CHARLESTON, S.C. -- Jordan Whitehead scored 11 points and grabbed 10 rebounds and High Point rallied to beat Charleston Southern 51-50 in Saturday night's Big South Conference opener.

Cliff Thomas Jr. added 10 points for the Panthers (8-7, 1-0), who held the Buccaneers to 30 percent shooting and made 15 of 23 free throws. Jahaad Proctor scored eight points and made six assists.

Trailing 25-21 at halftime, High Point rallied from as many as 12 down to tie it twice, then led 49-48 on Whitehead's tip-in with 2:06 left. Christian Keeling's 3 put the Buccaneers up 48-47, but Whitehead's tip-in and Brandonn Kamga's free throws gave the Panthers a 51-48 edge with 1:30 to go. Deontaye Buskey's layup made it a one-point game and Keeling's 3 with a second left missed.

Keeling scored 12 points, Phlandrous Fleming added 11 and Buskey had 10 for Charleston Southern (6-8, 0-1), who were outscored 22-14 in the paint.