ROCK HILL, SC-- Winthrop is off to a 2-0 start for the first time since the 2009-10 season and will have a tough task for three in a row as it takes on 14th-ranked Virginia Commonwealth, Saturday evening at 7 p.m. at the Verizon Wireless Arena.
Winthrop will take on a VCU squad coming off a road victory at #25 Virginia and are off to a 2-0 start as well. VCU has won both meetings in this short series that began in 2010 at the NIT Season Tip-off in Winston-Salem, NC.
The game will air on Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic Plus, which should be available to most viewers in the state of Virginia with Comcast but unavailable in the Rock Hill area. Â
The Eagles have scored more points in the first two games since the 1999-2000 season as that team and this year's team averaged 87.5 in its first two games.
It's been since 2007 since the Eagles have scored 80 or more points in back-to-back games. The 2007 team did it in three straight games with 109 at VMI, 88 at UNC Asheville and 80 vs. Liberty.
Other than the obvious improved shooting percentages from the field and behind the arc, Winthrop has made more than 20 free throws in each of its first two games.
No Winthrop team has done that since the 2005-06 team made 20 or more free throws in three straight games late in the season.
While the season opener was highlighted by players with little-to-no collegiate experience, Wednesday's offense was paced by junior
Andre Smith and senior
Joab Jerome.
Smith poured in 21 points, including the final seven points of the game for Winthrop to seal the win. Winthrop the game tied at the half, Jerome took over the start of the second half as he scored 10 points in the first six and a half minutes to help the team build an eight-point advantage.
Sophomore
Tevin Prescott scored in double-figures for the second straight game off the bench as he had 10 points on 5-for-7 shooting and is averaging 10.5 points while shooting 69 percent from the floor.
In addition to Smith, Jerome and Prescott, freshman
Keon Johnson is averaging 14.0 points and senior
Christian Farmer is at 12.0 per game giving the Eagles five players in double-figures.
Johnson and Farmer each scored career-highs in the season opener as Johnson had 19 and Farmer chipped in with 17.
One of the biggest strengths of the Eagles this season is the depth and quality of depth on the roster. Winthrop is missing three players with injuries that would be starters or significant minutes yet head coach
Pat Kelsey is still going five deep on the bench and getting quality production offensively and defensively.
The bench produced 25 points in the win over USC Upstate led by Prescott's 10 points while Farmer added seven.
VCU is led by Juvonte Reddic, a 6-9 225lb forward that averaged 14.6 points and 8.1 rebounds in 2012-13. Reddic was named to the Wooden Award Preseason List. This season he's averaging 11.0 points and 6.5 rebounds while shooting 71 percent from the floor. Junior guard Treveon Graham leads the team in scoring at 18 points per game as he's shooting 50 percent from the floor. Graham hit a three-pointer with 1.4 seconds remaining to lead the Rams over #25 Virginia on the road. He finished with 22 points against the Cavaliers.
Senior guard Rob Brandenberg is off to a solid start averaging 9.5 points while shooting 47 percent from the field and is 3-for-6 behind the arc.
Last season VCU averaged 79.4 points per game at home and sported a 15-2 mark. The Rams opened the season at home with a 96-58 victory over Illinois State.
Â
         Â
