Box Score Box Score

ROCK HILL, SC— The Winthrop women's basketball team suffered a 63-60 loss to Presbyterian College, Saturday afternoon in Big South Conference women's basketball action.
For just the third time this season, Winthrop did not hold on to a lead heading into the final five minutes of a game as its record evens up at 11-11 overall and 5-5 in the league. Presbyterian College ends a four-game losing streak and is now 9-12 overall and 3-7 in the Big South.
Winthrop trailed by three points after two Karlee Taylor free throws with 17 seconds left as Diana Choibekova looked to tie the game with a triple as she was fouled on her attempt with nine seconds left. Choibekova, with a chance to tie the game, made the first free throw before missing the second. After making the third, Winthrop was forced to foul and Sherece Smith made both her free throws for another three point lead with eight seconds left and Winthrop couldn't get a three-point attempt off at the end of the game.
Choibekova had just knocked down a three moments early after the Lady Eagles fell behind by four points with 33 seconds to play. That three-pointer gave Winthrop seven for the game and set a school record for three-pointers in a single season. The previous record of 165 was set by the 2006-07 team. The junior hit five on the day and continues to lead the nation in threes made per game.
Choibekova ended the game with 22 points on 7-for-18 shooting while Dequesha McClanahan led all scorers with 23 points as she was 8-for-15 from the field and also dished out four assists.
The game was tied at 30-30 at the half and Winthrop came out to build a quick seven point advantage behind five straight points from McClanahan.
Over the next few minutes the lead bounced between four and seven points until a Samiya Wright jumper pushed the lead to double-figures with 8:48 remaining, 51-41. At that point, the Blue Hose responded with a Kristen Stevens triple.
Winthrop finished the final eight and a half minutes going 2-for-11 from the field (18 percent) and 4-for-7 at the foul line while PC went 6-for-13 from the field and 9-for-10 at the foul line in that stretch. The Lady Eagles ended the game 9-for-17 at the foul line compared to 12-for-14 by the Blue Hose.
Choibekova's three-pointer at the 16:38 mark of the first half put Winthrop in front, a lead in which it held for the next 10 minutes before PC took its second lead of the game at 21-20 after a Taylor three with 6:33 on the clock. Choibekova came right back with a three of her own for a two-point Winthrop lead that quickly pushed to five points after a McClanahan triple.
PC fought its way back to a tie at the break and ended up shooting 46 percent from the field and 56 percent behind the arc (5-for-9). Winthrop shot 46 percent in the first half as well and was 5-for-12 behind the arc.
Stevens played a big role off the bench in the win as she tied her career-high of 19 points as the junior guard was 7-for-11 from the field and 5-for-7 from three. The five threes were also a career-high. Pietrowski finished with 20 points on 7-for-13 shooting as she also pulled down seven rebounds.
Choibekova and McClanahan were the only Winthrop players in double-figures as Wright chipped in with six points and two steals.
Winthrop will be off until Saturday, Jan. 11 when it heads to Boiling Springs, NC to take on Gardner-Webb at 5 p.m. Presbyterian College won't be in action again until Jan. 11 as well when it travels to Asheville, NC to take on UNC Asheville at 2 p.m.