Winthrop’s 7 women show resilience on the basketball court to notch a conference win

Winthrop fans awaiting the women’s first home conference basketball game had to wait nine extra days.

Due to injuries and COVID, the Eagles did not have the number scholarship players required for conference competition. Their first two conference games (Dec. 29 vs USC Upstate, Dec. 31 at UNC Asheville) had been postponed.

So, in addition to health challenges, the women also faced a tough schedule.

Their game against UNC Asheville was moved to Jan. 2, which the Eagles lost 54-48. Winthrop’s home game against USC Upstate will be Feb. 12 -- one day after the Eagles face USC Upstate on the road.

Winthrop’s women came to their home court Saturday on a four-game losing streak that spanned the past month. And they faced Longwood, the defending Big South champion.

Longwood beat Winthrop by more than 20 points in both of their match-ups last season.

This was Winthrop’s third game in six days. And, the Eagles only have seven players.

With four minutes left in the third quarter, the Eagles trailed 42-33.

Coach Semeka Randall Lay said what happened next was “a testimony to their resilience.”

Winthrop closed the game with a 36-13 run to win 69-55.

The Eagles held the Lancers to 4-of-16 shooting from the field and forced five turnovers over the final 14 minutes.

“I know they get tired of me saying that no one cares that we had to play, for example, three games this week,” Randall Lay said. “We got to find a way. This is just so rewarding for them to get this win because sometimes you’re trying to figure out what are you fighting for.

“And to get this outcome is really important for them just to keep them locked in and engaged. Now they understand what their ‘why’ is out there on the floor, when they’re able to see at the end of the game the scoreboard is pointing in favor of them.”

Team members pointed to the fight they displayed in their comeback -- from working hard on the glass to getting good shots.

“It was just the energy we brought,” said graduate senior Paige Powell, who posted a double-double with 14 points and 12 rebounds. “Just feeding off each other, feeding off our coaches, feeding off of the players.”

Shamyjha Price was a key contributor to the win. The 5-foot-7 senior from Pittsburgh had a career-high 26 points, including 15 points in the final fourteen minutes.

“My teammates kept giving me the ball,” Price said. “So I kind of took advantage of that. I couldn’t thank them more. But I saw the lanes and I took it, and they never stopped me, so I just kept going.”

With all the challenges of the past month, Winthrop was at last able to celebrate a win.

“Our young ladies have great heart,” said Athletic Director Chuck Rey. “And you know, we just caught the injury bug this year. Sometimes it happens; sometimes it doesn’t.

“But the way they’ve come back with resiliency and persistency and never giving up. I’m really, really proud of their continued effort. Sometimes, if you don’t get a victory, it’s hard. For them to keep coming back and to win in significant fashion today against the defending Big South conference champions, that’s a huge statement for us.”

Winthrop plays at Radford on Jan. 11 before returning home on Jan. 14 to face Campbell.