ROCK HILL, SC – The Winthrop women's basketball team earned its first Division I victory of the season Tuesday evening in a thrilling 69-60 overtime victory over the Longwood Lancers at the Winthrop Coliseum.

Winthrop improves to 2-18 overall and 1-8 in the Big South while Longwood falls to 3-17 overall and 1-8 in the conference.

HOW IT HAPPENED

With only 20 seconds left in the contest and the Eagles trailing by four, Noell Kellers put up a three from the corner that found its way through the cylinder.  She was fouled in the process and went to the free-throw line where she completed the four-point play.  Neither side was able to get another shot as the game headed to overtime.

The Eagles went up six in the overtime period before Longwood was able to cut the deficit down to two with 46 seconds remaining.  Over the last 46 seconds the Eagles converted seven free throws and kept the Lancers off the scoreboard to secure the victory.

The entire first half was a back-and-forth affair with neither team able to gain more than a three-point edge.  Winthrop trailed by only one, 29-28 at the break.

Longwood tried to grab hold in the third quarter, limiting the Eagles to only 11 points and led by six going into the fourth quarter. 

Winthrop trailed by as much as eight with 8:47 remaining in the fourth quarter and then went on an 8-0 run to tie the game at 49-49 with 4:30 left in regulation.  Longwood went back up by four before Kellers hit her four-point play.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

Four Eagles finished in double-figure scoring, led by Ronata Rogers notched a double-double on 17 points and 14 rebounds.  Anika Riley also finished with a double-double, scoring 14 points and pulling down 10 rebounds.  Emily Kelley added 11 points and Noell Kellers scored 10.

Winthrop shot 44 percent from the field and 31 percent from three-point range.  The Eagles outrebounded the Lancers 43-38.

WHAT'S UP NEXT

After spending the month of January with Saturday home contests, the Eagles will hit the road for the first weekend in February for a 2p.m. matchup Saturday against the UNC Asheville Bulldogs.