The High Point University women’s basketball team enjoyed a tremendous amount of success in their 2018-2019 season. The most successful season in school history, infact.
From a season that begin with a home win vs. NC Central and ended with an unfortunate loss to Ohio University in the opening round of the WNIT, High Point had a lot to be proud of.
Season Results
With a program that returned four starters this past season, two of whom were seniors, the expectations were through the roof for High Point University. They were picked to finish second in the conference.
High Point started off the season on a high note, beating in-state rival NC-Central 80-69 in the Millis Center, one of many wins the Panthers would have in front of their home crowd this past season. Emma Bockrath started off her greatest season in her career with a 22-point performance, while Cam Brown recorded 20 for her highest point total on the season.
After beating Mars Hill in the very next game, 86-36, the Panthers endured their roughest stretch of the season, losing three consecutive games to women’s basketball powerhouses Kentucky, Miami of Ohio, and Davidson.
In the month of November, the Panthers saw their highest point total of the season, scoring 102 in a 102-50 non-conference win against Greensboro College. They would then start off the month of December, a month in which they only played five games, with a win vs. in-state rival UNC-Greensboro, and winning all but one game in December, a 83-64 setback to Clemson University.
High Point went 6-2 in the month of January, winning each of their four home games and losing only twice on the road. They started off the month beating conference newcomer USC-Upstate by a score of 87-61, before finishing it with a 56-54 win against Winthrop University. In January, High Point experienced arguably their most exciting game of the season, coming back from 18 down against Charleston Southern University on January 26 to win in overtime.
February, as an overall month, proved to be the Panthers’ most exciting of the overall season. They started off the month with a fast-paced, 82-73 win over Hampton University that saw senior Emma Bockrath set a career-high in points scored in a single game with 32. They would then beat Longwood on the road, lose to Radford at home for their first home loss all season, then rattle off four straight wins against Charleston Southern, Presbyterian, Gardner-Webb, and Longwood to end the month.
High Point continued their success into March, beating Hampton, UNC-Asheville, and Campbell in a span of eight days, ending their regular season on a seven-game winning streak. The Panthers earned the second spot in the Big South Tournament, and had the opportunity to host a game. However, they experienced a major setback, losing 61-65 to a Charleston Southern team that they had beaten twice previously in the regular season. Many were heartbroken by this because it meant an end to the most successful season in school history.
But their season was not done yet. Due to their 22-8 overall record, and an impressive 15-3 mark in conference play, High Point received a bid to play in the WNIT, where they would face off against Ohio. The Panthers would make the short five-hour trek to Athens to take on the Ohio University Bobcats, a team that finished second in the Mid-American Conference.
The Panthers played very well in this game, taking a 61-58 lead into the final quarter. Unfortunately, the Bobcats would outscore the Panthers 21-13 in the final quarter and ultimately win the game, 81-74, putting the cap on the most successful season in program history.
High Point would finish the season 22-9 overall, including an impressive 15-3 record in conference. High Point would start 11-0 at home, before losing to Radford, and finish 14-2 at home, their best season at home in program history. High Point’s 22 overall wins tied the 1999-2000 program for most wins in a season in school history.
Coach Hendrix
Coach DeUnna Hendrix cemented herself as the most successful coach in HPU women’s basketball history. She began the season with 103 wins overall, 74 in the Big South, and finished the season with 125 overall, 89 in the Big South.
During this past season, Hendrix guided her team to some tough non-conference wins against UNCG (82-75 and American University (66-61) in the Millis Center, while traveling to ETSU and taking down the Buccaneers, 73-65. In conference, High Point finished in second place at 15-3, highlighted by an 18-point overtime comeback win against Charleston Southern University, only losing one conference game at home (Radford), and sweeping Hampton University, who finished third in the conference.
Player Accomplishments
Emma Bockrath continued to show why she is one of the greatest basketball players to ever don a jersey for HPU. Across her four years at HPU, Bockrath totaled 1616 points, 747 rebounds, 339 assists, and 243 steals, which puts her as the all-time HPU steals leader. This season alone, Bockrath dropped 495 points, grabbed 217 rebounds, dished out 106 assists, and took the ball away from opponents 88 times. She set a career-high in points for a single game this season against Hampton University back on February 2, scored in double-digits in all but five games, and recorded six double-doubles.
Lindsey Edwards enjoyed arguably her best season as a Panther, highlighted by her topping the 1,000 point mark in HPU’s win on February 26 against Longwood University, and going a perfect 10-10 at the line against Hampton University on March 2. Edwards recorded a double-double on the road against Kentucky (November 18), and developed a nice three-point stroke, as she hit nine three-pointers on the year.
Shea Morgan continued to be a dominant force down low for the Panthers, finishing her career with 991 points and 622 rebounds. This season alone, Morgan dropped 347 points and grabbed 170 rebounds. Her season was highlighted by two double-doubles (American, December 20; UNC-Asheville, January 19), and setting a career-high in single-game points with 22 (Presbyterian College, February 16).
Bre Davis rebounded after missing last year with an ACL injury, finishing her collegiate career with 126 points and 57 assists. Davis finished her senior season with 64 points and 43 assists, highlighted by a seven-assist game vs. Hampton on March 2.
Bria Gibson, a VCU transfer, enjoyed arguably the best season of her collegiate career, dropping 285 points and grabbing 158 rebounds. Her season was highlighted by three double-doubles and a 26-point output vs. Hampton on March 2. She proved to be a huge addition to a strong frontcourt of Shea Morgan and Olivia VanSlooten, and the three of them combined were arguably one of the best in the Big South.
This senior class will most certainly be missed, and they pave the way for a successful future for the High Point University Women’s Basketball program.
