Box Score
ROCK HILL, SC—Erica Williams scored 19 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead Winthrop to its third straight victory and a 61-59 Big South Conference opening game win over Campbell on Tuesday night.
Winthrop (4-2) built an 11-point lead at 56-45 with five minutes, 46 seconds left in the game, but had to hold off a late charge by Campbell who outscored the Eagles 14-5 over the final 4:22 and missed a 3-point shot to win the game at the buzzer.
The Eagles were hampered late in the game by foul trouble as two players had four fouls, including point guard
Aliyah Kilpatrick, and 6-3 center
Schaquilla Nunn picked up her fifth foul at the 2:16 mark and her team ahead 56-51.
Williams came up with a clutch basket with 17 seconds left to play when she connected on a turnaround baseline 15-foot jumper to make it a 60-56 game and give the Eagles some breathing room. But a 3-pointer by Campbell's RaeChaun Edwards cut the lead to one point with 10 seconds remaining.
Winthrop got the ball into freshman
Naima Jackson who was fouled in the backcourt with 6.6 ticks left on the clock. She made one of two free throws to give the Eagles a two-point lead at 61-59 to set up the final three-point attempt by Edwards.
"This was a game that saw two teams battling, wanting desperately to get off to a good start in conference play. It may be this kind of year in the Big South with a lot of games being just like this," said Winthrop head coach
Kevin Cook.
Samiya Wright joined Williams in double figures as she finished with 13. Nunn added seven points and 10 rebounds. Campbell was led by Amanda Cofer who was one of two Camels who had double-doubles. She scored 19 points and grabbed 11 rebounds while Kiera Gaines finished with 15 points and a game-high 14 rebounds.
Campbell took an early 7-2 lead just over three minutes into the game, but Winthrop outscored the Camels 9-2 over the next 3:11 to go up 11-9 after
Ezinne Mbamalu stuck back a missed shot,
Aliyah Kilpatrick connected on a straight away 17-foot jumper, Williams made a put back, and Wright connected on her first 3-pointer of the game. The Eagles never trailed thereafter.
Winthrop built the lead to as many as six points three times. The first time came at 8:02 when Williams converted a three-point play to put the Eagles up 19-13. Campbell closed to within a point at 19-18 on a floater in the lane and Summer Price drilled a 3-pointer at the 7:28 mark.
The Eagles went up by six points again with 1:55 remaining after Nunn followed a missed shot with a put back to make it 29-23, and then ended the half with a 32-26 lead
Winthrop will now turn its attention to Ohio State who the Eagles will face on Sunday at 2:00 p.m. in Value City Arena in Columbus, OH. That game will be broadcast beginning at 1:30 on 104.1 The Bridge.
