Keon Johnson ignites Winthrop Eagles past Charleston Southern Buccaneers
Keon Johnson had a career-high 36 points on 10-of-13 shooting from three-point land to lead the Winthrop Eagles to a 97-72 victory over the Charleston Southern Buccaneers Wednesday night at the Winthrop Coliseum. With their sixth straight win the Eagles improve to 15-6 and 7-3 in the Big South.
"The ball going in the basket," Johnson said when asked what he sees when he gets that hot. "I think I scored 40 one time in high school and probably made more threes."
It is the first time since the 2006-07 season, when Winthrop beat Notre Dame in the first round of the NCAA tournament, that the Eagles have won six straight. The Eagles swept the season series with the Bucs.
Charleston Southern (8-13, 4-6) has not beaten the Eagles in the Winthrop Coliseum since 2002, a streak that is now 15 games.
Once again, the Buccaneers struggled from three-point range in the Winthrop Coliseum. They had made just under 20 percent of their three-pointers the past three times in Rock Hill. This time they shot 26 percent.
"It's a living, breathing thing lately," Winthrop coach Pat Kelsey said about his team's defense. "For a while I felt like Charlie Brown's teacher, but now they're finishing my sentences. We had to get smacked in the mouth at Coastal for our guys to start taking more pride in it."
Winthrop escaped the Bucs last month with a one-point victory in Charleston when Keon Johnson hit two free throws with 1.6 seconds left for a one-point win. He had 27 in that game.
Demetrius Pollard and Javis Howard each had two fouls in the first four minutes for the Buccaneers after they scored the first two baskets of the game. The Eagles were shooting the bonus at the 13 minutes, 21 seconds mark of the first half, and they answered the Buccaneers’ opening four points with 15 straight.
Charleston Southern went on a 9-0 run to cut the lead to 29-21 with 3:59 left until halftime. The Buccaneers, the 12th best three-point shooting team in the country, did not hit their first three until two minutes remained in the half when N.C. State transfer Patrick Wallace nailed one from the right wing. Danny Upchurch made a desperation three as the halftime buzzer sounded to cut the margin to 40-31. The visitors were 2-for-9 from long range in the first half after missing their first six.
Winthrop only shot 34.5 percent in the half but made 15 of 19 free throws. Keon Johnson led all scorers with 14 at the half and Aaron Wheeler had 13 for the Buccaneers.
TURNING POINT
The Buccaneers scored the first two buckets of the game but Winthrop answered with 15 straight points until Wheeler hit a free throw at the 12:05 mark. That run seized control of the game for the Eagles, and the closest Charleston Southern got after that was 29-21. Winthrop hit the Buccaneers with a barrage of scoring in the second half, led by 22 from Johnson.
CRITICAL
Charleston Southern was 6-for-23 from three-point range and 14-for-27 from the line. Winthrop overcame poor shooting from the field by getting to the free throw line and hitting 15 of 19 in the first half. The Eagles outscored the Buccaneers in second-chance points 15-4 in the half as well. The Eagles were 17-for-28 from long range and 20-for-25 from the line. Winthrop shot 64.5 percent from the field in the second half.
INDIVIDUAL PERFORMERS
Keon Johnson had ten three-pointers on thirteen attempts and 36 points to lead all scorers.
"The last three years being with him, it's more like I'm not surprised anymore, because he can get going at anytime," Duby Okeke said of his teammate's amazing performance.
Xavier Cooks had 13 points and nine rebounds. Aaron Wheeler led Charleston Southern with 22 and 12.
ON DECK
Winthrop will host Radford Saturday.
This story was originally published January 27, 2016 at 9:44 PM with the headline "Keon Johnson ignites Winthrop Eagles past Charleston Southern Buccaneers."