Box Score

ROCK HILL, SC—Furman used a 18-0 second half run and connected on 10 three-pointers to defeat Winthrop 73-55 on Monday night in the Winthrop Coliseum.

The victory was the 11^th straight by Furman over the Eagles, but it was just the first meeting in 15 years. Winthrop leads the all-time series 17-14 following the loss, and drops to 1-1 while Furman improves to 2-0.

"Give credit to Furman.  They came in here and played very well, executive their game plan," said Winthrop head coach Kevin Cook, who took the blame for the loss.  "This loss was totally my fault.  I didn't have us ready…put it on me.  I just ask the team to keep believing in themselves and believing in each other.  If we do that we are going to be fine."

Winthrop trailed by two at halftime (31-29) after battling  back from two eight-point deficits, but the Eagles had no answer for Furman's second half outside shooting attack.  The Paladins connected on 6 of 9 from beyond the arc, including four treys by Kelsey Ellis who led the Furman with 18 points, all on three-pointers.  They finished the game going 10 of 17 from long distance (59 pct.). The Eagles inside defense limited Furman to just 34 percent shooting on 18 of 53 field goal attempts.

The Eagles had problems connecting from anywhere on the floor as they finished the night shooting just 29 percent (22 of 77).  Schaquilla Nunn led Winthrop with 19 points, 12 rebounds and seven blocked shots.  Aliyah Kilpatrick added 14 points and Erica Williams finished with 11.  However, they combined to shoot just 10 of 41 to get into double figures.

In addition to Ellis' 18 points, Furman got a double-double performance from point guard Whitney Bunn, who scored 13 points and dished out 11 assists.  Sarah Durdaller and Tiara Wood scored 10 each.

Winthrop trailed 40-37 after freshman Nuba Jackson connected on a 15-foot baseline jumper with 13:59 left in the game.  That's when Furman went on its decisive run to take total control of the game. 

Winthrop trailed 31-29 at the half, but the deficit could have been greater had not the Eagle defense stiffened over the final seven minutes of the period when they held Furman scoreless until Shianne Goodwin's layup with just four seconds left sent the Paladins to intermission with the lead.

Furman scored first on a layup by Durdaller just 39 seconds into the contest.  The Paladins led by five at 13-8 following two free throws by Durdaller at the 13:23 mark.  But behind the inside play of Nunn, Winthrop battled back.  The 6-3 center scored 11 of the Eagles' first 15 points and it was her layup and free throw with 12:09 on the clock that tied the game at 15-15.

Aliyah Kilpatrick then took a lead pass and scored on a layup to give the Eagles their only lead of the half at 17-15 with 11:03 remaining, but Furman answered with a layup by Whitney Bunn to put Furman back ahead by one point.  The Paladins then outscored the Eagles 11-4 over the next three minutes to build their largest lead of the half at 29-21 following a 3-pointer by Bunn.

Winthrop scored eight unanswered points with Kilpatrick scoring on back-to-back layups, followed by a layup by Samiya Wright off a steal, and ended by a 15-foot baseline jumper by Williams that knotted the score with 26 seconds left in the first half.

Winthrop's next game will be on Friday, Nov. 21, when the Eagles face No. 4 ranked Tennessee in Knoxville, TN, at 7 p.m.  The game will be televised live on the SEC Network.