Through six home games versus conference opponents this season, the Winthrop men’s basketball team has recorded an average attendance of 1,670 people per night. With two home games left, the team is hoping to see even more fans in attendance to close out the regular season.
“We appreciate the consistent support. That home court advantage turns the coli up another notch. Can we double up attendance our last [two] games?,” graduate transfer Patrick Good wrote on Twitter.
The team’s official Twitter account, @ Winthrop_MBB, shared Good’s post, adding, “PSA from Pat Good! Let’s double the attendance for our last two home games this week!”
Winthrop recorded a season-high 2,192 people in attendance on Feb. 3 when the Eagles hosted North Carolina A&T State in a matchup that was featured on ESPNU.
“They bring it every night and just make it hard for the opposing team,” said sophomore guard Sin’Cere McMa- hon of the Winthrop faithful. “If you’ve got a good sixth man that’s your crowd, it’s going to make it harder on the other team.
McMahon is one of several guys in their first season at Winthrop who can say they have not lost a game inside Winthrop Coliseum. This season, the Eagles are 11-0 at home.
“If nothing else, we’ve shown that it’s not go- ing to be boring when we play,” head coach Mark Prosser joked following Winthrop’s six-point overtime win against UNC Asheville on Jan. 13.
Of the nine Division I contests Winthrop has hosted this season, all have resulted in wins of 10 point margins or less for the Eagles. Two of those wins were earned in overtime, and another two came by just two points.
Just over 1,800 people showed up for Winthrop’s game against Gardner-Webb on Jan. 22 in which the Eagles came from be- hind in the second half to narrowly defeat their opponent, 64-62. Rock Hill native DJ Burns Jr. recorded 19 points, five rebounds and four assists in that contest.
“It was just good to feed off their energy and they were giving it right back to us,” Burns said of the home crowd following the Jan. 22 victory. “It had a lot to do with the energy we had going into the end of the game.”
Burns and other Winthrop players are often seen after home games signing autographs and taking pictures with young fans.
“The support we get from the city of Rock Hill and a lot of South Carolina is just unmatched. Being here
in my hometown, it’s great to give back the energy that I can to these guys, and they come out and they support us every game.”
“You know, you’ve just got to love stuff like that. That’s what we do it for. We do it to make other people happy, make ourselves happy. That’s what makes us happy, so we love that kind of stuff.”
For Winthrop fans, this week’s games are not only the last chance to see Winthrop at home this season, but the final opportunity ever to see some guys take the court at Winthrop Coliseum.
Graduate transfers Patrick Good and Drew Buggs have been a shot in the arm for Winthrop this season, providing leadership and coming up big in clutch situations. Senior Micheal Anumba has been a reliable defender and core piece of Winthrop’s roster for four seasons (though he could return for one more year should he choose to use his ‘covid eligibility’). Winthrop may be without all three come next season.
Winthrop’s remaining home games, which the team hopes to see an increased number of fans attend, are Thursday at 7:00 p.m. (versus USC Upstate) and Saturday at 4:00 p.m. (versus Charleston Southern). Following Saturday, the team will look towards the Big South Conference tournament, which starts on March 2 in Charlotte at Bojangles Coliseum.
At 12-2 in conference play, Winthrop has already secured a first-round bye, meaning the Eagles will open tournament play in the quarterfinal round on March 4.
