CLINTON, S.C. – The High Point University men's basketball team continues to rewrite the record books after a 79-73 victory over Presbyterian on Thursday night on ESPNU.
 
The win clinched the Panthers' third consecutive Big South regular-season outright championship and secured the No. 1 seed in the upcoming conference tournament. The victory extended HPU's streak to 11 straight, the third-longest active win streak in NCAA Division I. In doing so, HPU became the first Big South member to win three consecutive outright titles since Winthrop did it from 2004-07.
 
Head coach Flynn Clayman tied Alan Huss in 2023-24 for the most wins by a first-year head coach in Big South history, and secured HPU's third straight 27-win season. The result also marked the most regular-season victories in Big South Conference history, breaking the Panthers' own record of 26 victories last season.
 
At 15-1 in conference play, the Panthers set a program record for conference victories, while Clayman notched the most Big South wins by a first-year head coach in conference history.
 
Site: Templeton Center
Score: High Point 79, Presbyterian 73
Records: High Point (27-4) (15-1), Presbyterian (14-16) (7-8)
 
Head Coach Flynn Clayman: "Very proud of our team, their sacrifices for one another, in particular Chase Johnston, who came up huge for us tonight. Three consecutive regular-season titles and three consecutive 27 win seasons is an unbelievable achievement, but we won't celebrate too long, as the job is not finished."
 
Terry Anderson and Scotty Washington got the scoring started for the Panthers, helping HPU open the game on an 8-0 scoring run. Anderson recorded a quick four points inside the paint, and Washington connected on a pair of 3-pointers.
 
Cam'Ron Fletcher provided an immediate spark off the bench, converting an and-one basket at the rim and draining a 3-pointer, extending the Panthers' lead to double-digits, 17-4, with 13:52 left in the first half.
 
Owen Aquino and Anderson ended Presbyterian's 10-1 scoring run to stretch the Panthers' lead to nine points, 37-28, with under three minutes remaining until halftime. Aquino knocked down his second triple of the game and the team's sixth to put him in double-figure scoring with 10 points, and Anderson converted an and-one for his ninth point.
 
Rob Martin closed the first half by scoring the final eight points for HPU, including going coast-to-coast to convert a turnaround jumper at the buzzer, pushing HPU's advantage back to double-digits, 45-35. Martin's eight-point surge in the final 1:43 of the half gave him a game-high 12 points heading into halftime.
 
The Panthers shot 48.4 percent from the field and 42.9 percent from downtown in the first half, while holding Presbyterian to 33.3 percent shooting from the field and 0-of-3 attempts from beyond the arc.
 
Anderson got the action started in the second half with a pair of buckets, but it was a Braden Hausen basket from beyond the arc that put a halt to Presbyterian's scoring run and grew the Panther lead to four points, 54-50.
 
Chase Johnston checked into the game, and it only took 73 seconds before he buried his team-high 55th 3-pointer of the season to regain the advantage for the Panthers, 59-56, with 10:46 left in the game.
 
Over the next four minutes, Johnston caught fire from beyond the arc, drilling 3-pointers on three straight possessions, including a fast break bank shot from the right wing, sparking a 13-0 surge to build a 74-62 lead with 6:37 remaining.
 
HPU converted its final three attempts at the charity stripe to seal the 79-73 victory for the Panthers' third win this season on ESPNU. The win is HPU's ninth consecutive victory over Presbyterian, completing a season sweep of the Blue Hose for the fifth straight year.
 
Five Panthers finished in double-digit scoring, with Martin leading the way with a team-high 14 points, converting all 10 of his free throw attempts, to go along with five assists and two steals. Anderson added 13 points, six rebounds, three steals and two blocks. Aquino was tremendous on both ends, totaling 12 points, seven rebounds, four blocks -- for the second straight game, and three steals. Johnston poured in 12 points, all coming in the second half, on 4-of-5 shooting from beyond the arc. Washington chipped in with 11 points, shooting 3-of-5 from long range.
 
The Panthers shot 42.9 percent from the field and converted 11-of-26 3-point field goals.
 
Up Next:
The Panthers will get seven days off before competing in the Air Force Reserve Big South Men's Basketball Championship in Johnson City, Tenn., as the No. 1 seed on Friday, March 6, at noon at the Freedom Hall Civic Center against the winner of the No. 8/9 seed game.