HIGH POINT, N.C.? Jessica Monroe matched her career high with 23 points to lead four UNC Asheville players in double figures as the Bulldogs snapped a five-game losing streak with a 79-63 victory at High Point on Wednesday night.
Monroe scored 15 points in the first half. Ashton Barton had 12 of her 16 points in the second half and Ana Baker scored 10 of her 13 points in the second session. Stacy Shepard recorded her second straight double-double and her sixth of the season with 14 points and a game-high 16 rebounds. In the process, Shepard moved into fourth place on Asheville's all-time rebounding list. She now has 733 career rebounds moving past Tonisha Jackson who played from 1999-2004.
Asheville (11-14, 2-6 Big South) shot 54.8 percent from the floor in the second half to overcome a 32-31 halftime deficit. It is the second time this season the Bulldogs have won when trailing at the half. For the game, the Dogs shot a season high 49.2 percent from the floor and 41.7 percent from three-point range.
Big South Freshman of the Week Mackenzie Maier led High Point (12-13, 4-5 Big South) with 16 points and 10 rebounds. Jurica Hargraves added 15 points for the Panthers who shot 34.7 percent from the floor.
The game saw 10 ties over the first 29 minutes, the last at 54-54 with 11:06 left to play. Asheville went on a 9-0 run holding High Point scoreless for the next four minutes to lead 63-54 when Jennifer Long ended the scoring drought with a basket at the 7:27 mark. Maier hit a pair of free throws to pull HPU to 63-58 with 6:52 left to play put that was as close as the Panthers would get.
Barton hit a three-pointer and then knocked down a pair of free throws to go on a personal 5-0 run and put the Dogs up 68-58 with 4:17 remaining. Monroe scored the next four points to make it a 9-0 run and put the game out of reach 72-58 at the 3:21 mark.
“Our upperclassmen led us tonight,” said Asheville head coach Betsy Blose. “I thought we came out in the second half with a lot of intensity and we shot the ball as well as he have all season. I am happy for our team we needed a lift and our upperclassmen really provided that for us tonight.”
Asheville out-rebounded High Point 44-42 and had a 14-2 edge in fast break points. The Dogs 48 points in the second half were the second highest total in a half this season trailing only a 52 points second half against Presbyterian on Dec. 8.
Monroe also scored 23 points in a game vs. USC Upstate on Jan. 8, Barton also had a 23 point outing for the Dogs on Nov. 24, at UNC Greensboro.
The Bulldogs return home on Saturday for a 2 p.m. homecoming game against Charleston Southern. The game can be heard live in the Asheville area on AM 1310/970 and can be seen tape-delayed on Asheville Educational Television at 9 p.m.
