Winthrop men’s basketball welcomes veteran heading into conference play

There was a lot to like in Winthrop’s 113-62 victory over Toccoa Falls — the Eagles’ non-conference finale.

• The 113 points scored were a single-game record in the three seasons Mark Prosser has been head coach.
• The Eagles had six players score in double figures for the first time in over two years.
• Redshirt freshman Yoro Diallo set career highs in pointa (14) and rebounds (12) en route to his first career double-double.

However, probably the biggest moment for Winthrop in its Friday night win was the return of Micheal Anumba.

Anumba, a 6-foot-5 graduate guard from Reggio Emilia, Italy, played in his first game for the Eagles since March 2022. He tore his Achilles the following summer and had been out until Friday.

He checked into the game just over three minutes into the first half to a standing ovation from both fans and the team.

“It felt great,” Anumba said. “Just getting the chance to compete with my teammates and just play basketball after so long. A little bit nervous, but definitely really good. Very, very excited.”

Anumba finished with seven points, four rebounds and an assist.

The game gives Winthrop something positive to hold onto heading into conference play.

The win comes after a four-game road trip for the Eagles, who dropped their last three games of the stretch, including a close 67-61 loss to Florida State in its last game.

Prosser said his team came out Friday with the right motivation, and it led to the dominant performance.

“We talked about it pregame, we only get so many opportunities to put their jersey on and play against somebody else,” Prosser said. “And I thought our kids were ready to go. We had a long road trip. We’re not really used to losing and ended up losing three in a row. Obviously, it’s not something that we’d like to get used to. I thought we had ... the proper energy, the proper focus and preparation. ... I think our kids played hard. They played together.”

Winthrop will carry a 9-6 record into 2024 and the most important part of the season: the two-month conference slate that starts Jan. 3 at home against Longwood.

Winthrop was projected in the preseason to finish third in the Big South behind UNC-Asheville and Radford.

“It’s conference, which is what matters the most,” Anumba said. “We came from a losing streak against really good teams. We’re very confident. We have a team full of vets, so we’re ready for whoever we’re going to play. During preseason, I feel like we got disrespected in the standings, so we’re hungry. We’re ready to show. ... We just want to play and show what we can do.”

The game against Longwood tips off at 6:30 p.m.