HIGH POINT UNIVERSITY

The High Point University men's basketball team will host Wake Forest University at the Millis Center on December 7, 2011, Athletic Director Craig Keilitz and head coach Scott Cherry have announced. It will be the first time High Point has ever hosted a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

"We are always trying to upgrade the schedules of all of our teams to give our student-athletes and fans the best experience possible," said Keilitz. "This is part of the overall effort to get high-quality opponents for our men's basketball schedule and bring high-quality teams to the Millis Center. Wake Forest is a great school with a first-class basketball program. We are looking forward to hosting Wake Forest in a marquee event at the Millis Center."

Since joining NCAA Div. I in 1999-2000, High Point University has played eight games against ACC opponents. Seven of those were on the road and one was a neutral-site game – a loss to Clemson at the Greensboro Coliseum on Nov. 27, 2002.

The Panthers played Wake Forest at the Lawrence Joel Coliseum in Winston-Salem, N.C., last season, taking an 80-63 loss after leading late into the first half. HPU is slated to play Wake Forest in Winston-Salem again in 2010-11 before hosting the Demon Deacons in 2011-12.

"We're really excited to be able to bring an ACC opponent into the Millis Center," said Cherry. "Scheduling is a very complex process and we're going to work year-in and year-out to put together the best schedule possible. It's really a matter of putting the puzzle pieces together to have a balanced and competitive schedule both at home and away."

The Panthers went 15-15 overall and 10-8 in Big South games last season, a six-win improvement in Cherry's first season as head coach. HPU is returning nine players from last year's roster and is bringing in six recruits for next season. In four seasons as a collegiate player and 11 seasons as a collegiate coach, Cherry has never had a losing season.