Tournament loss to UNC-A reflects Winthrop women’s ability to move past adversity
Winthrop’s womens basketball team has dealt with adversity all season.
The Eagles had only eight players available throughout the year, playing some games with the league-minimum seven. Their first two conference games were postponed because Winthrop didn’t have enough players.
After winning four of their first five games in February, the Eagles lost their final four, including a one-point loss to High Point in the season finale.
So Wednesday afternoon, when Winthrop went into halftime leading UNC Asheville 37-23 in the first round of the Big South Women’s Basketball Championship, it felt like redemption.
It felt like this story of adversity would end in triumph -- and in Winthrop’s first conference tournament win since 2014.
But the strange thing about adversity is you can’t control how or when it happens. One can only control how to react.
Even Winthrop’s ride to the tournament in Charlotte was marred with adversity.
“We’re 25 minutes up the road and our bus breaks down, and we’re calling Ubers yesterday,” head coach Semeka Randall Lay said. “Sometimes, you need this in life. It gives you a different perspective on things. And I think that’s why I’ve being trying to harp to (the players) that this is what life is about and how you handle those things.”
Winthrop’s halftime lead slipped away and they ultimately lost to UNC Asheville 59-58 on a game-winning layup with four seconds left.
“I felt like our defense really turned into our offense,” 5-foot-5 guard Jada Ryce said of the team’s first half performance. “We were pushing the ball. We were attacking. It was great. And once we were in the half court, we were sharing the ball. Getting it inside, playing inside out. Everyone on our team really stepped up and hit a shot or made a play for us in that first half.”
The trials the Eagles faced tells only half of their story; their perseverance and growth tell the other.
“Of all the lessons we have, I hope that they can take this when they leave here from the basketball court and leave from college and go on,” Randall Lay said. “When adversity is hitting them, they show a sign of resilience. This team, we show resilience.
“We had no choice. Our backs were up against the wall, but we kept showing up and I didn’t change how I coached. I didn’t change it. I kept challenging them because we got to play a basketball game, and nobody’s going to feel sorry for us.”
Graduate forward Paige Powell, who is one of four newcomers to the program, said this year has meant a lot to her. She said she wasn’t sure she would play college basketball again after transferring. However, playing with this team and for Randall Lay has had a positive impact.
“Pertaining to my swagger and stuff, I definitely got that from her (Randall Lay),” the 6-foot-2 forward said. “I didn’t have the confidence that I have now coming into the season. And also my teammates. It’s been incredible. It stings that we lost. It’s emotional in the locker room. I definitely made some friends. This is probably one of the closest teams I’ve been on.”
Ryce, who also is a newcomer, said going through the difficult times helped bring this team together.
“Coming into the program and being young, it was definitely a new experience,” the sophomore said. “You don’t know what’s going to happen being in a new place. But over the year, with all the ups and downs we had and the adversity, I thought we banded together really well through a lot of situations.”
“I thought it was great because we all contributed something. It might not have been points; it might have been steals; it might have been defense, energy, whatever. We were all willing to give it to each other. And I think that was really great to be a part of.”
Powell led the Eagles with 13 points in the loss to the Bulldogs, while senior Tori Hall had 11 points and 11 rebounds. Ryce had 12 points and four assists.
This story was originally published March 1, 2023 at 2:15 PM.