HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University women's basketball team hosted the Wingate University Bulldogs, where the Panthers took the 75-46 win at the Qubein Center. The victory moves the Panthers to 2-0 as they face their first major test of the week on Saturday, November 7,
at Ball State.
Site: Qubein Center
Score: High Point 75, Wingate 46
Record: High Point (2-0), Wingate (0-0)
Head Coach Wyatt Foust: "We had a very different offensive start and outing than our previous game. What I told the team afterward is, I don't know if I have ever had a team that, when things were going that poorly for them offensively, lean into their defense. It seemed like more of a struggle offensively between turnovers and missed threes. It seemed like we dug much deeper defensively, working to get stops, and that's not typical. Usually, as you're scoring, your defense gets better, and when you get into droughts, you struggle there too. I told them that for us to have the defense carry the day, that's going to go a long way for us in back-to-back games, and help us hold pretty good opponents to low totals and bad percentages. This is something that's going to be long-term, and help us win a lot of games."
Panther guard
Taylor Feldman opened the game with a second-chance bucket in the paint, making a driving layup. She led the team offensively, scoring 23 total points in the game, making 10-for-16 field goals. By the end of the first, she managed five of the team's 15 points.
Meredith Tippner also had a well-rounded performance, adding 13 points to the board, and narrowly missed a double-double with nine rebounds (eight defensive). She led the team in assists with four and claimed two steals.
Brecken Snotherly reached the double-digit mark, scoring 10 points, knocking down 4-of-7 from the field and 2-for-3 from behind the arc. Snotherly grabbed five rebounds, including three on the defensive glass, throughout the game.
High Point was strong defensively, with 12 steals and five blocks, holding the Bulldogs to 20-57 (35.1%) from the floor. The Panthers used those Wingate mishaps to score 19 fast-break points compared to six for Wingate.
The Panthers once again established an early lead in the game, grabbing a 30-17 lead by the intermission. High Point's largest lead reached 33 as it remained perfect at home in the early stages of the season.
Feldman provided the opening points of the game on a driving layup before Snotherly knocked down a jumper from the elbow as the Panthers established a 15-8 lead to close out the opening frame.
In the second quarter, the Panthers were dominant in the paint, with 12 of 15 points coming on the post. Snotherly had a breakout quarter, scoring five of her 10 points. Three of the five came from a 3-pointer, following a pass from Tippner.
High Point caught fire in the third, scoring 26 points for its best offensive performance of the contest. Tippner went on a run, scoring nine of her 13 points. She managed four-point shooting, scoring six points from the floor, along with converting a jumper from behind the arc.
Among the highlights in the fourth quarter for the Panthers was
Sanai Cole converting her first made free throw to notch her first collegiate point. Feldman ended the frame with seven points, while Gerdes and
Rylee Bess followed with four points in the 19-point quarter.
Up Next: HPU faces Ball State for its first road match of the season on Saturday, November 7 at 1 p.m. in Muncie, Ind.
#GoHPU
