HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University women's basketball team took to the floor Wednesday night in a Big South showdown against the Winthrop University Eagles. The Panthers took down the Eagles 74-60.
High Point was led by Macy Spencer who notched another 20-point game finishing with 26 points. Dom Nesland and Anna Hager both finished with 12, and Brecken Snotherly recorded 10 points.
The Panthers are coming off of a road win against the Longwood Lancers in which they gained soul possession of the Big South.
Site: Qubein Center
Score: High Point 74, Winthrop 60
Records: High Point (17-2, 6-0), Winthrop (10-11, 3-4)
Head Coach Chelsea Banbury: "That was definitely a battle tonight, physical game both sides. Between the two of us their was 42 fouls called. I am proud of our girls. Winthrop went on a little bit of a run especially in that third quarter getting to the free throw line but we were able to weather the storm and obviously Macy [Spencer] was big again for us, Brecken [Snotherly] too. Five of eight from the field is quite impressive. These two definitely played a lot of minutes tonight especially without Aaliyah [Collins] out there. Fortunate to get out of here with a win and move on to the next one."
The Panthers opened up the scoring with back-to-back threes from Nesland and Spencer. After a Spencer forceful layup, the Panthers were up 8-5 at the first media timeout.
A Chana Paxixe driving layup, another Spencer three-pointer, a Nevaeh Zavala dagger, and a Hager turn around jumper brought the game to 18-10 with just under two minutes to play in the opening quarter.
Spencer quickly got into double-digits with another three-pointer. She added another two free throws as the Panthers took a 25-14 lead going to the second quarter.
The Panthers started off the second quarter as Zavala found a cutting Spencer. The three ball may not have been falling for Spencer, but she found other ways to score.
"I think most teams know that what I want to do first is shoot," Spencer said. "So, they are playing me tight. They face guarded me a little bit today. They were pressuring me. I know I can drive. I know I can get to my pull-up. If they foul me, I know I can make free throws. My teammates are always looking for me. So, it's really them."
Two Peyton Gerdes free throws and a Nesland layup brought the score to 31-20. Both teams went back and forth throughout most of the second quarter as multiple Panthers contributed to the score sheet. A Sky Donaie tip in gave High Point a 44-30 lead going into halftime.
Hager struck from deep to begin the second half and Snotherly later broke the half century mark for the Panthers to make it 51-39. Spencer added another four points as the Panthers led by 11 with 2:29 remaining in the third quarter.
As time winded down in the third, Nesland hit her first two free throws of the game as the Panthers took a 59-50 lead into the final quarter. She then got into double-digits with a layup and later another free throw.
Snotherly, then, became the fourth Panther with 10 or more points with a layup at the 5:03 mark in the final quarter. Spencer secured her sixth straight 20-point game with a successful three-point play. Two Spencer free throws and a layup later the Panthers led by 14 with one minute remaining.
High Point came out victorious 74-60. The Panthers out-rebounded the Eagles 41-24 and doubled the amount of second chance points.
UP NEXT: The Panthers will stay home and battle against the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs. The game will take place at 2:00 p.m. on January 24.
#H3U x #GoHPU
