Box Score Audio Highlights (Winthrop Sports Network)
Charlotte, N.C. – Cory Hightower scored 21 points to help Winthrop to a 68-51 win over 7th-seeded High Point and advance to the semifinals of the 2022 Hercules Tires Big South Tournament.
WINTHROP (22-8, 14-2 Big South)
STAT LEADERS
HIGH POINT (14-18, 7-9 Big South)
STAT LEADERS
- John-Michael Wright (21 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists)
- Jaden House (20 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist)
- Bryant Randleman (6 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals)
FIRST HALF
- Eagles opened the game on a 6-0 run as D.J. Burns started it off with a short jumper followed by a basket from Micheal Anumba on the drive and two free throws by Cory Hightower
- Bryant Randleman split the deficit in half with a three at the 16:35 mark
- It was a one point game when Chase Claxton took a pass from Drew Buggs and drove baseline for the dunk to start a 7-0 run
- Claxton came up with a steal that led to a Buggs jumper on the other end for a 10-5 lead and Patrick Good drilled a right wing three to complete the 7-0 run and force a time by High Point
- John-Micheal Wright knocked down a jumper to make it a six-point game only to have Russell Jones Jr. drill a three near the top of the key for a nine-point advantage
- Winthrop pushed its lead to double-figures at 21-10 with 8:12 left in the half after an Anumba
- The Eagles continued to clamp down on defense and pushed their lead to 15 points at the half, 32-17 as Hightower made a three in the final seconds
- Winthrop held High Point to 18 percent shooting in the half as it shot 43 percent from the field
SECOND HALF
- A 7-0 run to start the second half put the Eagles ahead by 22 points at 39-17
- A three from Sin'Cere McMahon put the Eagles on top by 23 points with 14:25 to play
- That's when the Panthers gained some momentum as Wright hit back-to-back threes to cut it to 17 points and then a three from Jaden House made it a 15 point game with 12:06 left
- Another Wright bucket had the Panthers within 13 points with 10:47 to play as part of an 11-1 run
- The teams traded baskets the next few possessions and then a layup by Wright scored a bucket in transition to pull within 11 and got the deficit to single-digits with 6:09 to play after two free throws (outscoring the Eagles 19-5)
- Burns Jr. answered for the Eagles as he muscled his way to the rim and scored the layup
- House scored off a drive to get it back to single-digits again but a couple of possession later Buggs dribbled around the paint and whipped a pass to Hightower who buried a corner three as time expired on the shot clock to lead by 12 with 3:45 left
- That Hightower three all but sealed the game as Winthrop outscored the Panthers 14-6 in the final 3:45
- The Eagles shot 59 percent in the second half while High Point was 48 percent from the floor
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
- Eagles finished the game shooting 50 percent, the fourth straight game shooting 50 percent or better
- High Point was held to 32 percent shooting and 6-of-23 behind the arc
- Winthrop edged the Panthers on the boards 37-35
- High Point had 14 offensive rebounds but managed just eight points
- Winthrop's defense held the Panthers to a 3-for-20 start from the floor
- Buggs, who finished with eight points, six rebounds and five assists, led the Eagles with a (+19) while Claxton was second at +18
NOTABLES
- The win was the ninth straight for the Eagles, the 7th longest win streak in program history
- This was the seventh straight win in the conference tournament for the Eagles
- Winthrop advances to the Big South semifinals for a third straight year and ninth time in the last 10 tournaments
UP NEXT
Winthrop faces 3
rd-seeded Gardner-Webb on Saturday, Mar. 5 at 2 p.m. in the Big South Conference semifinals.
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).
