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ROCK HILL, SC--Reggie Middleton connected on three free throws with 1.2 seconds left in the game to give Winthrop a 56-54 Big South Conference win over Gardner-Webb on Thursday night.

Winthrop improves to 5-4 in conference play and 8-12 overall while GWU drops to 4-5 and 9-12. With the victory, Winthrop avoided a regular season sweep by Gardner-Webb which won 62-60 at home on Dec. 3.

Middleton's game-winning heroics came after Winthrop had made a big defensive stop that forced the Runnin' Bulldogs' Tyler Strange to misfire on a contested 3-pointer with 12 seconds left in the game.  George Valentine, who had his third double-double of the season with 12 points and 12 rebounds, grabbed the missed shot and the Eagles called timeout with 5.7 seconds left to set up the final play.  After throwing the ball inbounds to Gideon Gamble, Middleton got the ball back and fired a 3-pointer from the right corner, but was fouled on the shot by Strange.  The senior point guard went to the line and calmly sank all three free throws.  Valentine intercepted GWU's long pass as time expired.

"There has been talk about our ability to finish games, but in two of the last three games we have won after trailing in the final 20 seconds," said Winthrop head coach Randy Peele.  "The team can finish games."

Winthrop led 31-25 at halftime after outscoring Gardner-Webb 7-0 in the final 2:52 of the first period and led by as many as six points twice in the second half with the last six-point lead coming at 44-38 with 10:14 remaining in the game on a jumper by Valentine.  GWU battled back to tie the score at 46-46 on a 18-foot jumper by Stefon Johnson with 6:28 on the clock.  Middleton and Strange then traded baskets before Joab Jerome's 10-foot bank shot put the Eagles up 50-48 with 4:29 left to play.

Winthrop had two chances to take a four-point lead, but Matt Morgan missed twice in the lane.  With just over three minutes remaining, Kevin Hartley popped out at the top of the key to nail a 3-pointer that gave the Runnin' Bulldogs their first lead since it was 25-24 in the first half. After Mike Byron converted one of two free throws to give GWU a 52-50 lead, Winthrop's Andre Jones hit a 3-pointer to put Winthrop back up 53-52 with 1:47 left, but the lead was short-lived as Tashan Newsome went back door for a layup to give his team a 54-53 lead at the 1:29 mark.

The Eagles turned the ball over with 49 seconds left and then Gardner-Webb elected to run the clock down to 15 seconds when Strange was forced to take the contested 3-pointer which was rebounded by Valentine and set the stage for the final foul on Strange and Middleton's free throws.

"That was a play that I just put in," said Peele when asked if the last shot attempt by Middleton was a called play in the huddle.

Winthrop won the game despite being outshot percentage wise by Gardner-Webb.  The Eagles were 20 for 50 (40 pct.) while GWU went 19 of 43 (44.2 pct.).  The one advantage Winthrop had was on the boards as the Eagles pulled down 34 compared to 29 for the visitors.

In addition to Valentine's 12 points, Morgan finished with 12 while Middleton had 11 to go along with 8 assists.  Gardner-Webb was led by Newsome with 11 points while Max Landis finished with 10 and Strange dished out 10 assists.

Winthrop will travel to Charleston Southern on Saturday to end a string of five games in 10 days.  Tip off is set for 5:30 p.m.