Box Score
ROCK HILL, SC—Winthrop connected on a season-high nine three-pointers as it opened Big South Conference play with a 57-40 victory over Presbyterian, Saturday afternoon at the Winthrop Coliseum.
Seniors Shanice Cole and Jessica Fansler led the offense for the Lady Eagles with 13 and 11 points respectively as Winthrop improves to 6-7 on the year. With the loss, Presbyterian falls to 1-12 on the year. The 40 points allowed was a season-low for Winthrop defensively.
After 20 minutes the two teams were tied and in the opening minutes of the second half, the Blue Hose opened up a four point lead after Amanda Mills drilled a long three. Winthrop responded with a Lacey Lyons three and with 15:30 to go in the game Fansler tied the game at 31-31 as she hit one of two at the foul line. At that point Winthrop used an 8-0 run to open up the game as Fansler and Hathaway hit back-to-back treys. Presbyterian was within eight points after Mills hit another three with 7:58 remaining. However, Winthrop clamped down defensively and only allowed seven more points for the Blue Hose in the final 7:58.
Chanel White's lay-up off a nice feed from Cole pushed the lead to double-figures for good and less than two minutes later the lead grew to 17 points as Fansler scored four straight points followed by another White basket in the lane.
The 16 points allowed in the second half is a season-low for the Lady Eagles as they held Presbyterian to just 26 percent shooting. That includes a stretch over the last eight minutes of the game in which Winthrop held Presbyterian to just 1-for-9 from the field and forced four turnovers.
Both teams battled back and forth for the first 20 minutes of the game and headed to halftime tied at 24-24. Presbyterian had jumped ahead by three points with 59 seconds to go after Mariah Pietrowski hit one of two free throws. Winthrop tied the game on its next possession as Lyons drained a three. Winthrop led 21-14 with 4:21 to go in the first half before the Blue Hose went on a 10-0 run for the three-point advantage with under a minute to go. Most of the run was at the foul line as Dria David was 5-for-5 during the run, which included a three-point play to tie the game with 2:40 remaining.
Cole's 13 points led all scorers as she also chipped in with nine rebounds, a career-high four steals and tied a career-best with six assists. In just her second career start, White had a solid game as she tied her career-high in points with eight and pulled down a career-high eight rebounds. Shelly Hankins finished with nine points, three assists and three steals.
As a team the Lady Eagles shot 46 percent from the floor and 41 percent from three. Winthrop took advantage of 20 Presbyterian miscues and turned them into 23 points off turnovers.
David, Pietrowski and Mills led Presbyterian with nine points each. David also tied a career-high with nine rebounds and had five steals.
Winthrop is now 8-16 all-time in Big South openers and 6-7 when opening at home. It is the third straight season in which Winthrop has opened up Big South action with a victory.
The Lady Eagles will be back in action next Saturday, Jan. 9 when they travel to Lynchburg, VA to take on Liberty at 7 p.m.
