BUIES CREEK, N.C — . Dequesha McClanahan scored 25 points and Aliyah Kilpatrick added 13 points and nine rebounds, leading Winthrop to a record six straight conference wins in a 76-53 decision over Campbell.
Winthrop improves to 13-8 overall, 7-2 in the Big South Conference, while Campbell falls to 13-7, 5-4.
McClanahan had a near perfect offensive performance, hitting 9 of 11 field goals, including 3-of-3 from behind the three-point line and went 4-for-4 from the free throw line. She had five assists.
“Dequesha had an incredible performance and hit huge shots when we needed them,” said Winthrop coach Kevin Cook. “That was truly, truly an efficient effort in every area. You can’t do much better that what she did today, and she made everybody else better.”
The Eagles pulled away in the final eight minutes. The final 23-point margin gives Winthrop four straight victories by 20 points or more.
Winthrop opened up a 13-point lead at 48-35 with 11 minutes, 58 seconds left in the game on a McClanahan 3-pointer. Campbell fought back to trail by seven at 50-43 following a lay-up by Juli Osborne with 8:39 remaining.
But from that point on, Winthrop outscored the Camels 26-10 over the final 8:06. Diana Choibekova, who finished with 12 points after a slow start, drained a three to end a 9-0 Eagle run, putting Winthrop up by 16 points at 59-43 with just over seven minutes remaining.
“Campbell hung in there and cut the lead to seven, but Chobie came up big when it counts. That was a big shot to get us back to a double-digit lead,” said Cook referring to Winthrop’s game-ending run.
Samiya Wright then connected on a trey followed by another by Choibekova and the lead went to 18 with five minutes remaining. Taylor Calvert, who led Winthrop with 10 rebounds, gave the Eagles their first 20-point lead with a lay-up at the 4:01 mark.
Winthrop led 31-23 at halftime despite committing 10 first half turnovers. It was the Eagle defense along with a strong shooting and rebounding performance that gave Winthrop the eight point advantage.
For the second time in the past four games, Winthrop shot at least 50 percent from the floor as they connected on 30 of 60 field goals, including 9 of 17 for 52.9 percent from three-point land.
The Camels connected on 40 percent overall for the game.
The Eagles dominated the boards 45-26 with Calvert and Kilpatrick leading the effort. Freshman center Schaquilla Nunn, who missed the last game with a concussion, started and grabbed seven rebounds to go along with six points.
Winthrop closes out a four-game road swing Thursday night when it travels to Presbyterian College for a 7 p.m. game. Winthrop defeated Presbyterian 78-50 at home on Jan. 19.
Summary in Scoreboard, page 5C.
