Rock Hill, S.C. –After trailing by nine at halftime, Winthrop defeated USC Upstate for the second consecutive day by a final score of 56-52 on Sunday afternoon.
Winthrop (8-17, 6-8 Big South) | USC Upstate (9-16, 6-8 Big South)
Feb. 12, 2023 | Winthrop Coliseum
Winthrop 56, USC Upstate 52
How it Happened
First Quarter | Upstate started the game with a three-pointer but
Leonor Paisana tied it up with a triple of her own on the next play and then gave the Eagles the lead at the 6:10 mark with her second three of the frame several plays later.
Ally Ross made it a six-point Winthrop lead with a three-pointer at the 4:33 mark before Upstate scored on a layup. That ended a five-minute stretch in which the visitors failed to score a point.
Jada Ryce then got in on the action with a layup to restore Winthrop's six-point edge on the next play only to have Upstate hit one from deep immediately thereafter. Ross's free throws gave the Eagles a five-point lead inside of two minutes but both teams split the next two scores from deep as Winthrop entered the second quarter with a 15-13 lead.
Second Quarter | Paisana got a couple of friendly bounces on the rim on a three-point attempt to start the second quarter, putting Winthrop up 18-13 at the 8:07 mark. Her triple was the only Winthrop points of the quarter as Upstate responded with a 14-0 run to take a 27-18 lead and held the Eagles scoreless for the rest of the frame.
Third Quarter | Winthrop's scoring drought continued for two more minutes before Ryce stopped Winthrop's lack of scoring and Upstate's 14-0 run with a layup on the fastbreak at the 7:53 mark. This made it a 27-20 game in favor of the Spartans. The visitors would hit a free throw a few plays later but the Eagles came back to take a one-point lead at the 2:35 mark on two more Paisana three-pointers, a
Paige Powell free throw and a Ryce jumper. Upstate would get a basket to re-take the lead but Ross put the Eagles back in front on a layup on the fastbreak inside of two minutes and Winthrop called for time. During the run, the Spartans scored only three points. But Upstate scored seven of the next eleven points and took a 37-35 lead at the end of the third quarter.
Fourth Quarter | The Eagles scored five straight points to start the fourth quarter to take a 40-37 lead at the 7:44 mark before the visitors countered with a layup and a free throw to tie it at 40.
Shamyjha Price broke the tie by with an and-one for a 42-40 lead at the 5:33 mark. Price and Ryce would each drain two free throws to go up six at 46-40 at the 3:38 mark. This was a 6-1 run the Eagles went on as they held Upstate scoreless from the field for four minutes. The Spartans then ended their drought with a three-pointer after Ryce's free throws and called for time. Coming out of the timeout, Upstate hit two free throws to cut it to one with nearly two minutes left but Ryce restored Winthrop's lead back to three on a jumper with 2:22 left. After a score by the visitors, Ryce hit a huge shot from deep to give Winthrop a four-point lead with a minute left. The visitors responded with one free throw each on their next two possessions to make it a two-point game at 51-49 with 22 seconds left. The Spartans then fouled Paisana and she nailed two free throws to go up four with 17 seconds left. Upstate would then get one of two free throws on their next possession to make it 53-50 Eagles with nine seconds to go. Price was fouled and she hit both free throws to go up five. Finally, already having a great day from deep, Paisana fittingly ended the contest with a free throw after Upstate cut it to three one more time.
Statistical Standouts (Team)
- Winthrop outscored Upstate 21-12 in points off turnovers
- There were a combined 11 lead changes and three ties
- Winthrop held Upstate to 31.25% from the field in the second quarter
- Winthrop shot 46.67% from the field in the third quarter
- Winthrop shot 80% from the free throw line in the game
- Five Eagles played more than 30 minutes
- Paisana had season-highs in points, FG made and attempted and 3FG made and attempted
- Powell currently has career single-season highs in scoring average, rebounding average, steals, blocks
- Price currently has career season-highs in scoring average, steals, free throws made
- Price scored all eight of her points in the fourth quarter
- Ryce's 47 steals is currently the most in a single-season by an Eagle since 2016-17 when Erica Williams accomplished the feat with 48-before that it was and Danyael Goodhope with 52 (2016-17)
- Winthrop has their most wins at this point in the season since winning 11 games in 2019-20
- Second sweep of a Big South conference opponent this season
- Second time this season Winthrop has won back-to-back conference games
- Most conference wins in a season up to this point since 2018-19 (won six)
- Winthrop has won five of the last six games
- Winthrop is 6-5 at home
- Winthrop now leads the series with USC Upstate 15-12 and has won the last two
- Winthrop snaps a three-game losing streak to the Spartans at home
Statistical Standouts (Individual)
Jada Ryce (34 min, 7 rebounds, 13 pts)
Leonor Paisana (34 min, 6-12 3FG, 5 rebounds, 21 pts)
Up Next
Winthrop returns home to face conference-leading Gardner-Webb on Wednesday night at 6:00 p.m.
FOLLOW US!
For all the up-to-date information on Winthrop Women's Basketball, follow along on Twitter at @WinthropWBB, Instagram at winthropwbb and Facebook at facebook.com/WinthropWBB.
