‘Really sensitive to complacency’: Winthrop stays undefeated after sweep of Longwood
Winthrop is now one of two 13-0 teams in the country.
The other? “Mid-major peer” and No. 1-ranked Gonzaga — a team that, like Winthrop, hasn’t lost since February 2020.
Winthrop was thrust into that prestigious company on Friday when the Eagles (13-0, 10-0 Big South) defeated Big South foe Longwood, 70-50, completing their two-win series sweep in Rock Hill.
“When you win, and we’re on a winning streak... you’re really sensitive to complacency in any way, shape or form,” Winthrop coach Pat Kelsey told reporters postgame. “Our team hasn’t shown one iota of that at any point this season.”
Kelsey added that he doesn’t care much about his team’s record — but he’s glad his team, and in turn the university, is starting to get its due notoriety.
“The greatest thing about that in my opinion — of what you’re talking about, which, I don’t like to talk about — is that people are talking about (the streak),” Kelsey said. “I know it’s the same answer I gave you yesterday, but that’s really good. That’s really good for this university, you know? A university that I love. This is my home. I want to earn my keep here. And you feel like when you’re having this type of success and national media outlets are talking about our institution by saying our name in public, and positive publicity is coming, that’s a good thing for our school.”
Kelsey then added: “But what we focus on is not that. We never ever even mention our record.”
Friday’s contest, like Thursday’s, started slow: With 10 minutes remaining in the first half, Winthrop was shooting 33% from the field and Longwood wasn’t much better. The two teams then went 3:07 minutes of game time without scoring, trading turnovers like the statistical category was the newest crytocurrency.
The Eagles soon woke up, though. They emerged from that drought and went on a 10-0 run — which served as the bulk of their 19-6 run to close out the half — and didn’t look back.
Winthrop was led by Adonis Arms, who scored 15 points on 8-for-9 free throw shooting; DJ Burns, who scored 12 points on 5-for-7 shooting from the field; Micheal Anumba, who scored 12 points on 8-of-8 free throw shooting; and Chandler Vaudrin, who notched six points, seven assists and six rebounds.
“I mean, you gotta look at the bigger picture, honestly,” Arms told reporters postgame, adding, “I just think that we’re just worried about the next thing. We all want to win, so we just gotta take our role, whatever it is, whatever the coaches say. And for me, my role I think is just score the ball, be a great teammate, help my teammates out. That’s my role, you know?”
Winthrop next plays Presbyterian College on Tuesday, where the Eagles can tie a school record for most consecutive wins (19 dating back to February) in program history.
This story was originally published January 15, 2021 at 9:15 PM.
.jpeg)