Box Score Box Score

ROCK HILL, SC-- Junior Diana Choibekova set a school record with nine three-pointers in a single game to help lead Winthrop to an 82-47 victory over Niagara, Saturday afternoon at the Winthrop Classic.
Choibekova's nine three-pointers set the school record that was held by Ashley Fann on Dec. 11, 2005 when she hit eight against Norfolk State. Winthrop finished with 12 as a team, which was one shy of tying the school record of 13.
Winthrop improved to 2-1 overall with the victory and scored 80 or more points for the second time in three games. The last time the Lady Eagles scored 80 points in two of three games came in 2001 when the team did it in back-to-back games in 2001.
Choibekova sparked a 12-0 run to end the first half for a 41-24 advantage at the break and Winthrop never looked back. Leading 26-22, Choibekova drilled a trey for a seven-point advantage and then just over a minute later she drilled another for an eight point lead with 5:05 left. After both teams exchanged possessions with no points, Choibekova hit her third triple in a four-minute span for a 35-24 lead.
After Tiffany Charles hit two free throws for a 13-point advantage, Katie Fitzgerald scored back-to-back baskets inside to end the half, including her second with two seconds remaining.
With 17:32 remaining in the game, Choibekova hit a three for a 48-32 advantage before both teams went cold for a four minute span. Niagara hit two quick threes to start the second half, but then missed its next eight shots and committed four turnovers and Winthrop took advantage. Charles ended the scoring drought by both teams with a lay-in and that was followed up with a Dequesha McClanahan three to go up by 21 points.
Winthrop never let up as it pushed the ball up the court every opportunity and looked for quick and easy baskets. The Lady Eagles scored 16 points off 20 turnovers by Niagara.
“Tempo wise definitely, that's the way we want to play,” said head coach Marlene Stollings. “Shoot the three ball as we did tonight. Good thing about tonight is that multiple people were able to contribute. I thought Dequesha (McClanahan) did a great job at leading us at the point guard position and making good decisions. She draws so much attention defensively and it opens up shots for our other players. I thought she did a great job of distributing and hitting them in good spots for easy buckets, especially our post players.”
The Purple Eagles' Val McQuade ended a five-minute span without a point as her jumper in the lane rolled in. That lasted momentarily as Winthrop went on a quick 8-0 run as Choibekova continued with the hot hand as she hit another three in the middle of the run.
Niagara managed just two points offensively over a 10-minute span. Winthrop outscored the Purple Eagles 16-2 during that span.
“We mixed up our defenses at that point a little bit and we got into some traps and really got them on their heels a little bit,” said Stollings. “They turned the ball over a few times and it really fueled our fire.”
Winthrop pushed the lead to 31 points with 3:54 left after Choibekova hit two free throws. Choibekova finished with a game and career-high 33 points as she was 11-for-18 from the floor and 9-for-15 from behind the arc. She also pulled down seven rebounds. She's the first player to score 30 points since Shanice Cole did so on Mar. 12, 2010 at High Point in the opening round of the Big South Tournament.
Choibekova was joined in double-figures by McClanahan as she scored 15 and dished out seven assists. Fitzgerald fell just shy of a double-double with eight points and nine rebounds while Charles added six points and five steals.
Freshman Taylor Calvert made an impact off the bench in her first real action of the season as she scored her first collegiate points when she put back a miss midway through the first half. Calvert finished with a career-high eight rebounds. Freshman Kelsey Corcoran also scored her first collegiate points as she finished with four points.  
Ali Morris led Niagara with 17 points as she was 6-for-11 from the field and 5-for-10 from behind the arc.
Winthrop will face Stetson at 3 p.m. on Sunday in its final game of the Winthrop Classic. Stetson defeated Bradley 73-63 in the first game of Saturday's action. Niagara and Bradley will face off Sunday at 1 p.m.