Eagles Succumb to Bucs’ Excellent Shooting Skills On the Road
In a hotly contested road match, the Winthrop University Eagles fell to the Charleston Southern Buccaneers with a final score of 65-50 on Wednesday night. The Buccaneers proved too hot to handle as they turned in a scintillating performance, taking the game away from the Eagles.
How It Unfolded
The game started in a neck and neck fashion as the scores were tied at seven after four minutes of play. Half of the Eagle’s scores came from two jumpers by Ronaltha Marc. However, the Eagles failed to score a field goal for nearly five minutes, during which CSU found the basket three times and took a 13-9 lead with two minutes left on the clock. Elli Garnett stepped up and delivered a three-point jumper to cut the lead to a marginal single point at the 1:21 mark. However, the Buccaneers responded by adding two free throws, ending the first quarter at 15-12.
Moving into the second quarter, Marc started with a driving layup, and Tiana Spann put the Eagles up front with a layup of her own on their next play. However, the Buccaneers fought back fiercely with eight quick points to regain their lead, holding the Eagles scoreless for three minutes. The Bucs extended their lead throughout the rest of the quarter and ended the first half comfortably up 37-24.
In the Eagles’ Corner
Despite the tough match so far, the Eagles showed excellent agility and presence of mind in creating opportunities. Marissa Gasaway made her mark by scoring four crucial points in the first three minutes of the third quarter. Winthrop University seemed to be gaining momentum as they embarked on a 10-4 run for a while, but the Buccaneers managed to maintain their lead, ending the quarter at 45-40.
The Bucs continued their supremacy into the fourth quarter, scoring six of the first eight points to extend their lead to 51-42. From this point, CSU made continuous efforts to limit Winthrop to just eight points while adding 14 to their tally. With less than a minute remaining, CSU held a convincing 65-50 lead, which remained the final score.
Team and Individual Statistics
Winthrop University can take some positives from the match as this was their seventh consecutive game scoring 50 or more points. Individually, Jada Ryce scored 14 points with 6 successful field goals, while Marissa Gasaway scored 11 points, earning seven from free throws. Additionally, Leonor Paisana is just 18 points away from reaching an impressive career milestone of 500 points.
Even in defeat, the team’s spirit was evident, and they moved to 10-13 and 4-6 in the Big South. The team hopes to turn things around as they return to Rock Hill to commence a two-game home stand, starting with Longwood on Sat., Feb. 10 at 2 p.m.
