Box Score Box Score

BOILING SPRINGS, NC— Dequesha McClanahan scored a game-high 25 points to lead Winthrop to a 65-55 victory over Gardner-Webb, Saturday evening in Big South Conference women's basketball action.

McClanahan picked up her third foul of the game just 41 seconds into the second half and was forced to sit the next six minutes before returning and scoring 14 points to help Winthrop hold on for its first ever victory at Paul Porter Arena in five tries.

Winthrop improves to 12-11 overall and 6-5 in the Big South while Gardner-Webb falls to 2-20 and 1-11 in the league.

While McClanahan sat due to foul trouble, the Runnin' Bulldogs had pulled within four points at 38-34 after a Brianna Dillard lay-up off a fast break with 13:14 to play. McClanahan checked into the game seconds later and immediately scored to put Winthrop up six and then found Kaitlyn Rubino wide open for a short base line jumper and the lead was back to eight with 12:31 remaining.

Winthrop was able to keep the lead between 8-12 points the rest of the way. The biggest make of the game for McClanahan came with 1:41 remaining as she received the inbounds pass, took a couple of dribbles and knocked down a tough mid-range jumper with a defender in her face as time ran down on the shot clock. That jumper put Winthrop up 10.

It was the fifth straight game with 20 or more points for McClanahan, who also finished the game with five assists. Choibekova also finished in double-figures as she was 5-for-11 from the field and had 15 points to go along with two assists and two steals. Freshman Taylor Calvert had a strong performance as she set a career-high with 12 rebounds and also chipped in with five points and four steals.

Neither team shot the ball well in the first half, but offensive rebounding allowed the Lady Eagles to build a double-figure lead.

Jasmine Dale scored the first bucket of the game for a 2-0 Gardner-Webb lead, but then Winthrop went on an 11-0 run five straight points from McClanahan, who ended up with seven points during the run.

Winthrop continued to take advantage of the Runnin' Bulldogs struggles from the floor as it eventually pushed its lead to as big as 26-9 with 7:15 to play in the half after a Choibekova.

At that point, the Runnin' Bulldogs worked their way back into the game as they outscored Winthrop 15-6 over the final seven minutes. Gardner-Webb did the majority of the damage at the foul line as its aggressive play paid off, going 11-for-18 at the line in the first half.

Winthrop shot 31 percent from the field and committed 11 turnovers while Gardner-Webb shot 29 percent and committed 10 turnovers.

The Lady Eagles ended up with 19 offensive rebounds in the first half, resulting in 18 second chance points.
Dale finished with a team-high 15 points for Gardner-Webb as she scored 10 of them in the second half. Dillard finished with 12 points, four assists and two steals. Catrina Green had nine points, six rebounds, and five blocks.

Winthrop will remain on the road for its next contest as it heads to Asheville, NC for a 7 p.m. matchup against UNC Asheville on Monday, Feb. 13.