It will be a a defensive battle between two of the Big South’s top scoring defenses when the Winthrop Eagles (14-6) challenge the Charleston Southern Buccaneers (8-12). The game gets underway at 7:00 pm ET on Wednesday, Jan. 27.
The Eagles beat Longwood 82-68 on Sunday. With 19 points and 10 rebounds, Xavier Cooks recorded his fourth double-double this season. The Buccaneers are coming off a 78-63 loss to Coastal Carolina on Saturday. Javis Howard had a good shooting night, leading the team with 15 points.
Over the last five games, Jimmy Gavin has really been playing well for the Eagles. During that stretch, he has averaged 18.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 3.0 three-pointers.
When considering eFG%, the Eagles figure to have a significant advantage on the offensive end. They rank 18th in the nation in that category at 55.5%, whereas the bottom-tier defense of Charleston Southern ranks 293rd in eFG% with opponents connecting at a clip of 52.1%.
This will be the second matchup of the season between these two teams. The Eagles won the first game 83-82. Keon Johnson was a standout player in the game, producing 27 points, five rebounds, four assists, one steal, and three three-pointers.
Notes
Ranked 48th, the Winthrop Eagles have an offensive rating of 113.1. The Charleston Southern Buccaneers rank 257th with a defensive rating of just 106.4.
The Winthrop Eagles have one of the best field goal percentages this season, ranking 23rd in the nation with a FG% of 48.5%. When their opponents record a similar or higher FG%, the Charleston Southern Buccaneers have a subpar 1-6 record.
The Winthrop Eagles and the Charleston Southern Buccaneers both rank higher in average effective field goal percentage when compared to their field goal percentages. Winthrop is 23rd and 18th in the nation for FG% and eFG% respectively, while Charleston Southern is 197th and 97th in these categories.
Winthrop, the 21st-ranked team in blocked shots, records an average of 5.4 per game. Charleston Southern ranks lower at 305th with 2.2.
The Charleston Southern Buccaneers make an average of 4.8 steals per game. When the Winthrop Eagles give up 4 or more steals, they are a winning 11-5.
