ROCK HILL, S.C. – Winthrop women's basketball improves to 5-3 in conference play after taking down Longwood, 74-63, on Tuesday night at the Winthrop Coliseum.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
The first quarter of play was a back and forth battle that ended in a tie at 14 points. Winthrop started to pull away in the second quarter thanks to a 10-0 run. The home team led by as many as 12 points behind a strong offensive push from Maleeah Langstaff. The sophomore notched a new career-high before halftime, 14 points, 10 coming in the second quarter.  The Eagles took a 39-30 lead into the locker room at halftime. An 11-0 Longwood run tied the game at 42 with just under seven minutes to play in the third. With 13 seconds remaining in the third, Anne Leroy is hit was a flagrant foul against Destinee Jamison-Whtifield, who sinks both free throws to put the Eagles up by one. Kem Nwabudu hit a jumper as time expired to give the Eagles a three point advantage with 10 to play. The Lancers hung in there but a 7-0 run in the final 2:20 put Winthrop up by 11 and secured the win. Winthrop finished shooting 42 percent from the field, 25 percent from 3-point range and 63 percent from the line.
 
KEY PLAYERS
Maleeah Langstaff (16 points, 13 rebounds, 4 steals)
Jah'Che Whitfield (14 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists)
Kem Nwabudu (10 points, 4 rebounds)

NOTABLES

• Myra Strickland made her first collegiate start against Longwood, finishing with nine points, an assist and a steal.
• With 2:18 remaining in the first half, Maleeah Langstaff had recorded 14 points and finished the game with 16 – a new career high.
• Winthrop recorded just three turnovers in the first half and tied its season-low with 10 for the contest.
• This game saw 12 lead changes and 9 ties.
• The Eagles were out rebounded, 51-39.
• The Eagles recorded 20 bench points, led by Kem Nwabudu who finished with 10.
• Longwood recorded 11 blocks, Winthrop had none.
• Winthrop had 16 points off Longwood's 20 turnovers.

 
UP NEXT
Winthrop women's basketball will travel to Charleston on Saturday to take on the Charleston Southern Buccaneers. During the 2018-19 season, these teams split the series, each winning a game at home. The Eagles beat the Buccaneers, 57-52, at the Winthrop Coliseum behind 19 points from Jah'Che Whitfield. When these teams faced off in Charleston, Winthrop fell to CSU, 67-57. Anika Riley recorded a career-high 17 rebounds.