Box Score Box Score
ROCK HILL, SC--Winthrop let a 14-point second half lead against UNC Asheville evaporate as the Eagles fell 73-68 in overtime to the preseason favorite and defending Big South Conference champions on Saturday afternoon at the Winthrop Coliseum.
The loss was Winthrop's second overtime setback this week after it fell on Tuesday at Georgia. The Eagles fall to 1-2 in conference play and are 4-10 overall as their losing streak reaches four games. UNC Asheville improves to 2-1 in the league and 7-6 overall.
The Eagles shot 49 percent for the game (27-55), but that high percentage could not offset a season-high 28 turnovers that led to 22 points by Asheville. Winthrop's defense held the Bulldogs to 39 percent shooting for the game (22-56), but Asheville connected on 41 percent from behind the arc (7-17). They came into the game shooting better than 48 percent as a team.
"This is really a heart-breaking loss for us," said Winthrop head coach Randy Peele. "Obviously we were up by 14 points in the second half, but at that point I thought we had too many consecutive turnovers. We could have put the game out of reach, but that is how they got back into the game. Our teams have never turned the ball over that many times. This is the first time this year that both Reggie (Middleton) and Andre (Jones) have not taken care of the ball." Those two combined for 12 of the team's 28 turnovers.
Both teams placed four players in double figures with preseason player of the year Matt Dicket leading all scorers with 18 for UNC Asheville. Winthrop was led by
Andre Jones with 15 as he has now scored in double figures in all 14 games this year. The Bulldogs also got 17 points from Chris Stephenson and 13 from J.P. Primm while Keith Hornsby added 11. Joining Jones in double figures for Winthrop were
George Valentine and
Reggie Middleton with 13 each while
Matt Morgan had 11.
After taking a 10-9 lead following a jumper by
George Valentine with 11:49 left in the first half, Winthrop held the lead until Hornsby's three-point play with 23 seconds left in regulation that tied the game at 61-61. The Eagles were unable to get off a possible game-winning shot after Jones was whistled for an offensive charge.
Winthrop looked to be in good shape with 17:23 left in regulation when it took a 41-27 lead on a jumper by
James Bourne, but from that point Asheville outscored Winthrop 13-2 over the next seven minutes to cut the Eagles' lead to 43-40 with 10:04 on the clock. Winthrop regrouped to score six unanswered points on a layup and two free throws by Middleton and a layup by Bourne to make the score 49-40 with 7:20 remaining. Stephenson then responded with two free throws and a 3-pointer to make it 49-45. Winthrop still led by six at 53-47 with 4:45 left in regulation following a layup by Jones, but Asheville got a big three from Primm, a bucket inside by Harn, and two free throws each by Dickey and Stephenson to hang around for Hornsby's clutch play that sent the game to overtime.
The Eagles struck first in overtime on a 3-pointer by Middleton that gave Winthrop a 64-61 lead just 27 seconds into the extra period. Dickey countered with a trey just 16 seconds later to knot the score at 64-64. Valentine connected on two free throws with 2:44 left to play to put the Eagles up by two at 66-64, but Jeremy Harn followed a miss by Dickey with a follow shot that knotted the game for just the third time at 66-66. Winthrop missed two 3-point attempts on its next possession and then fouled Dickey with 1:16 remaining. Dickey gave the Bulldogs the lead for good at 68-66 with a pair of free throws. The advantage went to four at 70-66 when Primm converted two free throws with 45 seconds left. Middleton banked in a running jumper to cut the deficit to 70-68 with 25 seconds left, but the Eagles fouled Dickey who again hit two free throws to put Asheville back up by four with 19 seconds left. Jones' 3-pointer with nine seconds was blocked by Dickey and Primm was fouled after Harn grabbed the rebound. He hit one of two free throws to seal the deal.
Winthrop will return to action on Jan. 5 when the Eagles host Radford at 7 p.m.
