ROCK HILL, S.C. (Interstat) — In a game defined by its frantic final seconds, Kody Clouet’s three-pointer with two seconds remaining lifted Winthrop to a dramatic 76-75 victory over Radford in a Big South Conference men’s basketball thriller Wednesday night at Winthrop Coliseum.

The Eagles, who trailed for nearly the entire second half, completed a late comeback to snatch the win in front of 1,551 fans, improving to 14-8 overall. The Highlanders, who had won three of their last four, fell to 11-10.

The contest’s defining sequence began with the score tied at 73 and 35 seconds left. After a Winthrop turnover, Radford’s Del Jones was fouled on a drive and made two free throws to put the Highlanders ahead 75-73 with 51 seconds on the clock. Winthrop’s ensuing possession resulted in a missed Logan Duncomb free throw, but the Eagles retained possession on an offensive rebound. Following a timeout, Duncomb was fouled again but missed both free throws, leaving Radford still up by two with 33 seconds remaining.

Radford’s Tyson Brown was then fouled and made the first of two free throws to extend the lead to 75-73 but missed the second. Winthrop secured the rebound and called a full timeout with 15 seconds to play, setting the stage for the final play.

Out of the timeout, Winthrop worked the ball to Isaiah Wilson at the top of the key. Wilson drove right, drawing the defense before kicking out to a wide-open Clouet on the left wing. The 6-foot-5 junior from San Marcos, California, caught and fired in one motion, draining the three-pointer to put Winthrop ahead 76-75 with just two seconds remaining. Radford’s desperation heave from beyond half-court was off target, sealing the Eagles’ one-point win.

The dramatic finish capped a game where Radford had largely controlled the tempo after halftime. The Highlanders took a 33-32 lead into the break and expanded it to as many as nine points in the second half, largely behind the stellar play of Jones. The guard from Arlington, Virginia, scored a game-high 25 points, including 17 in the second half, to keep Winthrop at bay.

But the Eagles, led by Clouet’s 19 points and a 20-point effort from guard Kareem Rozier, chipped away. Duncomb, the 6-foot-10 center from Cincinnati, provided crucial interior play, finishing with 17 points and numerous key rebounds. His presence allowed Winthrop’s shooters space on the perimeter, which proved decisive on the final possession.

The first half was a sloppy affair, with both teams combining for 18 turnovers. Winthrop built an early 23-15 lead behind hot three-point shooting from Clouet and Rozier, but Radford closed the half on an 18-9 run, fueled by Jones and reserve Louie Jordan, to take the narrow lead into intermission.

For Radford, Dennis Parker added 13 points, but the Highlanders were ultimately undone by their inability to secure a defensive rebound on a missed free throw and then a defensive breakdown on the game’s final play. Winthrop’s resilience, particularly after missing four consecutive free throws in the final minute, proved the difference.

The victory solidified Winthrop’s position in the upper tier of the Big South, while Radford was left to ponder a second narrow conference road loss. The two teams are scheduled to meet again in less than two weeks on Feb. 4 in Radford, Virginia.

According to pregame analytics from Interstat, Winthrop was projected with an 82% probability to win and was installed as a 10.5-point favorite. The combined point total of 151 fell well under the over/under line of 164.5.