Winthrop survives semifinal classic, advances to Big South final

Exhale.

Others more knowledgeable can argue over whether Friday night’s Big South Conference men’s basketball tournament semifinal between Gardner-Webb and Winthrop was the best game ever played in the Coliseum.

That’s a debate based on opinion.

Want a fact? Winthrop advanced to Sunday’s Big South championship, surviving a sweaty, nasty wrestling match for an 80-77 overtime win over the Runnin’ Bulldogs.

“How many plays can you think of that were just scrums where guys just dived on the floor with reckless abandon, with zero regard for their bodies, diving teeth first?” Winthrop coach Pat Kelsey asked the media rhetorically after the game. “You have to give Gardner-Webb a lot of credit, that was a heck of a fight.”

The game that people will long remember - especially if it yields a Big South title Sunday afternoon - had 24 lead changes. Any of the large and loud crowd at Friday night’s game will remember LaQuincy Rideau seemingly scoring at will in the first half for Gardner-Webb (19-14) just as Keon Johnson was missing all six of his shots and struggling mightily. The Eagles (25-6) were 2 of 13 from beyond the arc in the first half and it felt coldly similar to the shooting droughts that cost Winthrop on each of the last three Big South championship Sundays.

But Kelsey’s team - Johnson especially - woke up in the second half, the little senior draining a couple of his step-back 3s that wobble defenders and spike crowd noise. When the game came down to free throws in overtime, the advantage lurched in Winthrop’s favor. Johnson and Xavier Cooks combined to make 23 of 24 from the line, repeatedly rebuffing the Runnin’ Bulldogs’ comebacks and carrying Winthrop to a fourth straight conference final.

Johnson looked as if he could doze off right there at the press conference dais.

“I’m banged up man,” he said. “That was a war right there, tough battle.”

Gardner-Webb, which clattered High Point by 36 points on Thursday, bullied Winthrop in the first half, out-rebounding the Eagles by nine and harrying them into frenzied and rushed offensive possessions. More than a few of those ended with bricked 3-pointers and long rebounds that helped the Runnin’ Bulldogs live up to their nickname and take a 29-23 lead into the intermission.

Winthrop overtook Tim Craft’s team in the second half with the help of an early 9-0 run, but couldn’t win the game in regulation when Jamal Robateau drained a 3 late.

Turning point

Tough to nail down one play, but Robateau fouling Cooks on a rebound after Robateau missed a 3 late in overtime was crucial. Cooks hit both free throws to put the Eagles up 76-74 with 25 seconds left and they never let the lead slip from there.

“It’s hard to lose one like that,” Craft said with a rueful smile.

Critical

Free throws came back to haunt Gardner-Webb. The Runnin’ Bulldogs were one of the worst foul-shooting teams in the conference and they missed a couple of key ones late. The Eagles were nearly perfect, making 25 of 28, including all 10 in overtime.

“Robot mode, laser-focused,” said Johnson. “Just trying to help my team win.”

The Eagles also survived early and persistent foul trouble, especially for rim-protector Duby Okeke, who fouled out in just 11 minutes of action.

“I was concerned when we got in foul trouble inside,” Kelsey said. “There is an appointment at the rim every possession whenever you play them. Without Duby in there we obviously don’t have the same kind of rim presence.”

Star contributors

Johnson and Cooks flexed their muscles when their teammates needed them most, Cooks scoring 23, grabbing 15 rebounds and blocking six shots, while Johnson poured in 31 points, with 29 in the second half and overtime.

Rideau didn’t start but after checking in with just over 3 minutes played, scored 12 of Gardner-Webb’s first 14 points and 15 of their first 20. He had nine fouls in the Runnin’ Bulldogs’ two regular season losses to Winthrop, fouling out of the second one, but starting on the bench bought him a few extra minutes out of foul trouble and he was almost unstoppable driving the ball in the first half. He finished with 30.

On deck

Winthrop advances to Sunday’s Big South title game at 1 p.m. against Campbell. The Camels knocked off Radford to reach their first Big South final since 1994 and become just the league’s fourth No. 7 seed to reach a tournament championship game. Winthrop is playing in its 15th title game in search of its first NCAA appearance since 2010, but will unquestionably enjoy a Saturday to recover.

“I’m tired. Nobody asked me how I felt,” Kelsey joked. “It’ll be nice to have a day off, recharge a little bit and focus in on Campbell, who is playing really, really well.”

Box score

This story was originally published March 3, 2017 at 11:59 PM with the headline "Winthrop survives semifinal classic, advances to Big South final."