HPU to play in March despite loss
Despite losing Saturday night, HPU clinched the final spot of the Big South tournament.
VMI (22-7, 13-5 Big South) won their first contest in High Point, 81-76. HPU (9-20, 4-14) had four players finish with double figures.
Melvin Crowder shined in his final home game in front of 1,642 in attendance. Crowder finished with a career best 14 points, including four 3-pointers.
High Point takes down VMI
High Point University (12-9, 4-3) ran past Reggie William-less Virginia Military Institute (10-10, 2-4) 90-71 Saturday night.
HPU had four players in double figures led by Arizona Reid and Mike Jefferson at 22 points apiece. Reid finished with 22 points, 16 rebounds, six assists and four steals. Jefferson finished with 22 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and three steals. Cruz Daniels finished with 16 points and four blocks and Eugene Harris had 14 points.
The game was a tale of two halves as High Point trailed by as many as eight through the first half. VMI led the whole half with no ties. Most of the half had the Keydets up four points.
Coming out of the break HPU had to overcome a seven point deficit. The first seven minutes of the second frame, the Panthers outscored the home team 21-6. In five more minutes High Point stretched the lead to 18 at 72-54 with 6:26 left.
The next four minutes, HPU’s scoring drought was VMI’s scoring monsoon. A 17-6 run made the game 78-71. The Keydets would not score within the final 2:50.
For HPU the rebounds and three pointers were crucial to victory. The Panthers out-rebounded VMI 46-25. The Keydets, normally high scoring, three point machine, went 3-21 from deep. VMI could not stop the inside game either. HPU scored 58 points from the paint and 26 fast break points. High Point also know it is better to give as they had 26 assists compared to VMI’s 10.
With his six rebounds, Reid became the first player in Big South history to record 1,800 points and 900 rebounds. At his current pace, Reid will finished with 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds. Reid also became the career leader in High Point history for steals with his second steal of the game. He has 142 career steals now.
HPU begins the second half of Big South play Wednesday against Liberty University in the Millis Center. Game time is scheduled start at 7 pm. Last time the teams met, LU won by four.
