Winthrop (21-6, 13-3 BSC) vs. Charleston Southern (10-17, 6-10 BSC)
Game Time: 6:30 p.m. EST / Site: Rock Hill, SC (Winthrop Coliseum)
Live Video: Big South Network (Mike Pacheco-PxP/Bobby Stevens-Color) Television: none / Audio: 104.1 The Bridge, pregame 6 p.m (Dave Friedman-PxP/Karl Lyles-Color)
Live Stats  / Live Video  / Live Audio

ROCK HILL, SC— When the Eagles take the court Thursday evening at 6:30 p.m. against Charleston Southern it will have been 55 days since they last faced each other.

Winthrop and Charleston Southern each opened Big South play back on Dec. 29 with the Eagles pulling off an 84-68 win in The Buc Dome. Winthrop enters the game with a 21-6 record overall and 13-3 league mark while Charleston Southern comes in at 10-17 overall and 6-10 in the Big South. The game will air on the Big South Network with Mike Pacheco and Bobby Stevens calling the action or fans can tune into 104.1 The Bridge with Dave Friedman providing the play-by-play. It's also a "Gold Rush" game so fans are encouraged to wear gold.

Thursday night will also be the final regular season home game for five seniors. Winthrop will honor senior's Keon Johnson, Tevin Prescott, Joshua Davenport, Roderick Perkins and Hunter Sadlon in a pregame ceremony just before tipoff. This group of seniors have played a big role in the success of the Eagles program during their time at Winthrop. Over the last four years the Eagles have enjoyed three 20-win seasons, 83 total wins and three trips to the Big South Conference Championship game.

The Eagles are 10-3 at home this season, 6-2 during league play with both league losses at home coming down to the final possession. In 13 home games this season the Eagles are averaging 77.5 ppg while shooting 45 percent from the floor and 34 percent from three. Opponents are scoring just 67.0 ppg and the Eagles are holding opponents to 41 percent.

Johnson leads the Eagles in scoring at 22.0 ppg (24.1 ppg in league play) and is second in the Big South. During league play Johnson has averaged 24.4 ppg at home while shooting 45 percent. Xavier Cooks, who is averaging 15.7 ppg on the year, is scoring 16.1 ppg at home in league play and hauling in 9.6 rebounds a game while shooting 47 percent from the floor and leads the team in assists per game (3.4).

Cooks was named the Big South Conference Player of the Week after averaging 17.5 points and 16.5 rebounds per game last week. He had 21 points and 20 rebounds in the win at Longwood.

In their last 29 league contests the Eagles are 24-5 and have won 23-of-28 games at home against league opponents. Even more impressive is the Eagles are 39-6 over their last 45 games at home.

Perkins and Anders Broman have provided some solid offensive games at home and have combined to average 15.8 ppg in league home games and a total of 26 three-pointers. Broman is coming off 17 points off the bench in the win over Liberty. Two home games ago against Gardner-Webb Perkins chipped in with 10 points and two steals.

The Eagles and Buccaneers meet for the second time this season and 67^th time as the Eagles lead the all-time series 41-25 in all games and 35-24 in regular season meetings. The Eagles have won 14 straight over Charleston Southern at the Winthrop Coliseum, with 12 straight regular season home wins.

The Buccaneers are jockeying for position in the Big South standings as they currently sit in a tie for seventh place, but could possibly move up a couple of spots as the regular season comes to a close this week.

Charleston Southern has won two straight and three of the last five games with all three wins coming at home over Presbyterian College, Campbell, High Point. The Bucs started league play 0-4, but are 6-4 in the last 10 games.

The Bucs have a youthful starting lineup with three of the five regular starters being underclassmen and two of them freshmen. One of the top freshmen in the league is Christian Keeling as he ranks 4^th in the league at 16.7 ppg (17.7 ppg in league play). During league play he's shown the ability to knock down the three (16-for-43/37%) but is very good at getting the foul line. In 16 league games he's shot 90 free throw attempts and is knocking down 81 percent. He is one of three players averaging double-figures during league play as Cortez Mitchell is scoring 10.9 per game and Armel Potter is averaging 10.8 ppg.