CHARLOTTE -- Second-seeded Winthrop took down seventh-seeded High Point Friday night in the Big South tournament quarterfinals, avenging one of the two losses it was dealt during the regular season. Now that you know that, let's go...Inside the Numbers.
High Point (14-18) produced a season-low output for points in a first half against the Eagles, notching 17 points in the opening frame. The prior low from the Panthers was 19 against Campbell -- that was the lowest-scoring game High Point notched in Big South play (a 60-42 loss), with the Friday loss to Winthrop the second-lowest.
Winthrop (22-8) has failed to advance to the Big South semifinals just once in the last 10 seasons. Charleston Southern, the sixth seed in the 2019 conference tourney, ended the Eagles' tournament run with a 77-63 quarterfinal loss in Campbell's Gore Arena in Buies Creek, N.C.
Just five Panthers scored in the contest. Two High Point players logged 41 of the team's 51 points. John-Michael Wright (21 points) and Jaden House (20) hoisted 35 of High Point's 60 shots, hitting 15 of the 19 the team converted. The remainder of the team hit just 4-of-25 (16 percent). Bryant Randleman tallied six, with Rob Peterson III and Alex Holt contributing two apiece.
The 19 conversions from High Point tied the season-low surrendered by the Eagles; interestingly, the other Winthrop foe that converted 19 shots -- Elon on December 15 -- actually defeated Winthrop in non-league play.
Cory Hightower's 21 marked just the second time the Western Carolina transfer has eclipsed the 20-point mark in a Winthrop uniform. Hightower turned in 22 against Upstate earlier in the Big South slate.
The win marks Mark Prosser's first Big South tournament win as Winthrop's coach.
Winthrop's 37 rebounds were tied for the Eagles' third-highest output against a Division 1 foe this season. The Eagles logged 39 at Washington and Hampton, 38 against Asheville, and 37 at Upstate.
And finally, the Hustle Stats:
Points in the paint: Winthrop 32, High Point 24
Points off turnovers: High Point 16, Winthrop 12
Second-chance points: High Point 8, Winthrop 5
Bench points: High Point 22, Winthrop 16
Fast-break points: High Point 8, Winthrop 4
Points per possession: Winthrop 1.097 (62 possessions), High Point .797 (64 possessions)
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