Winthrop upsets No. 18 Saint Mary’s, 61-59, on the road, moves to 2-1 on season

Kyle Zunic sank two free throws with 13 seconds remaining, and Winthrop held on Monday night for a 61-59 victory over No. 18 Saint Mary’s.

The Eagles survived a last-second attempt by the Gaels to tie, but the shot by Saint Mary’s leading scorer, Jordan Ford, rolled off the rim.

It was the first time Winthrop (2-1) has beaten a nationally-ranked opponent in a true road game.

“It’s one of those wins people will be proud of,” Eagles’ coach Pat Kelsey said afterward, per the team’s website.

His team won it with defense.

“Our offense wasn’t stellar – five assists, 13 or 14 turnovers, and we didn’t make many 3’s,” Kelsey added. “But to beat a good team on the road, you have to be on it defensively.”

Zunic’s free throws gave Winthrop a 61-57 lead. The Gaels’ Ford, a senior, scored a quick basket, cutting the margin to two points.

Ford then fouled the Eagles’ Russell Jones Jr., but Jones missed the front end of a one-and-one with seven seconds left, and Saint Mary’s got the rebound. The Gaels set up a final shot for Ford, whom the Eagles double-teamed. Ford was not able to get off an open shot, and his attempt rolled off the rim.

Saint Mary’s (1-1), a perennial rival of Gonzaga in the West Coast Conference, had jumped in front 9-4, thanks in part to a pair of baskets by Ford. Winthrop went on a 6-0 run for a 16-13 lead, but Saint Mary’s had a 6-0 run and retook the lead.

The teams went back and forth from there, with Winthrop in front 26-25 at the half. The Eagles held the Gaels to 36 percent field-goal shooting in the half.

Winthrop started strong in the second half, building its biggest lead, 39-30, with 14:34 left. The Eagles were in front 59-54 with 1:04 remaining, before the Gaels came back again.

Kelsey said Ford is an outstanding player, adding, “I felt like we really guarded well. So many guys guarded him (Ford) during the night.”

Chandler Vaudrin led the Eagles with 19 points, five rebounds and four assists.

Josh Ferguson added 14 points and seven rebounds, and Burns had 12 points.

Ford finished with 22 points, six rebounds, two assists and two steals. Malik Fitts added 18 points and 13 rebounds.

Worth noting

• One sign of the level of defensive intensity: Combined, the teams shot 28 percent from 3-point range.
• Saint Mary’s had opened its season by beating Wisconsin.
• This was the first time Saint Mary’s had lost a home opener since 2001.
• The Eagles outscored Saint Mary’s 38-2 off the bench.
• It was Winthrop’s third-ever victory over a ranked team. The Eagles’ last such triumph came on Dec. 29, 2007, when they beat No. 19 Miami in the Orange Bowl Classic.
• Winthrop completes its season-opening four-game road trip by playing Thursday at East Tennessee State. The home opener is at 4 p.m. on Saturday against Mid-Atlantic Christian.

This story was originally published November 12, 2019 at 11:08 AM.