ROCK HILL, SC (December 11, 2021) – The Claflin Lady Panthers (1-7) played one of their best games of the season when the team took a hard-fought 62-56 road loss to the NCAA Division I Winthrop Eagles (2-7). After struggling early, the Lady Panthers played a tremendous second half and came within seconds of pulling off an upset win over their NCAA Division I foes.
The loss came despite one of the Lady Panthers’ best overall performances of the season. The team shot a solid 33.3% (22-of-66) from the floor with 38.9% (seven-of-18) from the three-point line. It was the freshman duo of guard Lauren Scott and Janell Sample who led the way for the team. Scott scored a career-high 19 points in the game while Sample added 11 points in the game. Junior forward Destiny Coleman had an impressive game of her own with nine points and 10 rebounds in the game.
Though the Lady Panthers finished the game with an overall impressive performance, things did not look good early for the team. In the first quarter, the Lady Panthers were held to just 10 points with only five field goals made and finished the quarter trailing, 19-10. The second quarter was even tougher as the team managed just seven points on three field goals made and went into the locker room trailing, 33-17.
The second half told a much different story, however, as the Lady Panthers outscored the homestanding Eagles in both quarters. After falling behind by as many as 23 points in the third quarter, the Lady Panthers staged an epic comeback effort. It was Coleman who got things started when she scored seven straight points to spark the Lady Panthers who scored the quarter on a 16-3 run and finished the quarter trailing, the Eagles, 48-38.
The Lady Panthers were not done as the team continued their great efforts into the fourth quarter. The team allowed the Eagles to open the quarter with a run to fall behind, 55-41 before beginning a terrific run. The Lady Panthers went on a 14-3 run that was capped by a Sample jumper that pulled the Lady Panthers to within three points, 59-56 with 00:54 left to play. However, the Lady Panthers would get no closer with an Eagle free throw and lay-up put the game out of reach for the Lady Panthers and sealed the 62-56 loss for the Lady Panthers.
With the loss, the Lady Panthers fall to 1-7 on the season.