ROCK HILL, S.C. – Winthrop is a program that has made
history with its guard play. From Michael Jenkins to Keon Johnson, Keon Moore
to Hunter Hale, backcourt stars have helped the Eagles win a lot of games in
the closing minutes.
Perhaps it’s fitting, then, that arguably the quietest guy
in the gym teamed up with a veteran backcourt standout to make yet another
memory Wednesday night.
Kasen Harrison staggered Radford with a bucket with 3:23 to
play, then Nick Johnson threw the knockout combination with a three-pointer and
layup to put away the visiting Highlanders, 78-74, before an announced crowd of
1,909 at Winthrop Coliseum.
“(Those were) two teams that were sort of going blow-for-blow
and a bunch of people making shots on both sides,” Winthrop coach Mark Prosser
said after the game. “Man, am I proud of the effort of our kids.”
The entire night was a series of momentum swings. Radford
(16-11, 6-6 Big South) was the first side to pull ahead by greater than two
possessions, using a quick 11-2 run to open up a seven-point lead eight minutes
into the contest. The lead remained at seven before Winthrop (18-9, 8-4)
countered with an 8-0 run of its own – with Johnson providing the final half of
the spurt – to seize back a one-point lead. The sides pushed and pulled for the
rest of the half, with the visiting Highlanders taking a five-point margin to
the interval.
Jarvis Moss drained a jumper to start the second half,
followed by two Brandon Maclin free throws that put Radford ahead by nine. The
Highlanders held three separate nine-point advantages, with the final coming on
a Truth Harris layup. Radford then absorbed a 7-0 Winthrop run that induced a
30-second stoppage by the Highlanders to protect a 44-42 lead with just over 12
minutes remaining.
Radford bounced back out of the respite, scoring 10 of the
next 15 points and opening up another seven-point distance with 8:22 to play. The
Eagles would cut it to two with a 5-0 microburst over the next minute and a
half before the Highlanders got a Zion Walker three to push their lead back to
five with 5:20 left.
“We went down nine in the second half. It was a three-possession
game,” Prosser said. “On the road, they had some energy during that stretch.
Our kids didn’t blink. We have an understanding that, sooner or later, we’ll
figure it out a little bit.”
Kelton Talford would bring the Eagles all the way back at
the 4:10 mark, finishing through contact to get a bucket and a foul that
leveled the score at 65. Walker would do the same on the other end to put
Radford back in the lead by three. That lead, though, would soon be the last
Radford would enjoy.
Harrison knifed through traffic at the 3:23 mark and banked
home a layup, putting Winthrop back within a point at 68-67. On the ensuing
Winthrop possession, Harrison put his team ahead for good. The Beaumont, Texas,
native rolled home another layup that would provide the Eagles a 70-69 lead
with 2:55 remaining.
“Our ball screen coverage – we were supposed to not let him
get to his left hand,” Radford coach Darris Nichols said. “He kept setting it
up with his right and getting back to his left. We were better at it in the
first half. In the second half, he just did whatever he wanted.”
“Kasen Harrison – are you kidding me?,” Prosser said. “Getting
to the rim, touching the paint … It was a bunch of different guys. A bunch of
other guys stepped up.”
Johnson was one of those others to whom Prosser referred.
The senior New Hampshire transfer had 20 points on the
night, but none were bigger than the three he booked from the left corner, just
in front of the Winthrop bench. The triple put the Eagles ahead
by four with 1:55 to play.
“When it comes to Radford, there are some things you want to
highlight and focus on,” Johnson said. “Our gameplan going into the game was to
not let them outtough us and to win the battle on the backboard. They make a
lot of tough shots. They’re very well-coached.”
“Everybody knows that I came to Winthrop because of the tradition
and history that it had. I wanted to add to it and be a part of it.”
