BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Taking its final road contest of the Big South regular season, the High Point University Panthers rolled past the Gardner-Webb University Runnin' Bulldogs for its third straight 20+ point win, extending its win streak to 10. HPU defeated GWU, 90-67 Saturday afternoon.
High Point became the first school in the country to reach 25 wins in the season and clinched a share of the Big South regular season title.
Kezza Giffa led the game, tagging his sixth game of the season with 20+ points after dropping a game-high 23 on 8-10 shooting from the free throw line.
Bobby Pettiford and Giffa combined for 14 assists as Pettiford matched his career-high with eight.
Juslin Bodo Bodo put in work on the boards and recorded 10 rebounds and two blocks.
"I was pleased with our effort today," Head Coach
Alan Huss stated. "Gardner Webb threw a number of different looks at us today. We did a solid job identifying and attacking on the offensive end of the floor. Our two point guards combined for 14 assists and zero turnovers, that will typically give you an excellent opportunity to win. We are excited to turn our attention to our regular season finale on Wednesday at home against USC Upstate. We have a chance to clinch our second straight regular season title."
Site: Paul Porter Arena
Score: High Point 90, Gardner-Webb 67
Records: High Point (25-5, 13-2), Gardner-Webb (10-17, 5-9)
The Panthers got off to a slow but steady start early in the first half as the team worked the offense against the Runnin' Bulldogs' one defense.
Juslin Bodo Bodo got things rolling three minutes into the game with an alley-oop in transition off a pass from Giffa to lead 6-3.
Gardner-Webb tied the game at eight all but a made three in the corner from
Chase Johnston extended the Panthers' lead back up to four, 12-8 with 14 minutes to go in the first half.
The Panthers led 17-14 at the 13-minute mark when
Bobby Pettiford entered the game. Bringing the energy, he went coast-to-coast in two possessions after securing a rebound on a Bodo Bodo block and picking off a bad pass from GWU to lead 21-16.
With eight minutes to go in the first, High Point stretched its lead to double figures with an 11-0 run.
Kimani Hamilton started the run with an old school three-point play. Giffa found his rhythm in the mid-range and dropped in two jumpers in the paint. Johnston's second three of the game and a second chance basket from Hamilton pressed HPU's lead to 15, 35-20 with just under six minutes to go in the half.
High Point led by 20 points with a minute and 55 seconds remaining before the halftime break after
Abdoulaye Thiam scored on a layup. GIffa's two made free throws gave HPU the 48-28 lead at the break.
In the first four minutes of the second half, High Point held its 20-point lead. Hamilton scored in back-to-back possessions on a corner three and a jumper inside the lane to make it 56-36.
Gardner-Webb remained scrappy and chipped away at High Point's large lead, cutting it down to an 11-point difference mid-way through the half. The Panthers did a good job of preventing the Runnin' Bulldogs' momentum and crowd energy from wavering their play.
Josh Ibukunoluwa connected on a pair of baskets with six minutes left on the clock, giving HPU a 76-57 lead.
With just under two minutes to go in the game, High Point cleared its bench after leading 88-63.
Andrew Sineway made the final basket for the Panthers to give HPU its 90-67 win.
UP NEXT:
High Point hosts USC Upstate on Wednesday, February 26 for senior night at 7:00 p.m. inside the Qubein Center.
#GoHPU x #OnTheProwl
