JOHNSON CITY, TENN – The High Point University women's basketball team defeated Longwood University, 59-53, to win the Big South Championship. This is the Panthers second conference title in program history and the second time in five years HPU punched its ticket to the Big Dance!
Site: Freedom Hall
Score: High Point 59, Longwood 53
Records: High Point (21-11, 13-3), Longwood (22-11, 11-5)
Head Coach Chelsea Banbury: "What can I say, I'm just so proud of our girls. With the injury that we had yesterday, it was an emotional moment in that game. To then show up today and come together as a group and fight from behind, we got down and we weren't out. I think a lot of that was to these two sitting next to me (
Jaleesa Lawrence and
Nevaeh Zavala). They kept us steady and were very vocal about we're still in this game, especially Zavala. I heard her a ton in timeouts saying this thing's not over, let's go, this is our time. They really stepped up with Nakyah (Terrell) being out because she is usually that steady person for us. We talked about how everyone is going to step up, and it started with these two. I just can't say enough of how proud I am of this group and what we were able to accomplish this year."
In a fourth quarter come back, the Panthers took its second lead of the night with just five minutes remaining in the game. That is all they needed to hold off the Lancers as they built a small lead to be able to put them away to win their second Big South title in program history.
The tournament MVP,
Jaleesa Lawrence, and
Nevaeh Zavala led the High Point team in scoring efforts as they came up huge for their squad. Zavala led the floor as she tallied her third double-double of the season tallying 16 points, and 10 rebounds. Lawrence recorded 12 points, seven boards, three assists, and three steals on the night. Two other Panthers were in double figures as
Aaliyah Collins recorded 10 points, five assists, and five steals, while
Lauren Scott had 11 points, and hit a few clutch shots from beyond the arc.
After only holding a small lead in the first few minutes of the night, HPU was playing catch-up until the fourth quarter when they were able to slow down the Lancers offense and take the lead. Heading into the fourth quarter, HPU was down five points, 47-42. Immediately to start the last 10 minutes, HPU cut the deficit to just one point following a layup from Collins and a good tip-in from Lawrence.
The Lancers went back up one score after going 1-for-2 from the foul line. HPU tied the game at 48 and would take the lead with the and-one call on Zavala's layup. She connected on her foul shot to give the lead to the Panthers for the first time since the first quarter. High Point went on a 5-0 run to push its lead to six after two good foul shots from Collins and a massive fastbreak three pointer from Scott. Longwood cut the lead down to three before they were forced to start fouling HPU. Scott went to the line to seal the deal for High Point.
Banbury and the Panthers became the 2024-25 Big South Champions after defeating the Lancers, 59-53, to punch their ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in program history. Banbury is the only coach in High Point Division I history to make it to the Big Dance, making it last in the 2020-21 season.
Up Next: High Point awaits the NCAA Selection Show on Sunday, March 16 at 8:00 p.m. ET on ESPN.
#H3U x #GoHPU
