HIGH POINT, N.C. (Interstat) — Terry Anderson scored 23 points and grabbed 11 rebounds as High Point held off Winthrop 89-87 in a Big South men’s basketball game Saturday at Qubein Arena. The Panthers led 42-35 at halftime and withstood a 52-point second-half surge from the Eagles. Anderson’s double-double led five High Point players in double figures. Logan Duncomb paced Winthrop with 23 points and 14 rebounds. High Point improved to 26-4 overall. Winthrop fell to 20-9. A crowd of 5,165 watched the Panthers secure the narrow victory despite being out-rebounded 15-7 on the offensive glass and committing 13 turnovers. High Point’s efficiency at the free-throw line, making 24 of 30 attempts, proved critical.

HIGH POINT, N.C. (Interstat) — In a game that lived up to its billing as a clash of Big South heavyweights, Terry Anderson scored 23 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead No. 26-4 High Point to a tense 89-87 victory over Winthrop on Saturday afternoon at Qubein Arena. A raucous crowd of 5,165 saw the Panthers, the conference leaders, survive a furious second-half rally from the Eagles to avenge a 17-point loss in Rock Hill just five weeks prior. The win solidified High Point’s position atop the league standings, while Winthrop fell to 20-9. The game’s decisive sequence came in the final chaotic seconds. With the score tied at 87 and 7 seconds remaining, Winthrop’s Seifeldin Hendawy missed a driving layup. High Point’s Rob Martin secured the defensive rebound and was immediately fouled by Isaiah Wilson with 5 seconds on the clock. Martin, a 75% free-throw shooter on the season, calmly sank both attempts to put the Panthers ahead 89-87. Winthrop, out of timeouts, rushed the ball upcourt. Kareem Rozier received a pass near the top of the key and launched a pull-up jumper as time expired. The shot fell short, sealing the High Point victory and triggering a celebration on the court. The contest was a tale of two halves, defined by contrasting styles. High Point built its lead in the first half with efficient offense and a formidable interior defense, taking a 42-35 advantage into the break. The Panthers shot 48% from the field and blocked five shots in the opening period, with Owen Aquino of Madrid, Spain, recording three of his game-high four blocks early. Winthrop, however, refused to fade. The Eagles, led by the dominant interior presence of Logan Duncomb, began to chip away at the deficit. Duncomb, a 6-foot-10 junior from Cincinnati, Ohio, was a force all afternoon, finishing with 23 points and 14 rebounds. His work on the offensive glass, where Winthrop held a 15-7 advantage, fueled the comeback. The Eagles’ relentless pressure finally paid off when a 3-pointer by Kody Clouet of San Marcos, California, tied the game at 87 with just over a minute to play. Clouet finished with 20 points. Both teams traded empty possessions, setting the stage for the dramatic final sequence. While Anderson was the star for High Point, the Panthers received critical contributions across the roster. Aquino added 12 points, five rebounds and four blocks. Braden Hausen of Amarillo, Texas, scored 11 points, including a crucial 3-pointer with 1:24 left that gave High Point an 87-84 lead. The Panthers’ defense, which entered the game ranked among the nation’s best in block percentage, lived up to its reputation with seven total swats. Winthrop’s effort was valiant but ultimately fell short due to offensive inefficiency. The Eagles attempted 18 more field goals than High Point but made five fewer, shooting 43.8% from the floor compared to the Panthers’ 49.1%. High Point also capitalized at the free-throw line, making 24 of 30 attempts, while Winthrop went 15 for 20. The game was a statistical oddity in terms of ball movement. Winthrop recorded only six assists on 32 made baskets, while High Point managed just two assists on 27 makes, highlighting a game dominated by individual creation and defensive pressure rather than systematic offense. With the victory, High Point extends its winning streak and looks ahead to a road game at Presbyterian on Thursday. Winthrop, which saw its three-game win streak snapped, will travel to face Charleston Southern on Thursday before returning home to host Presbyterian on Saturday. The result likely cements High Point as the team to beat as the Big South tournament approaches, while Winthrop proved it remains a formidable challenger capable of pushing the conference leaders to the absolute limit.

HIGH POINT, N.C. (Interstat) — A high-stakes rematch with Big South Conference supremacy on the line is set for Saturday when the first-place High Point Panthers host the surging Winthrop Eagles at Qubein Arena. The Panthers (25-4, 14-2), who clinched at least a share of the regular-season title with a 74-48 rout of UNC Asheville on Thursday, enter on a nine-game winning streak. Their only conference losses this season came in January, including a 92-75 defeat at the hands of these same Eagles on Jan. 14. Winthrop (20-8, 12-4) arrives with momentum of its own, having won seven straight games, the latest a 68-64 victory over USC Upstate on Thursday. The Eagles’ offense, averaging 84.5 points during the streak, will test a High Point defense that has held its last three opponents under 55 points. The spotlight will be on a duel of standout guards. Winthrop’s Logan Duncomb has been sensational, scoring 24 or more points in four of his last five outings, including 24 points and four assists in the Jan. 14 win over High Point. For the Panthers, Terry Anderson provides consistent firepower, averaging 18.4 points over his last eight games and scoring 31 in a Jan. 23 victory at Radford. High Point, boasting the conference’s best overall record, can secure the outright regular-season championship with a victory. A Winthrop win would tighten the standings and complete a season sweep, providing crucial momentum ahead of the upcoming Big South tournament. Saturday’s contest tips off at 7 p.m. EST. High Point leads the all-time series 34-31, but Winthrop has won three of the last five meetings.