The High Point Panthers men's basketball team is the basketball team that represents High Point University in High Point, North Carolina in NCAA Division I competition. The school's team competes in the Big South Conference. The Panthers have appeared twice in the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament, most recently in 2026.

History The team, under the name High Point College, began play in the 1927–28 season with coach J.P. Boylin. The first game was on December 10, 1927, in a 37–35 win over the Carolina Night Hawks. The team went on to a 14–4 record. Boylin served as coach for three seasons and finished with a 39–16 record. He was followed by two seasons of coach Julian Beall who had two consecutive losing seasons and finished with a 16–21 record. The team began playing as part of the North State Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (NSC) in 1930.

First Virgil Yow stint Virgil Yow, a multisport star at High Point College, was hired as the third coach for the team in 1932. After hovering around the .500 mark, for his first two seasons, the team went 18–4 in his third year and in the following year went 20–4 defeating Wake Forest along the way and winning the 1936 NSC men's basketball tournament 49–39 over Lenoir–Rhyne.

The program began playing in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) with the founding of the NAIA men's basketball championship in 1937. The team first made the NAIA tournament in 1939.

In 1944, during the height of World War II, the college was facing a male student shortage and thus had difficulty filling the basketball roster. Yow recruited female student Nancy Isenhour to play on the team and she became the first woman to play on a collegiate men's basketball team. Following the 1944–45 season, Yow left the school after 13 seasons, two conference championships, and two NAIA tournament appearances, to coach the Hanes Hosiery AAU women's team.

Ralph James and Bob Davis eras Ralph James was hired as the football and basketball coach in 1945. James had previously played for Wake Forrest and served as head coach for Western Carolina in both football and basketball. He finished with a record of 81–45. Bob Davis was hired in 1950. Davis won two conference titles in three years. Davis left High Point after three seasons to coach at Georgetown College and eventually Auburn.

Second Virgil Yow stint Following eight years coaching women's basketball and three AAU national titles, Yow returned to High Point. He coached nine more seasons before retiring with a record of 342–215.

Tom Quinn Tom Quinn was announced as the head coach in 1962, coming from Newberry College and had previously won the Conference Carolinas title. He served in the capacity for four years compiling a record of 95–22. His teams made the NAIA tournament twice and won the Conference Carolinas tournament twice. He left to be the coach of East Carolina.

Jerry Steele tenure Jerry Steele was hired in 1972 as the 10th head coach of the team. Steele had previously served as head coach of the professional ABA team the Carolina Cougars. He coached at High Point for 32 years, from 1972 to 2003. He won eight conference titles, made one appearance in the NAIA tournament.

Beginning in the 1993–94 academic year, the school and conference began transitioning to NCAA Division II. During his last decade, Steele earned two trips to the NCAA Division II men's basketball tournament. The team left Conference Carolinas in 1997 and joined the Big South Conference in 1999 and transitioned to NCAA Division I. His record at High Point was 493–412, making him the winningest coach in program history. Steele retired after the end of the 2002–03 season.

Bart Lundy Bart Lundy who had taken Queens (NC) to the 2003 NCAA Division II Final Four, was hired to be the head coach. He went on to coach six seasons, compiling a record of 96–87, and leaving in 2009.

Scott Cherry Scott Cherry was hired as coach on March 26, 2009. In his fourth year, the team won the Big South north division, earning them a spot in the 2013 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament, this was the school's first postseason appearance since joining NCAA Division I. The following year, he again led the Panthers to a Big South north division championship, and the regular season championship, another program first. The Panthers were invited to the 2014 National Invitation Tournament, losing in the first round to Minnesota. Cherry led High Point to the best start in school history in 2014–15 campaign, starting the season 14–3. They qualified for the 2015 CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament. Cherry mutually agreed to part ways with the school in 2018.

Tubby Smith and G. G. Smith Former High Point player and 1998 NCAA Division I men's basketball championship coach with Kentucky, Tubby Smith, was hired to be the team's head coach after having been fired by Memphis a few weeks prior. Additionally, a new arena was announced for the school. Smith never had a winning record in his five seasons and resigned in favor of his son G. G. Smith. His son was fired the season after.

Alan Huss era Creighton assistant coach Alan Huss was hired on March 27, 2023. He won the Big South regular season title in his first season. His second season he won the Big South regular season and tournament titles, which earned the team its first berth in the NCAA Division I tournament where they lost to Purdue in the first round. Huss went on to compile a 56–15 record in his two seasons before leaving HPU to return to Creighton as the head-coach-in-waiting for current Blue Jays' coach Greg McDermott on April 10, 2025.

Flynn Clayman era On April 11, 2025, a day after Huss departed HPU, Panthers associate head coach Flynn Clayman was promoted to the position.

In Clayman’s first season as Panthers head coach he led the team to a 30-4 record, Big South regular season title, and Big South tournament title.https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/high-point/men/2026.html After defeating Winthrop 91-76 in the Big South title game, High Point earned its second NCAA tournament appearance.

On March 19, 2026, #12-seeded High Point upset #5-seeded Wisconsin 83-82 in the 2026 NCAA tournament first round.https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/game/_/gameId/401856480/high-point-wisconsin This was the first March Madness victory in program history for High Point.

Coaches J.P. Boylin 1927–1931 39–16 Julian Beall 1931–1932 16–21 Virgil Yow 1932–1945 211–103 Ralph James 1945–1950 81–45 Bob Davis 1950–1953 56–36 Virgil Yow 1953–1962 131–112 Tom Quinn 1962–1966 95–22 Bob Vaughn 1966–1971 75–67 J.D. Barnett 1971–1972 13–16 Jerry Steele 1972–2003 493–412 Bart Lundy 2003–2009 96–87 Scott Cherry 2009–2018 146–134 Tubby Smith 2018–2022 41–75 G. G. Smith 2022–2023 17–20 Alan Huss 2023–2025 56–15 Flynn Clayman 2025–2026 31–5 Head coaches 15

Notable players Tubby Smith (born 1951), coached several Division I basketball programs and won the 1998 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament. Gene Littles (born 1943), played for High Point College from 1965-1969. Records for points, field goals, and free throws still stand. Drafted by the New York Knicks in the 1969 NBA draft and by the Dallas Chaparrals in the 1969 ABA Draft. Played 5 seasons with the Carolina Cougars and 1 season with the Kentucky Colonels. Arizona Reid (born 1986), Israeli National League basketball player John Brown III (born 1992), player for Maxima Roma of the Lega Basket Serie A (LBA) and the EuroCup

Postseason NCAA Division I The Panthers have appeared in the NCAA Division I tournament two times. Their record is 1–2. 2025 #13 First round #4 Purdue L 63–75 2026 #12 First roundSecond round #5 Wisconsin#4 Arkansas W 83–82L 88–94

NCAA Division II tournament results The Panthers have appeared in the NCAA Division II tournament two times. Their combined record is 2–2.

1996 Regional QuarterfinalsRegional semifinals PresbyterianQueens (NC) W 76–67L 70–81 1997 Regional QuarterfinalsRegional semifinals Pittsburgh–JohnstownSalem International W 94–92 OTL 82–91

NIT results The Panthers have appeared in the National Invitation Tournament (NIT) two times. Their record is 0–2.

2014 First round Minnesota L 81–88 2016 First round South Carolina L 66–88

CIT results The Panthers have appeared in the CollegeInsider.com Postseason Tournament (CIT) two times. Their record is 1–2.

2013 First round UC Irvine L 71–80 2015 First roundSecond Round Maryland Eastern ShoreEastern Kentucky W 70–64L 65–66

NAIA tournament results The Panthers have appeared in the NAIA tournament seven times. Their combined record is 7–7.

1939 First round Peru State L 46–55 1942 First roundSecond Round YanktonCentral Missouri State W 44–37L 40–59 1946 First round Houston L 34–63 1964 First roundSecond RoundQuarterfinals Ferris StateGeorgia SouthernEmporia State W 86–70W 85–76L 78–90 1965 First roundSecond Round California WesternWinston–Salem State W 79–57L 62–78 1969 First roundSecond RoundQuarterfinals Missouri–Saint LouisWhittierEastern New Mexico W 102–90W 100–82L 73–77 1979 First roundSecond Round Oregon TechBriar Cliff W 91–62L 65–76

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