University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
High Point
Bulldogs Narrowly Fall at High Point, 57-54
02.17.2015 | Women's Basketball
HIGH POINT, N.C. – Shonese Jones tied a school record with seven three pointers and finished with a game-best 26 points but it was not enough as the UNC Asheville women's basketball team fell on the road to High Point, 57-54 on Tuesday evening at the Millis Center.
Jones led all players with 26 for the game and represented the only Asheville (7-19, 6-11 BSC) player to reach double-figures in the scoring column. High Point (16-11, 12-6 BSC) was led by 14 points from Kaylah Keys. Stacia Robertson and Latice Phelps, 12 points each, joined Keys in double-digits.
Jeannie Buckner tallied eight rebounds to lead the Bulldogs in rebounding, while Brittany Gwyn added seven boards for the Blue & White. Robertson grabbed a game-high 13 rebounds for the Panthers who edged Asheville 40-39 on the boards.
"We had great opportunities at the basket tonight that didn't go down on offense," state head coach Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick. "I commend our kids for a great defensive effort for 35 minutes of the game."
"Honestly, we are heartbroken, but not defeated," continued Kirkpatrick. "The heartbreak is bound to happen when you put yourself outthere and lay it on the line. We didn't play a perfect game but had near perfect effort. I wanted that win more than anything for our kids. This team is pounding away and we will not stop. Credit High Point for playing a tough game and sticking it out until the end."
Led by 14 points from Jones, the Bulldogs took a slim 30-29 lead into the break following a tightly contested first half. The lead changed hands nine times in the half and was tied on five occasions.
High Point grabbed control of the game early in the second half as Asheville turned the ball over five times in the first five minutes of the half allowing the Panthers to go on a 15-2 run and take a 12 point lead at 44-32.
The Blue & White answered with a 10-0 run to cut the HPU lead to two at 47-35 thanks to four points each from Leah Wormack and Chatori Major during the run.
Trailing by eight with four minutes left to play in the contest, the Bulldogs picked up their defense forcing the Panthers to miss their final seven shots from the field. Jones carried the offense connecting on 3-of-4 from downtown to give the Bulldogs a 54-53 lead with 2:21 left to play.
High Point snapped its 3:34 scoring drought when Ashante Richard sank two free throws to give the Panthers a 55-54 lead. Shonese Jones tried to pull Asheville back in front but her three from the left wing rimmed out.
After two more made free throws from Richard, the Blue & White had one more opportunity to tie the game, but Tianna Knuckles three from the right wing came up short as time expired.
The Bulldogs will return to action on Saturday afternoon when they host Gardner-Webb as a part of a homecoming double header at 2:00 p.m. at Kimmel Arena.
