Winthrop women open with big win over NC Wesleyan

Senior Erica Williams scored a game-high 20 points and freshmen Marissa Cantrell and Angela Coello Perez combined for 30 to lead the Winthrop women to an 89-40 season-opening win Friday night over North Carolina Wesleyan.

That trio also combined to connect on 20 of 30 field goals as the Eagles shot 51.5 percent for the game (35 for 68). Cantrell was the big story in the second half as she scored 12 of her 16 points and finished the game a perfect 7 for 7 from the floor. Perez connected on 6 of 12 field goals and Williams was 7 for 11.

Williams moved up to sixth place on the Winthrop career scoring list by moving past Tammy Jones (1,276 points) and Jennifer Churchill (1,277). Williams now has 1,293 points.

Winthrop led 47-25 at halftime before outscoring the Battling Bishops, a NCAA Div. III team, 42-15 in the third and fourth quarters. Defensively, the Eagles held Wesleyan to 21.7 percent shooting from the floor (13-60), and they won the rebound battle 51-40 as two other freshmen — Uchechi Ufochukwu and Teylahna Green — combined for 25 rebounds.

A bucket inside by Ufochukwu gave Winthrop a 6-4 lead with 3:25 elapsed in the first quarter and the Eagles never looked back as they led 22-15 after the opening period. Nine different players contributed to the scoring column in the first half with Williams and Perez leading the way with eight points each.

The Eagles will be back in action for two home games next week as they host South Carolina State on Monday and College of Charleston on Wednesday. Both games are slated to start at 7 p.m.

This story was originally published November 11, 2016 at 9:59 PM with the headline "Winthrop women open with big win over NC Wesleyan."