Eagles survive scare against Highlanders
Ricky Rogers
Issue date: 1/24/07 Section: Sports
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Winthrop 61, UNC Asheville 42
The Eagles started strong against the Bulldogs and pulled out to a 10-point lead, 6:22 into the game. Winthrop extended their lead to 18 points with 6:22 to play in the first half.
Asheville made a small run near the end of the first half and cut the Eagle lead down from 16 to nine before the half. Winthrop took a 36-27 lead into the locker room.
The Bulldogs came out in the second half and quickly cut the Winthrop lead down to five, but that was as close as they got. The Eagles then went on a 9-0 run to extend their lead to 16.
Winthrop's lead stayed in double figures for the remainder of the game and hit its peak with 26 seconds to go at 19 points. The Eagles defeated the Bulldogs 61-42.
Junior forward Taj McCullough led the Eagles with 12 points and pulled down six rebounds.
"Taj is a guy that isn't a physical brute but is an athletic kid and is graceful when he runs," head coach Gregg Marshall said. "I love watching him run the court at full speed because chances are it's going to be something positive."
Senior forward Phillip Williams and senior center Craig Bradsahw also scored in double figures with 17 and 10 respectively.
As a team, the Eagles struggled from the free throw line going 8-21 for 38 percent.
Winthrop 62, Radford 59
The game proved to be a struggle for the Eagles from the start as the Highlanders took the initial lead. Winthrop held two leads in the first half, the first coming by one point, 1:19 into the game, and the Eagles led by two with 17:52 to play.
With 12:26 to play in the first half, Radford led by one and pushed their lead to nine with 8:55 remaining. Radford's largest lead of the first half came with 4:22 to play. The Eagles fought back and got their deficit down to two at halftime.
At the start of the second half the teams battled back and forth and the Eagles tied the game at 42 with 14:26 to play in the game. Junior guard Michael Jenkins connected on a three pointer the next trip down the floor for the Eagles to put them up by three.
Radford turned the tables on the Eagles and went back up by five with 10:04 to play. Radford and Winthrop went back and forth and the game was again tied with 6:59 left.
The Highlanders took the next lead by two with 2:45 to play and Winthrop then tied it again on a jumper by junior guard Chris Gaynor. Following a Radford turnover, Bradshaw put the Eagles up by two on a lay-up with 1:45 remaining.
Radford had three more trips down the floor but were unable to tie the game again. With 11 seconds to go, McCullough was fouled and could put the game away by hitting the two free throws. McCullough connected on the first and missed the second, giving Radford a chance to tie the game.
Radford's Reggie McIntyre took his only three of the game with no time on the clock and the shot missed. The Eagles came away with the win over the Highlanders, 62-59.
For the second straight game, McCullough led the Eagles in scoring with 13 points. Jenkins and Gaynor both contributed 12 points in the win. Gaynor led the Eagles on the boards with seven rebounds.
Winthrop will be back in action Thursday, Jan. 25, as they travel to High Point for a 7 p.m. contest.
They will follow this by a home game against Coastal Carolina on Saturday, Jan. 27, at 4 p.m. as they play the first game of a double header with the women's team. The Coastal Carolina game will be broadcast on Sports South, channel 32 in Rock Hill.
===COVERAGE===
TV: Comporium Cable Channnel 32, Rock Hill.
RADIO: WRHI-AM 1340, internet stream at www.wrhi.com
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