The Johnsonian

Issue date: 3/5/08 Section: Sports

The team celebrates their 10th consecutive Big South tournament game win. Winthrop now focuses on pursuing their fourth straight bid in the NCAA tournament and eighth in ten years.

st Saturday, the Eagles came into the first round of the Big South Tournament on Tuesday with something to prove to all the naysayers of the number two seeded Winthrop by beating Radford 76-45 and taking that extra step toward a fourth straight Big South Championship.

"The game last Saturday, we just put it behind us," senior Antwon Harris said. "It's a new season now. We start out 0-0 and now we're 1-0."

"We knew this is our last time to go out there and make a run," senior Michael Jenkins said. "And do what our goals are every year that is to make it to the NCAA tournament and advance, with a chance to advance. We knew what we had to do and we came out ready."

Winthrop came out with a vengeance scoring the first nine points of the game by not allowing the Highlanders to breathe on offense and the Eagles pretty much had their way the whole game.

The game could have already been determined with about 8:11 left in the first half when red-shirt freshman Byron Faison took a rebound from an Andy Buechert block and charged for the basket, dunking from the free-throw line full speed leaving the crowd in awe.

"When I went up, I thought I jumped too high," Byron Faison said recalling the dunk. "Because I thought I was going to hit my head on the rim. But it went through. Everybody has been getting on me because I haven't gotten one (a big dunk) this year."

Faison has been playing some more playing time lately and has his coaches attention.

"He's playing with a lot of confidence," Head Coach Randy Peele said. "He's a guy that can score."

"He's so confident, that when he comes into the game he comes in with the ability to score right away"

Seniors Chris Gaynor, Michael Jenkins, Taj McCullough and Antwon Harris might have walked off the court in the Winthrop Coliseum for the last time in their collegiate careers but they did so efficiently. In their careers, they amassed a winning record of 99-30 and they have a few more games left in them as they will play against High Point on Thursday and if they win they will play the winner of the UNCA and Liberty match-up, both games being televised on ESPNU in Asheville, N.C.

Students can see the 6:00 p.m. game against High Point on the big screen in the Winthrop Coliseum if they are unable to make the trek to Asheville. If Asheville were to lose in the second round and Winthrop were to beat High Point the championship game would be played in Rock Hill. If Asheville and Winthrop were to win, the championship game would be played in Asheville. The championship game will be broadcasted on ESPN2 at 11:30 a.m. either way.

March madness is here and the Eagles are hunting for a fourth straight Big South Championship and a bid to the NCAA tournament.

"When it comes time to go to work they're going to roll up their sleeves and go to work," Coach Peele said. "I'm excited that we have an opportunity to play another day."

Page 1 of 1

Article Tools