Box Score
ROCK HILL, SC— Winthrop only managed six points over the final 16 minutes of the game as it fell 45-42 to Gardner-Webb, Tuesday afternoon at the Winthrop Coliseum.
The loss evens the Lady Eagles record to 7-7 overall and 1-1 in the Big South and ends the team's win streak at five games. Gardner-Webb improves to 10-6 overall and 2-1 in the Big South. It's also the sixth straight loss by the Lady Eagles to Gardner-Webb.
Winthrop took a 15-13 lead with 8:50 remaining in the first half and led until Sierra Little's lay-up with 1:57 left put Gardner-Webb in front 43-42. Winthrop forced turnovers on the Runnin' Bulldogs next two possessions, but couldn't take advantage as Kaitlyn Rubino and Dequesha McClanahan each missed jumpers. After a missed jumper with 25 seconds left by McClanahan, Winthrop tried to foul a Gardner-Webb player with the ball, but couldn't catch up to it. Dominique Hudson tossed the ball all the way down court to an open Little for the easy lay-up and a three-point advantage with 18 seconds left.
Gardner-Webb only had three team fouls and committed three more as Winthrop was trying to look for a game-tying three. After the sixth team foul occurred with eight seconds left, Winthrop had one last attempt for a three, but the ball was stripped away from the hands of Rubino by Little.
Both teams struggled from the floor in the second half, but Gardner-Webb was able to chip away at the lead and eventually pulled out the win. Winthrop shot 16 percent from the floor in the second half and the Runnin' Bulldogs hit 30 percent, but went 9-for-11 from the foul line. Winthrop didn't attempt a free throw in the second half.
The Runnin' Bulldogs opened the second half on a 6-0 run highlighted by a three-point play from Dominique Hudson. Winthrop responded with a Rubino three from straight on to extend the lead back to seven points. The lead was cut back to five points after Monique Hudson hit two free throws, but Winthrop answered with another trey, this time by Lacey Lyons with 16:25 to play. From that point Winthrop was only 3-for-25 from the field the rest of the way.
Both teams battled back and forth the first 11 minutes as the game was tied 13-13 until a jumper by McClanahan put the Lady Eagles ahead. The jumper sparked a 13-5 run that was capped off by a steal and easy lay-in by McClanahan for a 26-18 lead with 1:33 remaining.
The lead extended to 10 points (30-20) by the half as Rubino knocked down two free throws to make it a 28-20 lead. After a miss on the other end by the Runnin' Bulldogs, Winthrop came right back and Lacey Lyons was fouled on a three-point attempt in transition and hit two of the three free throws to make it 30-20.
Winthrop shot 50 percent from the floor in the first half as Lyons scored 13 of her game-high 16 points in the first half. Gardner-Webb only managed 22 percent from the floor and couldn't take advantage of 14 offensive rebounds (only two second chance points).
Rubino also finished in double-figures with 13 points and also pulled down six rebounds.
Monique Hudson led Gardner-Webb with 15 points and four steals while Dominique Hudson added 10 points and five assists. Little finished with eight points and 12 rebounds.
Winthrop will remain at home as it hosts Radford on Saturday, Jan. 15 at 7 p.m. while Gardner-Webb will stay on the road as it visits High Point for a 4 p.m. matchup.
