Winthrop Defeats Highlanders

RADFORD, Va. -- Junior James Shuler (Jonesville, Fla.) scored 18 points to lead Winthrop to a 65-55 Big South win over Radford Wednesday night at the Dedmon Center. The win gives the Eagles (21-5; 12-1 Big South) at least a share of the Big South regular season title. (Box Score)

Shuler was Winthrop’s only double-figure scorer, but the Eagles spread their offense out with 10 different players scoring. Shuler and freshman Chris Gaynor (Winston-Salem, N.C.) led the Eagles on the glass with five rebounds apiece.

Radford (10-14; 5-8 Big South) placed three players in double figures, paced by senior Olumuyiwa Popoola’s (Gardena, Calif.) 14 points. Sophomore Chris Oliver (Kernersville, N.C.) scored 11 and a game-high nine rebounds and freshman Josh Fox (Staunton, Va.) tallied 10 points. Junior Andre Bynum (Gastonia, N.C.) registered three steals and three assists.

Neither team shot the ball well, with RU hitting on 37.5 percent of its shots and Winthrop sinking 38.9 percent. The teams were a combined 6-of-37 from beyond the arc.

The game was close for the first 13 minutes, but Winthrop went on a 19-4 run to close out the first half strong and take a 41-28 halftime lead. Shuler and sophomore Torrell Martin (Columbia, S.C.) each scored six points during that run for the Eagles.

WU pushed the lead as high as 22 on a couple of occasions before Radford strung together a 15-4 run , spurred by eight points from Fox, as time ran out to make the final margin 10. The win was Winthrop’s fifth straight over the Highlanders.

Radford will travel to in-state rival Liberty Saturday at 7:00 pm. The Eagles host High Point Saturday at 4:30 pm.