ROCK HILL, S.C. (Interstat) — Logan Duncomb scored 26 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, and the Winthrop Eagles rode a dominant first-half perimeter shooting display to an 84-71 victory over the UNC Asheville Bulldogs in a Big South Conference men’s basketball game Saturday at Winthrop Coliseum.

The Eagles improved to 16-8 overall, while the Bulldogs fell to 10-13. The win completed a regular-season sweep for Winthrop, which edged UNC Asheville 69-67 just two weeks prior.

The most critical phase of the game came in the opening minutes, as Winthrop established an offensive rhythm that UNC Asheville could never fully disrupt. The Eagles connected on 13 of 31 three-point attempts for the game, but their early barrage set the tone. Winthrop hit four of its first five shots from beyond the arc, jumping to a 14-8 lead less than six minutes into the contest. That early cushion allowed the Eagles to control the pace and withstand every subsequent push from the Bulldogs.

Kody Clouet and Kareem Rozier were instrumental in building that lead, combining for five first-half three-pointers. Clouet finished with 19 points, while Rozier added 17, including five three-pointers of his own. Winthrop’s 43-33 halftime advantage was built on a 9-of-18 performance from deep, a stark contrast to UNC Asheville’s 2-of-12 first-half shooting from three-point range.

Duncomb, the 6-foot-10 center from Cincinnati, was the constant inside, supplementing the perimeter attack. He went 8 for 8 from the free-throw line and recorded his second double-double in three games, following a 38-point outburst against Presbyterian. His presence forced UNC Asheville into frequent foul trouble, and Winthrop capitalized, making 25 of 28 free throws overall.

UNC Asheville, which shot a respectable 20 of 24 from the line, was led by Kameron Taylor’s 25 points and Justin Wright’s 21. Toyaz Solomon added 14 points. The Bulldogs fought to trim the deficit to single digits several times in the second half, using a 7-0 run to close to 59-52 with just over nine minutes remaining after a Taylor three-pointer.

Each time, however, Winthrop had an answer, often from Duncomb inside or a timely three. After the Bulldogs’ run, Duncomb drew a foul and made two free throws, and after a defensive stop, Seifeldin Hendawy sank a three-pointer off a Duncomb assist to push the lead back to 65-52, effectively halting the rally. Hendawy finished with eight points.

The Bulldogs won the battle in the paint, 30-20, and out-blocked Winthrop 6-3, with Taylor and Solomon each recording two. But they could not overcome a stark disparity in three-point efficiency, finishing just 5 of 20 from long range, and managed only four assists on 23 made field goals.

Winthrop also won the possession battle decisively, posting an offensive rating of 126.7 points per 100 possessions compared to UNC Asheville’s 106.9, despite both teams having 66 possessions.

A crowd of 1,400 watched as the Eagles maintained their hold near the top of the Big South standings. Winthrop next travels to face Radford on Wednesday. UNC Asheville returns home to host South Carolina Upstate on Wednesday.