Box Score Box Score

ROCK HILL, SC—Winthrop made an 8-0 run in a two-minute span near the end of the game to pull within four points, but that was as close as it would get in a 71-61 loss to Bradley Friday evening on the opening day of the Winthrop Classic.
Winthrop couldn't overcome a hot shooting Bradley team that knocked down 11 treys and improved to 2-1 on the year while the Lady Eagles fell to 1-1 on the year.
“It's a disappointing loss for us first of all,” said Winthrop head coach Marlene Stollings, coaching in her first home game as head coach of the Lady Eagles. “We knew going into the game they had shooters. We knew we had to defend the 3-point line and we did not do that well. Credit to them they hit some tough shots, but them getting 11 three-point makes if you had told me that before the I would say we're not going to win the game.”
Winthrop trailed by 13 points with 5:41 left in the game and managed to chip away at the lead and pull within four points with 2:02 remaining. The Lady Eagles got back into the game with tough defense as Dequesha McClanahan got things started with a steal as she took the ball away from Bradley's MacKenzie Westcott after she hauled in a defensive rebound. McClanahan quickly found Kaitlyn Rubino under the basket for an easy two. McClanahan cut the lead to 10 points after going 1-for-2 at the foul line, but Bradley's Leah Kassing scored on a short jumper to push the lead back to 12.
Katie Fitzgerald made a nice steal in the post to start the Lady Eagles off in transition as McClanahan pushed the ball up court and found Diana Choibekova, who buried a three to make a single-digit lead. That was followed by a Rubino put back off a miss and another three-pointer by Choibekova cut the lead to 64-60 and forced Bradley into a timeout.
Bradley came out of the time out and Westcott hit a jumper in the lane and was fouled on the play. Westcott connected on the free throw to complete the three-point play and Bradley held off the Lady Eagles the rest of the way.
The Braves used the three-ball as a big part of their offense all night and seemed to hit them almost every time Winthrop got close or took the lead. Winthrop trailed 50-46 with 11:50 left after a McClanahan lay-up, but Bradley's Katie Yohn responded with a three-pointer to go back up seven points.
In the closing moments of the first half, Winthrop rallied from eight down over the final 8:50 to take the lead with 1:17 remaining after a Samiya Wright three-pointer. The lead lasted one possession as Bradley answered right back with a Catie O'Leary three, for a 40-38 lead at the break.
“We definitely did not defend the three-ball,” stated Stollings. “I think if we summarized it all up, that was the difference in the game ultimately. We missed some key box outs, something we've worked very hard on. Things we've got to clean up really quick and fast. Our defensive effort tonight was not at the level which we had practiced in preparation for them.”
After shooting 41 percent and trailing by just two points at the half, Winthrop struggled from the field in the second half at 22 percent (9-for-41). Winthrop finished the game at 30 percent while Bradley shot 45 percent, including 11-for-28 from behind the arc (39 percent).
Yohn led all scorers for Bradley as she poured 24 on 8-for-13 shooting and 6-for-7 from downtown. Westcott added 15 points while O'Leary had 13.
Winthrop was paced by McClanahan's 16 points while Choibekova added 15. McClanahan also finished with eight assists and 11 rebounds to record her second straight double-double, also the second of her career. Wright finished the game 4-for-7 for 11 points. Fitzgerald pitched in with five points and set career-best with 10 rebounds and three steals.
Stollings and the team will look to put the game behind them quickly as the Lady Eagles are back in action on Saturday at 3 p.m. against Niagara. “Basically when we left the locker room, we've got to leave it there. It's over, there's a quick turnaround. We have to be ready to roll very early tomorrow and we don't have time to dwell on this. I challenged them to get this sick feeling out of our guts as quickly as tomorrow by coming out and redeeming ourselves.”
The first game on Friday saw Stetson earn a 67-52 victory behind 26 points from Victoria McGowan.
The first game of the day will feature Bradley vs. Stetson at 1 p.m.