Rock Hill, S.C. – For the second straight year, the Winthrop men's basketball team will partake in the Field of 68 Opening Day Marathan and square off against Queens Monday morning at 9 a.m.
SERIES HISTORY VERSUS QUEENS
Series Record: 6-2
Series Streak: W6
Record at Rock Hill Sports & Event Center: 1-0
Streak at Rock Hill Sports & Event Center: W1
Prosser vs. Queens: 3-0
- Winthrop and Queens meet for the second straight season at the Field of 68 Opening Day Marathon
- The Eagles earned an 81-74 win over the Royals and have now won six straight in the series
- During the six-game winning streak, all of the games have been decided by fewer than nine points
WINTHROP IN SEASON OPENERS
- This is officially the earliest season opener in the history of the program, which set the mar in last year's event (Nov. 3)
- Have won five of the last seven season openers and are 31-18 all-time
- Have won 10 of the last 13 and 16 of the last 20
- All-time the Eagles are 3-2 when opening the season on a neutral court
WINTHROP
- Coming off its second straight 23-win season and second straight trip to the Big South Conference title game
- Has 11 new faces on the squad that includes one freshman, four sophomore transfers, two junior transfers and four senior transfers
- This year's roster has six underclassmen, the most since the 2023-24 squad had seven
- The sophomore transfer class includes Anthony Smith III (North Dakota), Keshawn Fisher (Detroit Mercy), Spence Sims (Gardner-Webb), and Tyler Parrish (Univ. Indy)
- The junior transfers are Michah Davis (UI Indianapolis), Esher Singh Sarai (Ellsworth C.C.)
- The senior transfers are Robert Knotts III (Louisburg College), Tee Harris Jr. (Wheeling), Kyle Morgan (UT Tyler) and George Natsvlishvili (North Dakota)
- Voted to finish third in the Big South Conference preseason poll
- This marks the 1,478th game in program history and hold an all-time record of 843-634
- Winthrop has more wins than any other Big South school (287) since the 2012-13 season and the closest is High Point (255)
- Mark Prosser starts his 6th season as head coach of the Eagles (7th head coach in program history) and holds a 101-63 record
- Prosser earned his 100th win as an Eagle with an 86-81 win over Presbyterian College in the quarterfinals of the 2026 Big South Tournament
- Prosser earned his 100th career win on Nov. 15, which also happened to be the program's 800th win all-time (Eagles won on a buzzer three)
- Prosser is coaching in his 283rd career game and 255th at the NCAA D1 level
- Led the team to 23 wins, the most by a first-year head coach in program history and another 23-win season in 2024-25
- Prosser tied Towson State's Terry Traux (1992-93) for the most conference wins by a first-year coach with 14
LOOKING BACK AT 2025-26
- Won 23 games for the second straight season and third time in five seasons under Mark Prosser
- Reached the Big South Conference Title Game for the second straight year and a Big South record 20th time
- It was also the third title game appearance under Prosser
- Had a 12-game winning streak, which is the second streak of 10 or more under Prosser and tied for the 6th longest in program history
- Prosser is tied with six other coaches for the 6th most 20-win seasons in league history (3)
- Eagles played a strong non-conference schedule in that included three nationally-ranked teams, six teams with 20 or more wins, eight with 19 or more and five teams that qualified for the NCAA Tournament
- Set the program mark for fewest turnovers per game in a single-season (10.90)
- The team's scoring average of 83.6 ppg tied for the second-best single-season average in program history after setting the mark the season prior
- Won 13 league games for the 9th time in program history
- Posted a perfect league record at home at 8-0 and have won 11 straight at the Winthrop Coliseum
- Went undefeated the month of January at 8-0, becoming just the second program in team history to do so (2006-07)
SEASON HONORS/AWARDS
- Spence Sims, R-Sophomore-Guard
- Big South All-Conference Second Team
CHAMPIONSHIP ANNIVERSARY
This year marks the 10
th anniversary for the 2016-17 Big South Championship squad and the 20
th for the 2006-07 Big South Championship team.
The 2016-17 championship team was led by Big South Player of the Year Keon Johnson and All-Conference performer Xavier Cooks as the duo helped the team to a 26-7 overall record, 15-3 Big South record and a trip to the NCAA Tournament. The Eagles captured the championship with a 76-59 win over Campbell on their home floor and earned a 13 seed and faced Butler in the NCAA Tournament where they fell 74-64.
The 2006-07 enjoyed the greatest season in the history of the program and set the standard. The team posted an overall record of 29-5, were perfect in league play at 14-0 and headed to the NCAA Tournament for a third straight year. The Eagles were riding an 18-game winning streak into the NCAA Tournament, where they had earned the Big South Conference's highest seeding ever at 11
th. Winthrop opened the tournament against 6
th-seeded Notre Dame and pulled off the upset with a 74-64 win, for the first NCAA Tournament win in program history. It was also the first for a Big South team outside of a 16/16 Play-In game. That year the Eagles were led by All-Conference selections Craig Bradshaw, Michael Jenkins and Torrell Martin as well as Coach of the Year Gregg Marshall.
WINTHROP IMPACT NETWORK
Winthrop Athletics is proud to announce the launch of WIN: Winthrop's Impact Network- a distinguished philanthropic giving society established to support and elevate Winthrop's 16 NCAA Division I programs and nearly 300 student-athletes.
In the new era of college athletics, it is critical now more than ever to generate revenue to provide Winthrop student-athletes with the resources and opportunities needed to compete for Big South championships and advance in the NCAA tournament. Winthrop's Impact Network members will have an elite level of direct impact on the future of Winthrop Athletics. For more information,
click here.
JOIN THE EAGLE CLUB
The Eagle Club is the official fundraising arm of Winthrop Athletics. Your generosity directly supports Winthrop Athletics and helps provide our student-athletes with the resources they need to succeed on and off the field. From facility upgrades and enhanced game-day experiences to scholarships, equipment, travel, and academic support, every dollar makes a difference
.
By investing in the Eagle Club, you're helping us build a stronger future for Winthrop Athletics—one that prioritizes excellence, opportunity, and a championship culture.
Click here to join or donate today.
TUNE IN TO THE EAGLES
Fans can listen to the games all season long on OTS Media of Rock Hill (94.3 FM), which is the flagship station for Winthrop Athletics. In addition, most games will simulcast on AM 1450 WGNC Gastonia.
All home games as well as all Big South games home or away are available to watch through the Big South Network on ESPN+. To watch live Big South games on ESPN+, you need a subscriber. For more information how to subscribe,
click here.
UP NEXT
The Eagles will host North Dakota on Saturday, Nov. 7 at noon for their home opener.
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