The Winthrop women’s basketball team hosted Radford for a two-game series this past weekend, losing on Friday but winning Saturday night’s contest in overtime.
The Eagles were originally supposed to travel to Gardner-Webb for two games this past weekend, but that series was postponed due to COVID-19.
Friday’s match did not end well for Winthrop. Despite being down just 26-23 at halftime, the Eagles were defeated 72-46 as Radford went 18-of-24 from the field in the second half.
To Winthrop’s pleasure, Radford did not carry that same efficiency into Saturday. After two minutes of scoreless play, Winthrop’s Madison Ervin put the first two points on the board, followed by two more from Winthrop senior Anika Riley.
The Highlanders started 0-for-7 on their shot attempts, finally scoring with 5:14 left in the first quarter. While the teams exchanged leads during the final few minutes of the first period, Winthrop took a 13-12 advantage into the second quarter after a layup by freshman J’Mani Ingram put the Eagles up by one.
The Highlanders opened the second quarter on a 9-0 run, pulling ahead 21-13 with seven and a half minutes remaining in the first half. Winthrop’s opponent went on another 9-0 run later in the quarter that put the Eagles down 32-19.
Seconds before the halftime buzzer sounded, Winthrop’s Riley hit a mid-range jumper to cap off a 7-0 run for the Eagles and to cut the team’s deficit to six points. Winthrop was still outscored 20-13 in the second quarter and subsequently trailed 32-26 at the break.
Despite shooting just 3-11 during the third quarter, the Eagles were able to keep the score reasonably close by earning nine shots at the free throw line, of which they made six. Winthrop also didn’t send Radford to the charity stripe at all during the third quarter.
The Eagles trailed by eight points entering the final period of regulation. They opened the quarter on a 10-2 run, tying the game at 48 with five minutes to go.
Down 50-49, Winthrop’s Myra Strickland gave the Eagles their first lead since the end of the first quarter when she sank two free throw attempts. She made two more to re-tie the game at 53.
Radford persisted, pulling ahead by three with 37 seconds left in the fourth quarter, but a jumper from Winthrop’s Riley brought the score to within one point.
The Eagles chose to foul Radford’s Makaila Wilson right away, which worked in Winthrop’s favor as the junior went 0-for-2 at the line. On the other end of the court, Winthrop sophomore Sydney Hunter was fouled on a basket attempt with 19 seconds remaining.
Hunter went 1-for-2 at the line to tie the game at 56, which left the Eagles needing a strong defensive stand. Radford was left to toss up a layup at the buzzer, which rolled across the rim and fell outside of the hoop, forcing overtime.
Both teams exchanged two-point baskets during the first minute of the five-minute fifth period. Those would be the only buckets made from the field for the rest of the game, as free throws would ultimately tell the tale.
Winthrop shot the last eight free throws of the game, sinking five to give the Eagles a 63-59 win. The home team earned a whopping 35 free throw attempts (making 22) compared to Radford’s 12 attempts (8 makes).
Winthrop’s Anika Riley was the star of the game, shooting 6-of-10 from the field and recording a double-double with 15 points and ten rebounds. Riley was one of four Eagles to post double-digit scoring figues, accompanying graduate transfer Madison Ervin (13), sophomore Myra Strickland (11) and junior Maleeah Langstaff (10).
The Eagles look to take on Gardner-Webb next in Boiling Springs on Feb. 12 and 13. Winthrop will then travel to UNC Asheville before returning to Rock Hill to close out the regular season against Presbyterian.
