HPU Women’s Basketball Races Past Greensboro College, 81-59

• The Panthers put together a 20-4 second-half run to surge to a 22-point win
• Senior Latrice Phelps led the Panthers with 12 points (5-5 FG) and grabbed four rebounds
• HPU opens the regular season on Nov. 15 vs. Brevard (2 p.m.)

HIGH POINT, N.C. – The High Point University women’s basketball team used a 20-4 run midway through the second half to power past Greensboro College, 81-59, in exhibition action on Thursday night inside the Millis Center.

The visiting Pride kept it close for much of the game and trailed by just five (56-51) with 10 minutes to play. But the Panthers responded with the key 20-4 surge to go up by 21 (76-55) with 3:48 to go, effectively sealing the victory for HPU.

“It was definitely an exhibition – the first game playing in front of a crowd is always a little ugly,” head coach DeUnna Hendrix said. “The first half was expected, but I was proud of how our kids responded in the second half. We picked up the pace offensively and grabbed some rebounds defensively.”

Senior forward Latrice Phelps led the Panthers with 12 points and connected on all five of her field goal attempts in the game. Sophomore guard Maja Michalska added 11 points and grabbed five rebounds in 21 minutes of work, while freshman guard Kat Harris also scored in double figures in her HPU debut. The Charlotte, N.C., native notched 10 points and went 5-of-5 from the free throw line in the game.

Redshirt senior forward Stacia Robertson posted eight points (4-9 FG) and grabbed 14 rebounds, including nine on the offensive glass.

The Panthers shot just 28.6 percent (10-35) from the field in the first half, but improved to 54.8 percent (17-31) in the second half to finish the game at 40.9 percent (27-66) overall. HPU also limited the Pride to just 34.5 percent (19-55) in the game, including an 8-for-30 (.267) mark in the second half.

The Panthers also were +18 (57-39) on the glass and held a 14-6 edge in assists on the night.

The two teams played to a 10-10 tie before GC took a 19-15 lead on a lay-in from Azha McNiel at the 9:35 mark of the first half. The Panthers surged back with a 6-0 run to go up 20-19, but Greensboro battled back with a 5-0 spurt to take a 26-22 lead with 4:49 to go in the half.

From there, HPU closed the half strong. Redshirt senior guard Lindsay Puckett nailed a triple to tie the game at 27 and Michalska hit two free throws to help HPU close the half on a 10-4 run and take a 34-31 lead into the break.

The Panthers shot just 28.6 percent in the half (10-35) but held a 29-23 edge in rebounding, including a 12-3 advantage on the offensive glass. Robertson and Puckett each notched six points to lead the Panthers in the half.

Greensboro cut the HPU lead to as little as two (43-41) five minutes into the second half, but that’s as close as the Pride would get for the remainder of the contest.

HPU opens the regular season in nine days against Brevard College on Nov. 15 inside the Millis Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m.