a 49-34 lead. Still, it was Washington that kept HPU in control and maintain its double-digit advantage by tallying eight points in the final 3:12 of the first half.

Washington tied his season high in points in just one half of basketball with 17 points in 12 minutes of action as he went a perfect 5-5 from the field, 3-3 from beyond the arc and 4-4 at the free-throw line. Three other Panthers recorded at least six points in the first 20 minutes of basketball as Fletcher earned eight, Martin tallied six and Anderson added six as well.
 
The Panthers' shooting was a major part of HPU's commanding 15-point advantage heading into the second half. HPU shot 71.4 percent from the field, 70 percent from long range and 80 percent from the charity stripe.

Hausen got the momentum going in the second half for HPU with a steal and one-handed slam on the opposite end to help the Panthers start the half off in the first 2:50 of play on a 10-5 scoring run. Washington's first-half excellence continued into the second half as he converted a runner inside the paint for two points and his fourth three-ball from straightaway to add onto his season-high in points with 26 and help HPU get out to a 17-point lead, 73-56, with 9:50 left in the game.
 
Hausen and Martin cashed in the team's ninth and 10th three-pointers for the 10th game this season that the Panthers have knocked in at least 10 triples, and the eighth game in the last nine. Hausen buried a contested triple in the right corner, and then the next possession, Martin got the bank three-pointer to roll in from near the top of the key as HPU went up by its largest lead, 21 points, 85-64, with 3:06 remaining in the second half.
 
Hausen followed up his missed shot with a reverse layup in the final 1:30 to put him in double-digit scoring and seal HPU's first conference win of the season, 87-69.
 
Up Next:
High Point returns home to the Qubein Center to take on Big South Conference foe Longwood University on Saturday, Jan. 3, at 2:00 p.m.