Published: Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009 / Updated: Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2009 07:07 AM

Lady Eagles basketball team bounce back

Winthrop and Coker played for the first time in 34 years Tuesday. It wasn't readily apparent in the first half which team played at the Division I level.

The Lady Eagles asserted themselves in the second half, using a 13-2 run to come away with a 58-47 win over the Division II Lady Cobras.

Winthrop (1-1) trailed 25-20 at the break. The Lady Eagles played 10 minutes before their shot output equaled their turnover total.

Winthrop coach Bud Childers had a good talk with the team at the half and they responded. The Lady Eagles outscored the Lady Cobras by 16, and outrebounded them by 11 in the second half.

In the process, Childers tied Ann Ellerbe Copeland for most career wins at Winthrop. He is now 59-96 at the school.

“The second half we played harder; our defensive effort was better and we weren't as careless with the basketball,” Childers said.

Shanice Cole scored a career-high 18 points — 15 in the second half — to go with eight rebounds. Getting the ball inside was a big part of the halftime talk. Cole was the target.

“Cole is arguably our best player,” Childers said. “She has to play a big role for us every night.”

Childers has experimented using Cole at the point in the preseason and in the first two games. But she is more effective with her back to the basket. She ended up playing four positions against the outsized Lady Cobras.

Freshman center Chanel White was a presence inside as well. She didn't get a shot to fall but scored eight points from the free-throw line and pulled in six rebounds, both career-bests.

Sarah Scott got a career-high five rebounds and Shelly Hankins recorded a career-high with six steals.

Coker forward Henna Koponen, at 5-foot-11, grabbed nine first-half rebounds. She finished with 10 points and 13 boards. Kiesha Beavers scored a team-high 15 points.

Winthrop travels to Maryland to play Towson on Friday in the preseason WNIT.

“This is the first win this team has put together,” Childers said. “Now we have to go right back out to Towson to try to get another Friday night.”

A few things are apparent after the first two games:

White already is establishing herself as a true post player, something Childers has lacked since he arrived at Winthrop.

Jessica Fansler can score in bunches, especially in transition. She netted all 13 of her points in the second half and was 2-for-4 on her 3-pointers.

Whatever guard Kathi Ryska's goal is this season for drawing offensive fouls might be, she should reach it. The 5-7 senior picked up three against Coker to go with the one she got at Georgia Tech.

Mary Hathaway is expected to be a contributor right away. She started against Georgia Tech and got 19 minutes against Coker. She got four good looks at 3s but they didn't fall.

WINTHROP 58, COKER 47

COKER (0-2)

Henna Koponen 5-14 0-4 10, Heidi Rienstra 2-4 0-0 4, Megan Thomas 1-5 0-0 2, Lotta Aaltonen 3-8 0-0 9, Kiesha Beavers 4-14 6-7 15, A.G. Stanciaauskaite 0-0 0-2 0, Jamie Birr 2-3 0-0 4. Totals 17-51 9-17 47.

WINTHROP (1-1)

Ashley Cox 1-3 0-0 2, Jessica Fansler 4-10 3-4 13, Kathi Ryska 3-7 1-2 8, Mary Hathaway 0-5 2-4 2, Shanice Cole 8-15 2-3 18, Sarah Scott 2-5 0-0 4, Shelly Hankins 1-8 0-2 3, Chanel White 0-0 8-10 8. Totals 19-54 16-25 58.

Halftime—Coker 25-20. 3-Point Goals—Coker 4-10 (Aaltonen 3, Beavers), Winthrop 4-17 (Fansler 2, Hankins, Ryska). Fouled Out—None. Rebounds—Coker 32 (Koponen 13),Winthrop 46 (Cole 8). Assists—Coker 11(Aaltonen 3),Winthrop 13 (Cole 3). Total Fouls—Coker 17, Winthrop 17. A—456.