Box Score Box Score

CONWAY, SC— The Winthrop women's basketball team dropped its Big South Conference opener with a 58-54 loss at Coastal Carolina, Saturday afternoon at Kimbel Arena.

The Lady Eagles, who shot just 31 percent in the game, fall to 6-7 on the year while Coastal improves to 7-3.

After leading by nine points at the break after shooting 32 percent at halftime, Winthrop's shooting didn't improve in the second half and the Chanticleers took advantage of it and rallied for the win. The Chanticleers shot 50 percent from the floor in the second half, including 4-for-9 from behind the arc. It was the first time all season Winthrop had lost a game when holding a lead at the five minute mark.

Leading 52-48 with just over four minute remaining, Winthrop finished the game making only one more basket. That bucket came from Dequesha McClanahan with 57 seconds left after Coastal had taken a 53-52 lead on an Angelica Henry three-pointer from straight on. Olivia Irick's basket with 36 seconds left proved to be the game-winner as she hit a runner in the lane.

McClanahan had a lay-up that didn't fall with 21 seconds to go and Coastal came down and made two free throws for a three-point advantage. Winthrop had time to run a play to tie the game, but the pass to Diana Choibekova slipped off her hands and out of bounds for the turnover.

The second half started off well as McClanahan drilled a three-pointer for a 12-point advantage, but the over the next six minutes the lead disappeared. Coastal's Katelyn Connor grabbed an offensive rebound and turned to shoot as she was fouled and made the basket for the first lead since the 15:58 mark of the first half. Conner missed the free throw as Coastal led 37-36 with 12:39 to go.

Winthrop answered right back with a three-pointer from Mary Hathaway on the wing and the next seven minutes saw six lead changes until the Eagles took a four-point lead with 4:43 left after Samiya Wright made a jumper in transition. Winthrop managed just one more basket the rest of the game.
Both teams struggled shooting the ball from the start of the game, but it was Winthrop who started to knock down shots first.

The Eagles trailed 3-0 early, but bounced back to take a 9-4 lead at the 12:03 mark after Wright drained a three. Wright came right with another jumper on the Eagles next possession for an 11-4 lead, forcing Coastal Carolina to call a timeout.

After Shanika Maddox knocked down two free throws with 10:34 remaining, Winthrop went on a 16-3 run to open up a 27-11 lead with 4:11 when Wright knocked down a triple after the Eagles had pulled down one of their 15 first half offensive rebounds. The run was sparked by TaQuoia Hammick crashing the boards as she scored eight of Winthrop's first 11 points of the run.

Things turned a bit for the Eagles over the last four minutes of the first half as they didn't connect on a another field goal (making just three free throws) and were outscored 9-3 as the Chanticleers crawled back into the game heading into the break, 30-21.

Winthrop shot just 32 percent from the field and Choibekova, who is second on the team at 16.6 points per game, was 0-for-7 from the field in the first half. Defensively the Eagles held Coastal to just three field goals for nearly 12 minutes.

Hammick led the Eagles in scoring with 16 points and also pulled down 14 rebounds for her first double-double of the season. The 16 points ties her career-high as she finished 5-for-6 from the field and 6-for-8 from the foul line.

Wright was 6-for-11 from the field and added 15 points, four assists and four steals while McClanahan was just 5-for-17 for 12 points. Choibekova finished the game 0-for-13 and 0-for-11 from behind the arc.

Coastal was led by Shatia Cole's 13 points while Irick added 12. Henry finished with nine points and three assists.

Winthrop, which is now 9-16 all-time in conference openers, has a quick turnaround as it heads to North Charleston, SC to take on Charleston Southern on Jan. 2, at 7 p.m.