Keshawn Fisher scored a career-high 32 points, but Winthrop men’s basketball came up short in a 103-98 loss to Queens in Monday’s Field of 68 Opening Day Marathon at the Rock Hill Sports & Event Center.
Fisher led all scorers while adding six rebounds, four blocks, two assists and two steals. George Natsvlishvili and Kyle Morgan each contributed 16 points. Natsvlishvili also grabbed nine rebounds, while Morgan led the Eagles with five 3-pointers.
Winthrop (0-1) faced an early deficit as Queens built a 17-point halftime advantage, taking a 55-38 lead into the break. The Eagles responded with a strong second-half effort, opening with a 10-2 run and gradually cutting into the Royals’ lead.
Back-to-back 3-pointers from Morgan helped bring Winthrop within single digits, and the Eagles continued to apply pressure down the stretch. Fisher converted three free throws with nine seconds remaining to make it a four-point game, and a late basket by Seifeldin Hendawy pulled Winthrop within three before time expired.
The Eagles shot 53% from the field and connected on 16 of 34 attempts from beyond the arc. They also outrebounded Queens 38-34. However, the Royals held a 50-40 advantage in points in the paint and scored 29 fast-break points.
Fisher’s 32 points marked the first 30-point performance by a Winthrop player in a season opener since D.J. Burns Jr. scored 30 in 2021.
Winthrop returns home Saturday, Nov. 7, to host North Dakota at noon at the Winthrop Coliseum.
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Thomas Hyslip lives in Tega Cay with his wife and daughter. After 27 years in the U.S. Army and Federal Law Enforcement, he retired to pursue his passion for teaching. Tom is now an Associate Professor of Instruction at the University of South Florida. In 2 short years he has won 10 awards from the South Carolina Press Association, including first place in column writing, education beat reporting and best podcast.
