Rock Hill, S.C. – Winthrop captured their 600^th all-time victory as a program with a dominant second half, defeating South Carolina State on the road by a final score of 54-45 on Saturday afternoon.
 
Winthrop (2-2) | South Carolina State (0-4)
Nov. 18, 2023 | Smith-Hammond-Middleton Memorial Center
Winthrop 54, South Carolina State 45
 
How it Happened
 
First Quarter | Both teams had trouble scoring in the early moments of the game. Ronaltha Marc's three-pointer got the Eagles on the board first two minutes in. SC State got two free throws and then took a 4-3 lead on the next play. Nyah Stallings's triple put Winthrop back up by two a few plays later and Jada Ryce laid it in off a steal immediately thereafter to give the Eagles an 8-4 lead. SC State then responded with eight quick points to go ahead by four. Consecutive shots from deep by Leonor Paisana's and Ar'Mani Reid gave Winthrop a 14-12 lead with two minutes left. Reid's layup with 34 seconds put Winthrop up 16-12 lead after 10 minutes of action.
 
Second Quarter | Prunelle Mungo's layup increased the Eagle's margin to six nearly a minute into the second frame. After a Bulldog score, Marissa Gasaway's jumper restored the lead back to six. Ryce's free throw with 6:29 remaining put Winthrop up 21-14. After Gasaway's score, Winthrop failed to hit a field goal for more than six minutes yet still led by five at 22-17 after a Gasway free throw with nearly three minutes left. Then with a minute left before the half, Gasaway tipped in a shot to give Winthrop a 24-17 lead. Claudia Clement's free throw concluded the scoring for the half and the Eagles took an eight-point lead heading to the locker room.
 
Third Quarter | Two free throws by Marc represented the first points to start the second half for either team and Winthrop took their first double-digit lead of the ballgame 30 seconds in. Gasaway's layup a few possessions later put the Eagles up 12 and forced the Bulldogs to temporarily stop play. SC State scored on a layup after the timeout but a Paisana triple, a Marc old-fashioned three-point play and a Ryce layup gave the Eagles a commanding 37-19 lead at the 4:46 mark. For the first half of the third quarter, Winthrop held SC State to one field goal. The Bulldogs then scored seven straight points to make it an 11-point game with three minutes to go but Paisana's and-one and ensuing free throw on the next play took it up to 14. A three-pointer by SC State made the score 40-29 with 2:05 left but two free throws left the Eagles up 42-29 going to the final quarter.
 
Fourth Quarter | Blessing Okoh got the scoring started in the fourth quarter with a jumper. Gasaway's free throw and Ryce's three-pointer made the score 48-29 in favor of Winthrop with nearly seven minutes left. The Bulldogs then rallied with a 14-2 run to cut the deficit to 50-43 with less than two minutes to go. But that's as close as SC State would get, as Angel Burgo's jumper with a minute left finished off the Bulldogs and put Winthrop up nine. Each team then split the final two baskets to end the day as Winthrop held on for the victory.
 
Statistical Standouts (Team)

• Winthrop moves to 600-893 all-time as a program.
• Winthrop outscored SC State 24-16 in the paint and 9-5 in second chance points.
• Winthrop blanked SC State 10-0 in second chance points.
• Gasaway led Winthrop in rebounds with 17.
• This is her third game over double figures in rebounds.
• Winthrop shot 38.0% from the field.
• Winthrop made nearly 60% of their free throws.

Statistical Standouts (Individual)
Marissa Gasaway (35 min, 17 rebounds, 4 steals, 9 pts)
Leonor Paisana (25 min, 5 rebounds, 9 pts)
Jada Ryce (33 min, 6 assists, 8 pts)
 
Up Next
Winthrop welcomes St. Augustine's on Tuesday, Nov. 21 for Education Day. Tip-off is at 11 a.m. and will be televised on ESPN+.
 
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