No. 3 Winthrop Edges No. 6 Gardner-Webb to Advance to Semifinals
ASHEVILLE, N.C. -- Bjorn Broman hit two free throws with 3.4 seconds left to seal the win and push Winthrop into Friday's semifinals after a 72-68 win over sixth-seeded Gardner-Webb, Thursday afternoon in the Big South Conference Tournament at Kimmel Arena.
BOX SCORE
POSTGAME REACTION
Winthrop opened the scoring at the 17:42 mark with a corner three from Adam Pickett. The Eagles pushed the lead to 5-0 and held Gardner-Webb scoreless for four minutes and one second until D.J. Laster hit two free throws. The Eagles continued to play tough defense and after back-to-back threes from Kyle Zunic and Pickett, Gardner-Webb called timeout as the lead was 11-2 with 14:56 to play in the half. The nine point lead was down to four after an 8-3 run by the Runnin' Bulldogs as they chewed into lead getting in the paint. The run was stopped by another Zunic three with 11:08 remaining in the half.
Following that three the Runnin' Bulldogs went on an 8-0 run to take its first lead with 8:42 on the clock, 20-19. The 8-run turned into a 13-2 run for a 25-21 lead with 6:29 left. Despite going 1-for-10 from the floor from the 10:17 mark of the half until the 2:17 mark the game was tied at the half. Winthrop shot just 35 percent from the floor and behind the arc while going a perfect 8-for-8 at the foul line. Gardner-Webb shot 48 percent after starting the game 0-for-4 from the floor and committing four turnovers in the first eight possessions.
Pickett and Zunic led the Eagles with eight points at the break while Anders and Bjorn Broman were a combined 1-for-8. Gardner-Webb had a 14-6 advantage in points in the paint while the Eagles had an 11-6 edge in bench points. The battle of the boards favored Gardner-Webb in the first 20 minutes, 19-11 but only managed two second chance points on five offensive boards.
Anders Broman set the tone for the type of second half he was going to have as he drilled an early three out of the break for a 35-32 lead. After five lead changes, Anders Broman stepped up again as he hit a three for 43-42 lead and then hit another while being fouled and completed a four-point play to lead 47-42. O'Reilly answered with a three to make it a one-possession game that lasted 14 seconds as Zunic scored again. Leading 51-49 with 9:59 to play, the Eagles pushed their lead to seven points as Pickett popped a three and Anders Broman followed an O'Reilly basket with a three to lead 57-50 with 7:54 to play.
With 4:22 to play in the game the Eagles pushed the lead to nine points at 66-55 as Xavier Cooks hit 1-of-2 free throws. Cooks scored five straight points to help build the nine point advantage and seven of the team's final 19 points. After Bjorn Broman hit two free throws for a 70-65 lead with 11.8 seconds remaining, O'Reilly leaped in the air for an off balance three as it hit the bottom of the net with 4.1 seconds left. Gardner-Webb fouled Bjorn Broman on the inbound and he sealed the deal by making two free throws. Winthrop shot 46 percent in the second half compared to 40 percent by Gardner-Webb. The Eagles scored 12 points off six second half turnovers by Gardner-Webb. Anders Broman scored all 15 of his points in the second half.