High Point, N.C. – Winthrop saw their 2023-24 season come to an end with a loss to Radford by a final score of 64-51 in the quarterfinals of the Hercules Tire Big South Women's Basketball Tournament on Thursday night at the Qubein Center on the campus of High Point University in High Point, N.C.
Winthrop (14-16, 8-8 Big South) | Radford (14-17, 9-7 Big South)
Mar. 7, 2024 | Qubein Center
Winthrop 51, Radford 64
How it Happened
First Quarter |
Jada Ryce immediately got the Eagles on the board first with a three-pointer. This was to be Winthrop's lone field goal in the first five minutes as the Eagles led 5-4 at the halfway point of the frame. Winthrop would also go scoreless for three minutes during the quarter. Ryce hit a jumper at the 4:43 mark to end the scoreless drought for the Eagles and gave Winthrop a 7-4 lead. Radford hit three quick points to tie the game with three minutes left only to have Radford score seven of the next 10 points to go up 14-10 with 13 seconds to go.
Nyah Stallings concluded the quarter with a driving layup at the buzzer.
Second Quarter | Stallings picked up right where she left off, tying the score with a layup while being fouled 30 seconds in. Several plays later, Stallings drained one from deep to put Winthrop ahead 15-14 at the 8:08 mark. The Highlanders then scored nine of the next 11 points to lead by six at 25-19 with nearly five minutes left but
Blessing Okoh scored four straight points to cut the margin to two in a one-minute span. After a Radford basket, Ryce again cut the lead to two with a pull-up jumper down low with 2:52 left. The Highlanders restored their margin to four with two free throws a few plays later and would lead by this same score at the half.
Third Quarter | Both teams combined to score seven points in the first three minutes of the second half. However, two of those seven points was on two free throws by
Leonor Paisana, tying the contest at 31. After Radford broke the tie with a three-pointer several plays later, Winthrop went on a 7-0 run to take a 38-34 lead with 4:14 remaining, forcing a Highlander timeout. The Highlanders struck back with a 12-0 run and held Winthrop scoreless for the rest of the frame. At the end of the quarter, Radford led 46-38.
Fourth Quarter |
Marissa Gasaway quickly scored the first four points of the fourth quarter, cutting the lead in half. The Highlanders scored the next three points to go up seven at 49-42 with 6:22 left. Gasaway then hit two free throws and a layup on consecutive possessions to make it a three-point game one minute later. After Radford hit a triple with 3:24 left to go up six at 52-46, Stallings did the same on the next play to make it a three-point game. But the Highlanders hit another one from deep to go back up six on their next offensive possession to start a 12-2 run to end the game.
Statistical Standouts (Team)
- Winthrop moves to 612-907 all-time as a program.
- Leonor Paisana is now eighth in school history in career triples made (94).
- Winthrop has recorded more than 30 rebounds in the last seven games.
- Eagles finish the season having the most wins since they won 17 in 2014-15.
- Eagles finish the season with their most Big South wins since they won eight in 2019-20.
- Eagles ended the year having their highest conference finish (6th) since 2014-15, when they finished third.
- Winthrop has not won a conference tournament game in 10 seasons.
- Winthrop is 15-37 all-time at the Big South Tournament.
- Winthrop is 3-8 all-time vs. Radford in the Big South Tournament.
- Winthrop is 6-17 all-time in the Big South Tournament in the state of North Carolina.
- Winthrop is 2-2 all-time in the Big South Tournament on Mar. 7.
- This was Gasaway's 10th double double on the season.
- This also tied a career-high for her in rebounds (also had 18 vs. High Point on Feb. 28).
- This was also her 17th double figure game in rebounds on the season and her 14th double figure game in points this season.
- This was Ryce's 18th double figure game in points this season.
- This was Stallings's fifth double figure game in points this season.
- Winthrop outscored Radford in second chance points, 10-2.
- Winthrop shot 76% from the free throw line.
- Four Eagles played more than 30 minutes.
- Three Eagles scored in double figures.
Statistical Standouts (Individual)
Up Next
Winthrop's 2023-24 season is over. The Eagles will return to the court in November of 2024.
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