Feb. 11, 2010

Box Score

HIGH POINT, N.C. - The Coastal Carolina University men's basketball team (21-5, 11-3 Big South) fell to High Point (12-12, 7-6 Big South) 69-65 Feb. 11 in High Point, N.C. Coastal trailed by as many as 15 points in the first half, but battled back to tie the game at 63 with 1:50 remaining. The Chants gave up back-to-back baskets and could not covert with a chance to win in their last possession.

Coastal Carolina had a 7-5 lead at the 16:49 mark of the first half on a three from Mario Edwards. Edwards hit another three at 15:35 for a 10-7 advantage, but High Point scored the next 10 points, capping off the run with an Earnest Bridges dunk at the 12:57 mark. High Point would get the lead to double-digits on a Jairus Simms three at 10:51. The Panthers took their biggest lead of the game at the 8:37 mark on a Bridges jumper, but the Chants hit back-to-back three's from Edwards and Chad Gray making it 31-24 with 6:49 left. High Point answered with a 9-3 run as a Simms layup made it 40-27 with 2:33 left. Coastal got an old-fashion three-point play from Joseph Harris and five points from Sam McLaurin and Dexter Moore in the final 1:14, but Nick Barbour hit a 30-footer as time expired to give HPU a 43-35 lead heading into the lockerrroom.

Edwards hit four first-half three-pointers for 12 points, while Harris had eight points and five rebounds in the first 20 minutes. High Point shot 65.4 percent from the floor in the first half and was 4-of-6 from three-point range. Bridges came off the bench to score 10 points in 11 minutes of the first period.

Logan Johnson's layup at 17:45 made it 45-39 with 17:45 left in the second half. High Point would take a 50-41 lead with 14:52 left on a David Singleton jumper. The Panthers made it 52-42 on a Simms jumper, but Coastal would start its run soon after that make. Johnson's three at 12:04 made it 52-46 HPU. Coastal would cut the lead to four (53-49) on another Johnson three at 10:51. With the score 55-52, Simms hit a big three that gave the Panthers at six-point advantage with 9:01. High Point would stretch the lead to seven (61-54) on a free throw from Singleton, but a Danny Nieman three and a Harris jumper cut the lead to 61-59 with 5:50 left. Kierre Greenwood would tie the game at 61 with two free throws with 5:11 left. Eugene Harris hit a jumper with 4:02 left, giving HPU a 63-61 lead. The game would remain the same until a Gray jumper at 1:50 tied the game at 63. Corey Law answered right away with a layup at 1:31 for a 65-63 lead. Coastal would turn the ball over and Eugene Harris banked a running jumper for a 67-63 lead with 47 seconds left. Joseph Harris got a rebound off a Gray jumper and was fouled with 35 seconds remaining. He hit both free throws to make it 67-65. Joseph Harris then drew a charge on Eugene Harris, giving the Chants the ball with no shot clock and 25 seconds left. Edwards had an open look, but missed. Joseph Harris got the rebound, but was stripped by Tehran Cox, who went all the way down the other end of the court for a layup with seven seconds left.

Coastal had four players in double figures, led by Edwards' 14 points. Harris had a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds, while Johnson and Gray had 11 points apiece. Coastal shot 38.8 percent from the floor and were 18-of-23 from the free-throw line.

High Point was led by Eugene Harris' 14 points. Bridges ended the game with 13 points, while Simms had 12 points and five assists. High Point shot 54 percent from the floor and had 12 assists.

Coastal Carolina will continue on its road trip Saturday, Feb. 13 against Radford. Game time is at 7 p.m., in the Dedmon Center.