Furman 76, High Point 67
HIGH POINT, N.C. -- Erica Norwood poured in a career high 22 points and fueled a late surge that helped Furman erase a nine-point second half deficit on the way to 76-67 win over High Point in women’s basketball action Tuesday evening at the Millis Center
Norwood, whose previous career of 14 points had come earlier this season against Georgia, drained 8-of-12 shots, including 3-of-4 3-pointers, and 3-of-4 free throws to claim game high scoring honors. She also contributed five assists, three rebounds, and a steal in just 22 minutes of action to spark Furman (4-4) to its third straight win.
The 5-foot-4 sophomore guard, however, suffered a knee injury after being fouled on a layup attempt with 42 seconds remaining in the game, after which she exited the court in a wheelchair.
With the score tied at 58-58, Norwood bottomed out a 3-pointer with 3:21remaining to give the Paladins a 61-58 lead.
On the Paladins’ next trip down the floor she took a pass from Brittany Hodges and converted a driving layup and free throw for a three-point play and 64-58 advantage.
After High Point cut it to 64-61, Furman’s Holli Wilkins responded with a 3-ball from the right wing, and Norwood followed with another 3-pointer — her final basket of the contest — with 1:10 to go, to put the Paladins up, 70-63.
Norwood suffered the injury on Furman’s next trip down the floor and was replaced by Allison Beasley, who canned two free throws following the extended break to put the game’s decision on ice.
Norwood registered 16 of her 22 points in the second half, keying a hot shooting Paladin squad that made 16-of-29 field goal attempts (55.2 percent) over the game’s final 20 minutes. Furman shot 49.1 percent from the field.
Sarah Durdaller and Holli Wilkins chipped in 11 points each, and Brittany Hodges rounded out Furman’s double figure scoring effort with 10 points.
Tayler Tremblay paced High Point with 18 points while Kaylah Keys tallied 16 and Stacia Robertson 10 points and game high 12 rebounds.
The Panthers couldn’t keep pace with the Paladins’ shooting, however, making good on just 29-of-79 shots (36.7 percent), including just 1-of-9 from beyond the arc. Furman outscored HPU 15-3 from 3-point range and by nine points at the free throw line, which helped erase a 48-36 rebounding differential.
Furman, which trailed 30-28 at intermission, watched High Point score the first seven points of second half to increase the deficit to nine at 37-28
The Paladins were down 52-45 midway through the second period when a Durdaller layup and 3-point play sandwiched a Hodges basket to pull the Paladins to within two points at 54-52 with 7:35 remaining.
Two baskets by High Point pushed the lead back to six points before Brigid Morrissey responded with a 3-point play and rip cord 3-pointer from the top of the circle to knot the game at 58-58 at the5:21 mark and set up Norwood’s game deciding scoring flourish.