HIGHLANDERS RALLY BUT FALL TO WINTHROP, 66-64

BOX SCORE

RADFORD, Va. – Ayana Avery's three-pointer at the buzzer rattled out and Radford's furious comeback bid came up just short as it fell to Winthrop, 66-64, Saturday afternoon from the Dedmon Center.

Trailing 63-52 after Diana Choibekova's sixth three-pointer, the Highlanders (7-10, 1-5 Big South) whittled down an 11-point deficit to just one. After the Eagles (10-8, 4-2) hit one-of-two at the line, Avery's good look from 25-feet rattled in-and-out and Winthrop survived the rally

Choibekova posted a double-double with a game-high 25 points and 12 rebounds. She was 6-of-12 from long range and 8-for-18 from the field. TaQuoia Hammick added 12 points, while Dequesha McClanahan dished out a 12 assists to go along with eight points and four steals for the Eagles.

Ashley Buckhannon paced the Highlanders with 19 points. She also registered five rebounds, two blocks and two steals. Victoria Hamilton recorded a game-high 13 rebounds and chipped in with eight points.

With just over five minutes remaining, Da'Naria Erwin Spencer ignited the comeback with back-to-back layups off her own steal and then a Buckhannon rejection.

Following another Winthrop miscue, Ashia Holmes drained two freebies to get Radford within 63-58 at the 2:45 mark.

Trailing by seven (65-58) Avery came alive as she drained her first trifecta with 43 second left. After another turnover and an offensive board, Buckhannon found Avery in the corner and she tickled the twine, setting up the final 20 seconds of the contest.

Radford won the turnover battle forcing 24 Winthrop miscues, turning them into 20 points. The Eagles edged the Highlanders on the glass, 37-35.

The Highlanders raced out to a 14-5 lead in the first 4:39 of the contest and maintained the advantage until Winthrop used a 10-0 run in the last four minutes to grab a 30-27 lead and take a 30-29 advantage into the lockerroom.

Buckhannon took just five seconds to get things rolling for RU with a triple. After McClanahan answered, the Highlanders went on a 11-2 run to grab the early advantage.

With the Highlanders up 27-20, Choibekova netted seven of the 10 points during the run to help the Eagles take one-point advantage into the lockerroom.

Radford briefly regained the lead on a layup by Buckhannon and held its final advantage of 34-32 on Katherine Brockett's third trifecta of the contest at the 17-minute mark.

Choibekova answered Brockett's make with a triple of her own to give Winthrop the lead (35-34) for good at 16:44. She would later hit another three to cap off a 13-0 run, giving the Eagles a 45-34 lead at 14:15.

Winthrop was 5-for-7 from three-point land in the second half after a 4-14 first-performance. It finished the contest at a 43 percent clip from distance.

The Eagles, who shot 54 percent in the second half, pushed their advantage to as many as 15 points before Radford was able to chip away and have a chance for the win.

Radford shot 40 percent for the contest and 38 percent (9-21) from three-point land, while Winthrop hit 45.5 percent of its field goals, but struggled from the line (46.7 percent).

The Highlanders return to action on Monday, hosting Presbyterian at 7:00 p.m.

Print Friendly Version