After Paul Jones hit a three-pointer with 48 seconds left,
Winthrop went ahead by five. Walker countered on the other end to snip the lead
to three with 38 seconds remaining. The Eagles then missed a shot on the other
end, leading Radford to race back down the floor in an attempt to tie the game
and force overtime. Winthrop fouled the Highlanders, though, and Radford
collected just its second missed free throw on the night on the front end of
the two shots. The Highlanders missed the second try, as well, and Johnson
sealed the game at the line.
“I just challenged (the team),” Nichols said. “If this one
doesn’t sting, if you’re not upset by this one, you’re not a true competitor.
If this doesn’t really bother you, it’s going to be a hard life for you.
Everything you do in life is competition. It bothers me. I’m going to watch the
film and I’ve got to sit on it for a whole week. We don’t play again until next
Thursday.”
Johnson reached the 20-point mark for the fourth time this
season and second in succession, tallying 20 on 6-for-12 from the field and
6-for-8 from the line. Four additional Eagles joined Johnson in doubles. Jones sank
five threes to book 15, while Talford and Harrison added 14 and 13,
respectively. Forward K.J. Doucet contributed 11 despite leaving the game early
with an injury. Prosser did not have an update on Doucet’s availability for
Saturday’s game with High Point. Winthrop shot 47.3 percent (26-for-55) from
the field on the night, buoyed by a 58.6 percent (17-for-29) second-half
performance. The Eagles hit 58.8 percent (10-of-17) from three and 84.2 percent
(16-of-19) from the line.
Walker and Moss paced the Highlanders with 17 points apiece.
Truth Harris added 10 for Radford, who shot 45.3 percent (24-for-53) from the
field. Radford also added 20 free throws on 23 tries. Walker’s 17 points came
in reserve duty for the Highlanders, who got 31 points from their bench.
“We’re number 15 in the country in points off the bench,”
Nichols said. “It’s just been different guys coming off the bench making an
impact. We have a chance because when you have guys like that, they continue to
work. They’re not pouting because they come off the bench. When they get in,
they’re making an impact.”
Radford is off for a week before hosting UNC Asheville in
the ESPNU Wildcard game next Thursday. That contest from the Dedmon Center is
set for a 7:00 (Eastern) tip time. Winthrop stays home for a Saturday afternoon
contest with Big South leader High Point. Game time between the Panthers and
Eagles is set for 2:00, with streaming coverage available over ESPN+.
WINTHROP 78, RADFORD 74
RADFORD (16-11, 6-6 BIG SOUTH)
J. Harris 3-5 0-0 6, Gaines 2-6 0-0 4, Maclin 2-4 2-2 6, T.
Harris 3-10 4-6 10, Moss 4-9 6-6 17, NeSmith 0-2 0-0 0, Early 0-4 2-2 2,
Yamazaki 0-0 0-0 0, Walker 6-9 4-5 17, Davis 2-2 0-0 6, Sirtautas 2-2 2-2 6.
Totals 24-53 20-23 74.
WINTHROP (18-9, 8-4)
Talford 5-9 4-5 14, Doucet 3-7 4-4 11, Kamarad 0-1 2-2 2,
Johnson 6-12 6-8 20, Harrison 6-12 0-0 13, Wilson 1-4 0-0 3, Jones 5-9 0-0 15,
Baker 0-0 0-0 0, Duncomb 0-1 0-0 0, Diallo 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 26-55 16-19 78.
Halftime: Radford 33-28. 3-Point
goals: Winthrop 10-17 (Doucet 1-2, Johnson 2-3, Harrison 1-1, Wilson
1-3, Jones 5-8), Radford 6-16 (Maclin 0-1, T. Harris 0-1, Moss 3-7, Early 0-2,
Walker 1-3, Davis 2-2). Fouled out: Kamarad (WU). Rebounds: Winthrop 31
(Doucet/Johnson 6), Radford 29 (T. Harris 5). Total fouls: Radford
20, Winthrop 20. Technicals: NA.
Points off turnovers: Winthrop 22, Radford 10. Points in the paint: Winthrop 32, Radford 28. Second-chance points: Winthrop 12, Radford 6. Fast-break points: Radford 11, Winthrop 3. Bench points: Radford 31, Winthrop 18.
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