ROCK HILL, SC— Winthrop men's basketball looks to continue to climb its way up the Big South Conference standings when it hosts league-leading Gardner-Webb, Monday night at the Winthrop Coliseum.
 

Game 17: Gardner-Webb (9-9, 4-1 BSC) at Winthrop (8-8, 2-3 BSC)
Date	Monday, Jan. 15, 2018, 7 p.m. (EST)
Location	Rock Hill, SC (Winthrop Coliseum/6,100)
Live Stats	Statbroadcast (click here)
Television/Stream	Stadium (click here) Mike Hogewood (PxP)-Jeff Jackson (Analyst)
Radio	94.3 FM & 104.1 The Bridge (click here) / Dave Friedman (PxP)-Mike Pacheco (Analyst) – Pregame 6:30 p.m.
Notes	Winthrop | Gardner-Webb
Social Media	@WUGameDay | @Winthrop_MBB | @WUEagles | #ROCKtheHILL
Tickets	$8 in advance (click here) | $10 walk-up | Group of 10 or more ($4)
Game Program	Click Here

 
PROBABLE STARTERS
Winthrop
G         10        Anders Broman (6-2, Gr., 12.1 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 1.8 apg)
G         13        Bjorn Broman (6-0, Jr., 11.4 ppg, 1.8 rpg, 3.1 apg)
G         14        Adam Pickett (6-1, Jr., 6.9 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 0.7 apg)
F          12        Xavier Cooks (6-8, Sr., 16.0 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 3.2 apg)
F          25        Josh Ferguson (6-8, So., 8.6 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 0.8 bpg)
 
Gardner-Webb
G         4          Christian Turner (5-10, So., 2.4 ppg, 2.0 rpg, 2.7 apg)
G         5          Liam O'Reilly (6-2, Sr., 14.3 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 3.4 apg)
G         11        David Efianayi (6-2, R-Jr., 17.1 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 2.1 apg)
F          24        Patrick Zeck (6-7, So., 6.7 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 1.0 spg)
C          31        L'Hassane Niangane (6-10, Sr., 1.6 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 0.7 bpg)
 
THE SERIES
Series Record: Winthrop leads 18-9
Series Streak: W6
Record at Winthrop Coliseum: 9-4
Streak at Winthrop Coliseum: W3
Kelsey vs. Gardner-Webb: 7-4
 
SERIES HISTORY

• This marks the 28^th meeting all-time
• This will be the first meeting since the two squared off in the 2017 Big South Conference Tournament semifinals as the Eagles prevailed 80-77 in overtime
• Winthrop is 11-6 against Gardner-Webb in regular season league matchups
• Four of the last six meetings have been decided by six or fewer points

 
THE GAME

• Gardner-Webb enters the game tied atop the Big South standings at 4-1 while the Eagles are in the middle of the pack at 2-3
• Winthrop is looking for back-to-back wins while the Runnin' Bulldogs are seeking a third straight win
• Game features two of the league's top seven scorers in David Efianayi for Gardner-Webb averaging 17.1 ppg while Xavier Cooks is averaging 16.0
• Winthrop is second in the league in scoring at 82.1 ppg while Gardner-Webb is 5^th at 73.6 ppg 

 
WINTHROP       

• Eagles are averaging 73.2 points per game (4^th) in league play while allowing 71.8 (6^th)
• Bjorn Broman is leading the Eagles in scoring during league games at 16.6 ppg while Xavier Cooks is second with 15.6 per game and Adam Pickett is scoring 13.8 per game
• Winthrop has increased its free throw shooting since league play began and in five games have shot 81 percent (shot 66 percent in non-conference games)
• Bjorn Broman is 19-for-31 behind the arc in the last four games and now leads the Big South on the year shooting 48 percent
• Bjorn Broman has also moved up the league scoring list and is now 20^th in scoring at 11.4 per game
• Xavier Cooks is coming off 15 points in 23 minutes and became the 5^th player in program history to reach 1,500 career points (1,502)
• Eagles have won 16 of their last 20 home games against league opponents 

 
GARDNER-WEBB

• Enter the game on a two-game winning streak after knocking off Radford, who was previously unbeaten in league play
• Four of the last five games have been decided by six or fewer points
• Winners of six of their last seven games
• David Efianayi leads three players in double-figures with 17.1 per game while Liam O'Reilly is averaging 14.3 and D.J. Laster 13.7
• O'Reilly leads in scoring during league play at 19.0 while Efianayi is at 17.2 and Laster at 10.0
• Those three account for 69 percent off the team's offense through five league contests
• In league games only Gardner-Webb is second in scoring defense at 62.6 per game and field goal percentage defense
• Efianayi has been in double-figures in 15-of-18 games and posted a season-high 31 points at Campbell
• The Runnin' Bulldogs are 2-7 on the road this year but have won two of their last three away from home

 
LIVING IN THE 80'S

• The Eagles scored 80 or more points in eight straight games which is a school record (came to an end at VCU)
• The Eagles are 2-2 this year when scoring 80 or more in a game this season but since the arrival of head coach Pat Kelsey the Eagles are 57-11 when hitting the 80-mark
• Of the 11 losses when scoring 80 or more, seven of them have come against Big South opponents (3 in OT) and three against Power 5 opponents
• Streak of 80 or more points on the road came to an end at four straight as the Eagles have now hit that mark in seven of the last 13 dating back to last season
• After scoring 80 or more in eight of the first 10 games, the Eagles haven't scored 80 in a game over the last six games

 
BIG SOUTH WEEKLY PLAYER HONORS

• Xavier Cooks has been tabbed the Big South Player of the Week twice this season (Dec. 4/Dec. 11)
• Cooks scored a career-high 31 points at Georgia that included five rebounds, three assists, a block and a steal to earn his second league honor of the year
• Cooks grabbed his first weekly honor of the season by averaging 17.5 points, 12.5 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.5 steals in a week he recorded his first ever triple-double (11 points, 15 rebounds, 11 assists vs. Reinhardt)
• Kyle Zunic was named the Big South Freshman of the Week on Nov. 20 after he averaged 14.0 points, 3.0 assists and 2.5 rebounds against Colorado State and Central Penn 

 
WINTHROP SPORTS SHOW AT ROCO
Every Thursday at The Roasting Company throughout the basketball season will be the Winthrop Sports Show at ROCO hosted by the voices of the Winthrop Eagles Dave Friedman and Mike Pacheco. The two will sit down weekly with head coaches Pat Kelsey and Lynette Woodard as well as other selected guests throughout the season. The show is from 6-6:30 p.m. and also airs on 94.3 FM & 104.1 The Bridge.
(FULL SCHEDULE)