Box Score Box Score

ROCK HILL, SC—Diana Choibekova led five players in double-figures with 17 points as Winthrop cruised by visiting North Carolina Central 79-40, Wednesday afternoon in the two team's final contest before Christmas.
Winthrop shot 47 percent from the floor, including 52 percent in the second half as it improved to 5-6 overall while North Carolina Central fell to 2-10.
The Eagles offense was flowing, but it was the defense that allowed the game to open up in their favor early on. Winthrop held NCCU without a point for the first four minutes and 35 seconds and just four points for nine minutes and 48 seconds.
During that stretch, Winthrop opened up a 20-point advantage at 24-4 with 10:27 left in first half. Kaitlyn Rubino got things started for Winthrop with back-to-back baskets for a 4-0 lead followed by four straight points by Dequesha McClanahan.
After NCCU scored its first basket for a 10-2 Winthrop lead, Choibekova knocked down the first of four triples in the game for a double-figure lead that held the remainder of the game.
NCCU used a 6-0 run to end the half and cut the lead down to 14 points at the break, 34-20. Winthrop held NCCU to 29 percent shooting in the first half and forced 10 turnovers that turned into 13 points for the Eagles.
The second half opened up with an Alesha Jenkins jumper in the lane, pulling NCCU within 12 points, but Rubino answered right back as she knocked down a jumper off a nice feed from Choibekova. Rubino came through defensively on the following NCCU possession with a block and Samiya Wright knocked down a three after collecting an offensive rebound, pushing the lead to 39-22.
A Rubino lay-up off a feed inside from McClanahan after a turnover and steal by Mary Hathaway made it a 19-point advantage and Winthrop pushed its lead to 31 points over the next seven and a half minutes. Choibekova knocked down three triples in that span to help push the lead to 31. In 11 games, Choibekova is averaging 4.1 three-pointers per game, which leads the nation.
The lead was as large as 43 points with 3:42 to remaining at 77-34, but NCCU outscored Winthrop 6-2 the rest of the way. It was the second 30-plus victory for Winthrop in the span of a week after it knocked off Monmouth on the road, 88-54. The 39-point margin fell just two points shy of tying the school record for margin of victory against an NCAA Division I opponent.
In addition to her game-high 17 points, Choibekova also nine rebounds and tied her career-high in assists for the second straight game with three and had three steals. McClanahan finished with 16 points on 6-for-10 shooting to go along with seven rebounds, eight assists and three steals. Wright added 13 points and seven rebounds while Rubino chipped in with 12 points, four rebounds and two blocks. The fifth player in double-figures was TaQuoia Hammick, who was 5-for-5 for 10 points off the bench.
NCCU was led by Jenkins, Chasidy Williams and Eyandra Molina, who all had 10 points. Williams also had four steals while Jenkins had a team-high six rebounds.
McClanahan now has 587 career points and will be chasing the 600-point milestone in the next game at Winthrop travels to Macon, GA on Wednesday, Dec. 28 for a 7 p.m. match-up with Mercer.