Rock Hill, S.C.— A rivalry will be renewed Saturday night when Coastal Carolina comes to the Winthrop Coliseum to take on the Eagles. The two teams used to battle it out as members of the Big South Conference, but this matchup is a non-conference contest for the first time in over 30 years.
| Game 9: Winthrop (4-4, 0-0 Big South) vs. Coastal Carolina (5-4, 0-0 Sun Belt) |
| Date |
Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019, 7 p.m. (EST) |
| Location |
Rock Hill, SC (Winthrop Coliseum / 6,100) |
| Live Stats |
Statbroadcast (click here) |
| Television/Stream |
ESPN+ (click here) / Mike Pacheco (PxP) – Bobby Stevens (Analyst) |
| Radio |
94.3 FM/104.1 The Bridge / ESPN 730 | WGNC AM1450/101.1 FM
(click here) / Dave Friedman (PxP) – Bjorn Broman (Analyst) – Pregame 6:30 p.m. |
| Notes |
Winthrop | Coastal Carolina |
| Social Media |
@Winthrop_MBB | @WUEagles | #ROCKtheHILL | #EverStand |
| Tickets |
Click Here (Use Promo Code BEATCC online for $5 admission) |
| Promotion(s) |
"Blackout" |
PROBABLE STARTERS
Winthrop
G 0
Russell Jones Jr. (5-8, Fr., 9.0 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 3.8 apg)
G 13
Hunter Hale (6-3, Gr., 8.8 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 1.5 apg)
G 52
Chandler Vaudrin (6-7, R-Jr., 8.7 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 5.9 apg)
F 33
Chase Claxton (6-7, Fr., 6.1 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 0.8 apg)
F 25
Josh Ferguson (6-8, Sr., 11.4 ppg, 6.1 rpg, 1.5 apg)
THE SERIES
Series Record: 40-42
Series Streak: W1
Record at Winthrop Coliseum: 27-13
Streak at Winthrop Coliseum: W4
Kelsey vs. Coastal Carolina: 5-4
SERIES HISTORY
- Winthrop and Coastal renew a rivalry that stretches back as far as 1978 with over 60 matchups as members of the Big South Conference
- The Chanticleers moved to the Sun Belt Conference after the 2015-16 season and the two teams will square off for the first time since their departure
- Coastal Carolina leads the all-time series 42-40 as the team's meet for the 83rd time
- Teams last met Feb. 18, 2016 at the Winthrop Coliseum with the Eagles prevailing 79-67
- Winthrop has won the last four meetings at the Winthrop Coliseum and are 27-13 at home against Coastal
THE GAME
- Each team enters the matchup having earned quality wins this season
- Winthrop opened the season with a win at Hartford and four days later earned a win at #18 Saint Mary's
- Coastal has won two straight and recently earned back-to-back blowout wins over Middle Tennessee and Utah
- Winthrop ranks 4th in the Big South in offense at 77.2 ppg while the Chanticleers lead the Sun Belt at 82.6 ppg
- Both are pretty equal in threes per game as Winthrop is averaging 8.8 per game and Coastal is averaging 8.7
- Both teams also rebound the ball well as Coastal has a +6.6 rebounding margin and the Eagles enter the game at +6.3
WINTHROP
- Head coach Pat Kelsey is in his eighth season with the Eagles (143-87)
- Kelsey is now all alone in 8th place for career wins in Big South history, just two wins behind 7th
- Eagles facing an opponent for the second straight game that is led by a coach with 40 or more years of experience on the bench
- Winthrop is coming off a solid effort at top-ranked Duke on Nov. 29 but has had a seven day break as it splits exam week with this contest against Coastal
- Looking to avoid back-to-back losses for the first time this season
- D.J. Burns Jr. leads the team in scoring at 11.8 ppg as he's come off the bench in all eight games
- Burns Jr. also leads the Big South in bench scoring
- Josh Ferguson is the only other Winthrop player averaging double-figures at 11.4 ppg, but there are five players scoring 8.7 per game or more
- Russell Jones Jr. and Chander Vaudrin are 2nd and 3rd respectively in the Big South for assist/turnover ratio
- Vaudrin leads the league in assists per game at 5.9 while Jones Jr. is 7th at 3.8 per game
- As a team the Eagles rank 28th nationally in assists per game (16.5) in games played through Dec. 5
- The next win by the Eagles will be the 700th all-time for the program
- Winthrop is 2-1 all-time against opponents from the Sun Belt Conference
COASTAL CAROLINA
- Cliff Ellis mans the bench for the Chanticleers as he's in his 45th season overall and 13th with Coastal (847-517 all-time / 235-168 at CCU)
- Unlike the Eagles who have logged over 8,000 miles in travel so far this season, it is just the second road contest for the Chanticleers
- Coastal won its only road game, 92-77 at Delaware State on Nov. 30
- There are only two non-conference games remaining for Coastal while the Eagles still have five more to play
- Tyrell Gumbs-Frater leads five players in double-figures at 15.8 ppg as he's knocked down 31 threes on the year at 57 percent behind the arc
- Keishawn Brewton is scoring 15.6 per game and has hit 27 triples on the year at 37 percent
- DeVante Jones leads the team with 43 assists (5.4) and is scoring 13.3 ppg
HALE HUNTING FOR 1,000 CAREER POINTS
Hunter Hale is approaching 1,000 points in his collegiate career that began that began at Central Michigan. Hale transferred to the Eagles from Grand Valley State to begin graduate school and arrived with 926 points in his career. This season Hale is averaging 8.8 ppg as he's played in four of the team's six games (missed two for injury). He is now 21 points away from 1,000 in his career.
WINTHROP SPORTS SHOW AT ROCO
Joins us on Mondays 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 airs live on 94.3 FM & 104.1 The Bridge.
TUNE IN TO THE EAGLES ALL SEASON LONG
Fans can listen to the games all season long on OTS Media of Rock Hill (94.3 FM and 104.1 The Bridge), which is the flagship station for Winthrop Athletics. In addition, most games will simulcast on 730 ESPN Charlotte and AM 1450 WGNC Gastonia.
All home games as well as all Big South games home or away are available to watch through the Big South Network on ESPN+. To watch live Big South games on ESPN+, you need a subscriber. For more information how to subscribe,
click here.
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA
To keep up with the latest news on the Winthrop men's basketball program, follow the Eagles on Twitter (@Winthrop_MBB), Instagram (@Winthrop_MBB) and Facebook (/WinthropEagles).
