Box Score Game Box (pdf)
HIGH POINT, N.C. – On Sunday afternoon, the Wofford men’s basketball team was defeated 66-56 by High Point in the Millis Center. The Panthers had a four point lead at the half and outscored the Terriers by six in the second half for the ten point win.
Wofford is 1-4 to open the season and High Point is 3-2 overall. The two teams will meet again on December 30 in Spartanburg. Spencer Collins led the Terriers with 13 points, while freshman Jaylen Allen added 11 points. Karl Cochran led all players with nine rebounds. The Panthers were led by Big South Preseason Player of the Year John Brown with 22 points, 18 of them in the second half, and eight rebounds.
“We showed some resiliency and hung in there and got a couple shots down with good possessions late,” said head coach Mike Young. “We had guys making the proper cuts and reading the defenders so that was encouraging. We did not shoot the ball well from the line in the first half and should have been up I thought. We have to get back home. Four of the first five on the road to start is not easy. It will be nice to get back home and figure some things out.”
The Panthers scored the first four points of the game before a jumper by Spencer Collins made it 4-2 after two minutes. A three pointer gave High Point a 9-2 advantage at the four minute mark. Jaylen Allen hit a three pointer for Wofford with 14:20 on the clock to make it an 11-5 contest. A three by Karl Cochran and a lay-up by Jaylen Allen cut the lead to 13-11 at the mid-point of the half. Wofford made it a 7-0 run and tied it at 13 with a floater by Justin Gordon.
High Point scored the next six points to lead 19-13 at the 7:26 mark of the first half. A three pointer by Jaylen Allen cut the lead to 21-17 with six minutes left. The Panthers had a 25-20 advantage before a pair of free throws by C.J. Neumann with 3:56 on the clock made it a three point game. After High Point made three straight free throws, Eric Garcia answered with a three for a 28-25 score with ninety seconds remaining. The Panthers hit a three on the other end before Wofford had two free throws by Karl Cochran for a 31-27 score at the break.
To open the second half, the Panthers went on a 12-4 run that included ten points by John Brown for a 43-31 lead at the 15:36 mark. A pair of free throws by Karl Cochran with 11:22 on the clock cut the score to 45-37, but the Panthers pushed the lead back to 53-39 two minutes later. Jaylen Allen hit a three pointer to make it 53-42 score with eight minutes remaining.
After Wofford cut the score to 53-44, the Panthers had four straight points from John Brown for a 57-44 lead with five minutes remaining. A three for High Point gave them a 62-48 advantage at the four minute mark. C.J. Neumann added a bucket for the Terriers a minute later and Lee Skinner had a three with 54 seconds left for a 62-53 score. After a turnover, Lee Skinner hit another three at the 49 second mark to make it a 62-56 game. High Point scored the next four points for the 66-56 final score.
Wofford shot 33.3% from the floor while High Point shot 54.2% overall. The Terriers were 7-of-27 from with three, while the Panthers were 3-of-10 from behind the arc. High Point was 11-of-16 from the line while Wofford was 11-of-20 on free throws. High Point had a 40 to 30 lead on the glass. Wofford had 14 turnovers on the night, while High Point had 17. Justin Gordon fouled out for Wofford with 5:48 left in the game.
Wofford returns home on Saturday, November 30 against Johnson and Wales at 2:00 p.m. The game will be the first of a doubleheader, as the women will face N.C. Central at 5:00 p.m. that afternoon.
