HIGH POINT, N.C.- The VMI Basketball team made a run at the High Point Panthers late in the second half, but the host team's depth proved to be too much as HPU knocked off VMI, 88-72, Wednesday eveningbefore 1,549 spectators at the Millis Center.

Mark Wilson tossed in 22 points and Danny Gathings added 16 points as the Panthers (10-10 overall) improved to 5-2 in Big South play and moved into a tie for second place in the league. The Keydets dropped to 5-11 overall and 0-6 in the Big South.

Wilson shot 9-of-13 from the floor and broke the 20-point plateau for the fourth time in 11 games this season.

VMI got a game-high 24 points from freshman Reggie Williams, who had his fifth 20-point outing of the season, and 14 points from Matt Coward. Both Williams and Coward had five assists.

The Keydets used a 9-0 run midway through the first half to grab a 26-18 lead on layups by Coward and Matt Murrer. But the Panthers chipped away and scored 18 of the next 25 points to jump in front, 36-33, on a three-pointer by Wilson at the 4:09 mark. HPU carried a slim 41-40 edge to the locker room.

VMI hung around in the second half and was within 53-48 after Murrer scored with 14:36 remaining. The Panthers answered by outscoring the Keydets 10-0 over the next two minutes for a 15-point advantage (63-48) after back-to-back treys by White and Gathings.

The Keydets clawed within 73-66 after a jumper by Williams with 4:49 to go, but could get no closer.

VMI held a 34-31 edge on the boards. Tadas Mankevicius had eight points, four rebounds and two blocks for the Keydets.

High Point got a game-high seven rebounds from Gathings and a team-high five assists from Landon Quick. White, Titus Byrd and Akeem Scott each had three assists, while Scott collected five steals to go along with eight points.

VMI returns to action Saturday afternoon, when they host Birmingham-Southern at 1 p.m. at Cameron Hall.