Postgame with Kelsey/Friedman
CLINTON, SC— Winthrop captured a 93-56 victory over Presbyterian College to gain a share of the Big South Conference regular season championship and earn the Big South Conference's overall number one seed. With the number one seeding, the Eagles are guaranteed to host the quarterfinals and semifinals of the Big South Tourney this coming week.
The win is the fifth in a row for the Eagles as they improve to 23-6 overall and finish the regular season with a 15-3 record. The 15 league wins ties the program record for the most conference victories. Presbyterian College falls to 5-24 and 1-17 in the Big South. By earning the top seed the Eagles will host the tournament for the first time since 2006-07.
Roderick Perkins scored a career-high 18 points to lead four players in double-figures as he was 6-for-7 from three.
Keon Johnson and
Anders Broman each had 17 points while
Xavier Cooks chipped in with 14. The Eagles shot 53 percent from the field in the game and 48 percent from three (16-for-33).
The Eagles were 8-for-15 from three in the second half as they turned their 21-point halftime advantage into their first win by 30 or more points versus a league opponent since beating VMI 96-63 in 2010.
The second half started with a 15-3 run by the Eagles to open up a 63-31 lead. The run included three-pointers from Johnson, Perkins and
Bjorn Broman. The Eagles cruised from that point to earn their 23
rd win on the year, becoming the fifth team in program history to reach that win total. It's also the second straight season the Eagles have won 23.
Defensively the Eagles held PC to 34 percent shooting (25 percent in the second half) as Ed Drew led the way with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Darius Moore added 12 points and two assists.
The Eagles jumped out to an early 12-6 lead and grabbed a double-figure lead with 10:40 left in the half after a corner three from
Anders Broman as part of an 8-0 run that put the Eagles up 25-13. Then Johnson dropped in a jumper with 8:52 left to complete the 8-0 run.
Roderick Perkins buried a three with just over eight minutes left to double-up the Blue Hose at 30-15 and the lead grew to 21 (38-17) with 4:21 left after another three from Perkins.
