UND storms back from early deficit to earn road win over Winthrop

Gabe and Reed Uelmen / Grand Forks Herald By Herald Sports Desk Today at 3:11 PM Listen Comments Share Share this article News Reporting News Reporting Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. The Trust Project What is this? ROCK HILL, S.C. — A year ago, UND stormed back from a first-half deficit at home to beat Winthrop with a last-second 3-pointer from Eli King. The Fighting Hawks rallied from an early deficit yet again Saturday afternoon at the Winthrop Coliseum to secure a 93-90 victory over the Eagles. ADVERTISEMENT This time, though, the game-winner came from the free-throw line. Junior guard Luke Winkel sank a pair of free throws with 30 seconds remaining to give the Hawks a 91-90 lead, then shot another two with 14 seconds left to ice the game. It was a fitting end. UND went 34-for-41 from the free-throw line as Winthrop struggled to stop drives to the basket without fouling. Hawks senior guard Samuel Hincapie had an excellent performance, finishing with a team-high 24 points. The 6-foot-6 transfer from Le Moyne shot 9-for-15 from the field and grabbed a team-high seven rebounds. Gabe and Reed Uelmen / Grand Forks Herald Winkel scored 16 points, going 10-for-11 from the free-throw line and 3-for-6 from the field. Senior forward Andrija Radojević provided a scoring boost off the bench with 15 points. Things didn't look great for UND in the first half. The Hawks trailed by as many as 14 points and were dominated on the glass. In the final 4 minutes, 4 seconds of the half, UND went on a 13-6 run and only trailed by three at halftime. The Hawks carried their momentum into the second frame, capturing a 52-50 lead with a jumper from Radojević. ADVERTISEMENT UND led for most of the second half, though Spence Sims gave Winthrop a 90-89 lead with a 3-pointer in the final minute before Winkel's free throws sealed the victory. Sims finished with 25 points, shooting 7-for-11 from beyond the arc. Shooting from 3-point range was one of the few areas in which the Eagles had a distinct advantage. They shot 11-for-29 from deep compared to the Hawks' 3-for-20. Gabe and Reed Uelmen / Grand Forks Herald Former UND guard Anthony Smith III shot 5-for-10 from the field and scored 15 points. George Natsvlishvili, another former Hawk, scored six points. UND had a complete turnaround on the glass in the second half, outrebounding Winthrop 38-35. The turnover-oriented defense also had a strong day. The Hawks scored 26 points off Winthrop's 15 turnovers while committing just 11 turnovers of their own. Tyler Wagner, the sophomore transfer guard from Austin Peay, did not play after suffering an injury against Minnesota. His status moving forward is unclear. Carter Evanson stepped into the starting lineup in his stead. The true freshman from Horace, N.D., finished with five steals, five rebounds, two assists and five points. Evanson logged 32 minutes, second only to Hincapie. ADVERTISEMENT Gabe and Reed Uelmen / Grand Forks Herald UND improved to 1-1 on the season, while Winthrop fell to 0-2. The Hawks will end their three-game road trip Monday against Clemson. They will return to Grand Forks for their home opener against Montana on Nov. 14. More UND basketball news 5 takeaways from UND's 81-68 loss Minnesota Crookston 4d ago 6 takeaways from UND's 85-50 loss to Minnesota 4d ago Minnesota Crookston pulls off stunner, beats UND for first time in program history 4d ago Minnesota cruises by UND in men's basketball opener 4d ago UND men's basketball faces early test with three straight road games Oct 30 How is UND women’s basketball measuring success this season? Oct 29 UND-NDSU game to air on CBS Sports Network Oct 21 Which UND basketball newcomers have stood out at practice? Oct 20 From SEC softball to Summit hoops, Abby Duchscherer looks to make her mark at UND Oct 16 Luke Winkel confident Division II success will translate at UND Oct 15 Comments Share Share this article News Reporting News Reporting Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. The Trust Project What is this? Tags Tags COLLEGE BASKETBALL UND BASKETBALL MEN'S BASKETBALL BASKETBALL By Herald Sports Desk Staff reports and local scoreboards from the Grand Forks Herald Sports desk. 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