Tuscaloosa, Ala. – Winthrop fell at Alabama by a final score of 79-50 on Friday afternoon at Coleman Coliseum in their second game of the young 2023-24 season.
 
Winthrop (0-2) | Alabama (2-0)
Nov. 10, 2023 | Coleman Coliseum
Winthrop 50, Alabama 79
 
How it Happened
 
First Quarter | Alabama jumped out to a 7-0 lead two minutes into the ballgame before a Blessing Okoh jumper got the Eagles on the board. After a triple by the Tide on the next play gave them an eight-point lead at 10-2, Okoh knocked down a three-pointer of her own to cut the lead back down to five. Several plays later Okoh hit her second deep bomb of the frame to make it a four-point game at 13-9 with 5:31 left in the quarter. Then with Winthrop trailing 18-9, Okoh continued her blistering start to the contest, hitting her third three-pointer of the quarter with 2:44 remaining. Alabama closed out the opening 10 minutes by scoring the final 11 points to take a 29-12 lead heading into the second quarter.
 
Second Quarter | Marissa Gasaway knocked down a pair of free throws to start the second quarter but those were Winthrop's only points for nearly the entire frame. Alabama on the other hand scored 15 straight points following Gasaway's free throws, giving them a 30-point lead at 44-14 at the 2:30 mark. Angel Burgos finally ended the long drought with a jumper with 2:06 remaining. This was Winthrop's first field goal in 11 minutes. Each team then hit one more free throw and the Crimson Tide tacked on a field goal to take a 47-17 lead going into the locker room.
 
Third Quarter | Winthrop came out of the break and proceeded to score 14 of the first 20 points to start the first five minutes of the second half. Okoh hit a layup and a triple to account for half of Winthrop's early 10 points. Despite this, the Eagles still trailed 53-31 with nearly half the frame gone. Alabama then hit four more free throws and a field goal to lead by 28 and held Winthrop scoreless for three minutes. Prunelle Mungo stopped the small run by the Crimson Tide with a layup with 2:24 left in the quarter and after an Alabama field goal, Jada Ryce canned a three-pointer to make it 61-36 in favor of the Tide a minute later. Alabama concluded the quarter with two free throws and entered the fourth with a 63-36 lead.
 
Fourth Quarter | Both teams failed to score for nearly the first two minutes of the final quarter. Alabama hit a field goal first but Winthrop responded with a free throw and a layup by Leonor Paisana. The Eagles then scored six of the next 10 points to make it 69-44 Tide. This included Okoh's fifth three of the day. Alabama ended the contest by scoring 10 of the last 16 points for the final margin.
 
Statistical Standouts (Team)

• Winthrop moves to 598-893 all-time as a program.
• Okoh led all Winthrop scorers with 20 points and hit five three-pointers, both career-highs.
• Gasaway got into double figures in rebounds for the first time in her Eagle career, notching 12, a career-high.
• Winthrop shot 50% from the field in the second half and 40% for the game.
• Winthrop also shot more than 40% from deep and nearly 60% from the charity stripe.

 
Statistical Standouts (Individual)
Blessing Okoh (34 min, 7-16 FG, 5-11 3FG, 20 pts)
Marissa Gasaway (24 min, 12 rebounds, 7 pts)
Leonor Paisana (29 min, 3-4 FG, 8 pts)
 
Up Next
Winthrop returns to Rock Hill for the Eagles home opener, hosting Erskine on Nov. 14 at 6 p.m. The game will be televised on ESPN+.
 
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