HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University Panthers took on the University of South Carolina - Upstate Spartans in a Saturday night matchup in the Qubein Center. The Panthers took down the Spartans 89-69. Terry Anderson led the way with a double-double finishing with 22 points and 12 rebounds. Rob Martin finished with 18 points. Chase Johnston added another 15 points off of the bench.
The Panthers are coming off the team's first conference defeat of the season and looked to get back in the win column.
Site: Qubein Center
Score: High Point 89, USC Upstate 69
Records: High Point (17-4, 5-1), USC Upstate (9-11, 1-4)
Head Coach Flynn Clayman: "We got a little tight there with about 10 minutes left. It was a one possession game. We stuck together and we decided to get stops. That is going to be the key for our team, getting stops. I saw a clear difference in our energy defensively. Then lastly, we got to give Chase [Johnston] a ton of credit and if you talk about being player led, this guy is leading our culture up, down, over and around, he's doing everything. Then coming in and making those five threes is not separate from what he's doing in the locker room and what he's doing with the guys. So, really proud of him, really proud of the team sticking together there and a good bounce back win."
The Panthers opened the game quickly on offense with an athletic layup from Owen Aquino and a Scotty Washington three. High Point got into foul trouble early with both Aquino and Washington picking up two quick fouls.
Terry Anderson got on the scorecard with a layup and Vincent Brady II hit a three to give the Panthers a 10-3 lead before the first media timeout. Anderson added another score and Johnston drained a quick three as High Point went up 15-8 with 11:35 remaining in the first half.
A Braden Hausen three in the left corner, a Martin floater and an Anderson free throw brought the score to 23-14. The Spartans cut into the lead but Anderson kept drawing fouls and getting to the line. USC Upstate tied it up before Johnston hit two more threes. The Panthers went up by four with just under one minute to play in the first half. High Point led 35-31 going into halftime.
Hausen opened up the second half scoring for the Panthers with a three. Layups from Aquino and Washington, and two Anderson free throws brought the game to 46-41.
After two Conrad Martinez free throws Johnston hit his fourth free pointer of the game. Upstate tied the game up at 53, but Johnston kept it going from deep. Johnston passed to Aquino who found a cutting Anderson to give the Panthers a 60-53 lead as USC Upstate called a timeout.
The Panthers then started a second half run behind Anderson and Aquino as they took a double-digit lead into the under eight media timeout. Once again, Aquino found a cutting Panther as Martinez and a three point play from Martin brought the score to 74-57.
Martin hit his first three of the game to give the Panthers an 83-66 lead. The Panthers remained strong and held on to win 89-69.
High Point held the lead for all but 29 seconds after the first basket of the game. The team shot 50 percent from the floor and forced a total of 15 turnovers.
UP NEXT: The Panthers set their sights on the Radford Highlanders in a Saturday matchup on the road. The contest will take place at 4:30 p.m. on January 24.
#GoHPU x #OnTheProwl
