Coastal Carolina men’s basketball beat the Winthrop University Eagles 72-66 Tuesday, Nov. 11 inside the HTC center.
Coming off a big win earlier in the season, the Chants started the game with energy. forward Nadjrick Peat won the tip-off, giving the Chants first possession, where guard Joshua Beadle hit a 3-pointer for the first points of the game.
The Chants continued this momentum early with back-to-back 3-pointers from guards Rasheed Jones and AJ Dancler. But a turnover on the next possession sparked a 12-point Winthrop run, momentarily shifting dominance away from the Chants with a 13-12 score.
“We played against a really good mental team, and they gave us their best shot. I thought our guys started out well.” head coach Justin Gray said.
Beadle broke Winthrop’s run with a quick two pointer before sinking another three. Center Jerry Ngopot then followed with another 3-pointer, and forward Braeden MacVicar added a block to shut down Winthrop.
The Eagles tried to match the Coastal’s pace with a wide-open dunk but missed, leading to a 3-pointer from forward Reggie Hill. Soon after, Jones hit another wide-open shot to extend the lead.
Coastal stayed composed despite what the Eagles aggressive play
The Chants ended the first half up 37-30.
The Chanticleers started the second half strong with a backdoor cut and layup from Beadle and continued to battle the Eagles for control as the game tightened.
Winthrop cut the lead with an 8-0 run, but Hill’s free throws and timely 3-pointers helped the Chants stay in control.
“Coach said before the game he thought Reggie would have a good game, and I think he really helped us down the stretch. He made some really big plays, and you can expect a lot more of that from him,” Beadle said.
While going up for a layup, CCU guard Dancler hit the court hard and had to be pulled from the game for possible injury.
A Winthrop turnover gave Coastal the momentum it needed to seal the deal and win the game. In efforts to come back, Winthrop continued to force shots and caused fouls.
Despite Peat fouling out after a flagrant review, the Chants still finished the game strong, focusing on the task at hand, winning 72-66.
“We try to take advantage of every game; we take care of ourselves and then worry about our next opponent.” CCU guard Jones said.
The Chanticleers are now 2-1-0 this season and will look to extend their winning streak on Nov. 14 at 7 p.m. against the Jacksonville State Gamecocks on the road.
