HPU men pickle Mount Olive, 122-73

Nov. 27—HIGH POINT — Ending a seven-day stretch of four games and two long practices, the High Point University men's basketball team didn't let the physical toll show Sunday.

The Panthers kept up a quick pace as they played some of their best up-tempo basketball in the second half and demolished Division II Mount Olive 122-73 at the Qubein Center.

Up 18 at the half, HPU (4-3) shot a blistering 71% (27 of 38) that included 60% (9 of 15) from behind the 3-point arc in the second 20 minutes. The Panthers led by as many as 61 (120-59 with 2:10) to go and fell just two points short of the program's Division I record for points in a game set against Florida Christian on Jan. 8, 2008.

For the game, HPU dished 24 assists on 41 baskets, shot 57.7%, committed just eight turnovers and just eight fouls (which held Mount Olive to five free-throw attempts), made 24 of 31 shots from the free throw line and held a 45-31 rebounding advantage.

Four Panthers scored in double figures, led by Duke Miles putting in 20. Kezza Giffa added 19 as he made 11 of 11 free throws. Trae Benham notched 12, all on four 3s. Abdoulaye Thiam had 11 and freshman Titas Sargiunas had a season-best 10. Of the 13 HPU players who saw action, 12 scored and all had at least five points.

Juslin Bodo Bodo led the way on the boards with 11 rebounds and Cade Potter snared eight. Mount Olive dropped to 1-5.

"I thought the guys did a good job waking up in the second half," HPU coach Alan Huss said. "We've practiced really hard since we've been back from Florida. It showed in our legs and we drug a bit in the first half. We did a nice job of finding our rhythm in the second half. We did a nice job of sharing the basketball in the second half. We did a better job of not fouling, which had been an emphasis, because we've been trying to keep hands out and keep games going up-and-down the floor."

Leading by 17 with a minute gone in the second half, HPU went on a 13-4 run for a 64-38 cushion with 15:14. The lead steadily increased until it was 40 at 91-51 then ballooned to 57 as HPU scored 17 straight points for its biggest run of the game.

HPU capped a week that started with going 2-1 and reaching the finals of a tournament in Florida.

"We've had so many challenges, I haven't had a chance to dial back and look at all our progress," Huss said. "We're developing into a team that's pretty good offensively. We're rebounding the ball well at both ends. We're in the top 50 in offensive and defensive rebounding percentage, which is a critical metric to our success. Those have been nice improvements."

The Panthers scored a blowout win against Iona on Monday, won a nail-biter against Illinois State on Tuesday and lost in overtime against Hofstra in the championship game. The tournament followed two last-second losses.

HPU led by just 23-20 midway of the first half before going on a 26-6 run that started with 11 straight points, nine of them provided by Benham hitting three open 3s.

Benham, a transfer from Lipscombe, thought the Panthers weren't operating at full pace in the second half despite the outward appearance.

"We're more tired than usual because we came off a trip where we played three games in a row then we went pretty hard in practice," Benham said. "The pace wasn't as good as it's been in the past. But we were getting stops and running in transition. It might have looked right to the public but we could have been a little better on that."

HPU returns to action when it plays host to Morgan State on Wednesday. After a game at North Florida on Saturday, the Panthers will play five of its remaining six December contests at home.