ROCK HILL, SC— Winthrop’s bid to start off league play 3-0 for the first time in school history was spoiled by Coastal Carolina in a 52-47 loss, Wednesday evening at the Winthrop Coliseum.
Winthrop had won six straight and started off 2-0 in the Big South for just the second time in school history. The Eagles will also have to wait to reach the school record for wins at the Division I level, which is 15. Winthrop is now 14-7 overall and 2-1 in the league while Coastal Carolina improves to 12-6 and 1-3 in the Big South.
The difference in the game was the opening nine minutes of the second half as the Eagles failed to score a single point. It was a mixture of missed shots and tough defense from the Chanticleers. Yvonne van Daalen ended the drought, but Coastal Carolina still led by two points at 28-26. Winthrop trailed by six points with 7:44 to go in the game and responded with a 7-0 run capped off by a Tiffany Rodd three-pointer to go ahead 37-36. The lead increased to four points after Shelly Hankins connected on her second three of the game. Amanda Stull hit two free throws and Vicky Blanchard hit a three-pointer to give Coastal the lead for good at 42-41 with 2:47 remaining. Coastal was able to hold on down the stretch by converting eight of 10 free throws.
Neither team shot the ball very well as Winthrop finished at 36 percent from the field. Coastal Carolina was at 33 percent, but was 14-for-20 from the foul line.
Both teams struggled offensively in the first half, but the Eagles found enough to lead 23-15 at the break. An Ashley Fann jumper with 1:09 left put Winthrop up 11 points, but Coastal Carolina’s Lacey Lyons drained a three to get the lead back to single-digits.
Fann led all scorers with 19 points and seven rebounds. The only other Eagle in double-figures was van Daalen with 10 points and she also had six assists. Rodd, coming off a career-best 27 points finished with just three on 1-for-7 shooting.
Lyons led Coastal Carolina with 17 points and pulled down eight rebounds. Blanchard was a big difference in the game as she scored all 15 of her points in the second half. She was 0-for-4 in the first half and was 6-for-9 in the second. She also pulled down nine rebounds and had four steals.
Tonight was the 66th meeting between both schools and the series is now tied at 33-33. Coastal Carolina has won the last three meetings and seven of the last eight.
Winthrop will look to bounce back on Saturday as it travels to Lynchburg, VA to take on Liberty University at 7 p.m.
