JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (Interstat) — In a game defined by a dramatic second-half surge, the Winthrop Eagles erased a halftime deficit to defeat the Charleston Southern Buccaneers 86-81 in a Big South Conference men’s basketball game Friday afternoon at ETSU Athletic Center.

The victory improved Winthrop’s record to 22-10 overall, while Charleston Southern fell to 15-17. A crowd of 1,715 watched the Eagles overcome a three-point halftime hole by outscoring the Buccaneers 49-41 after the break, fueled by a dominant performance from forward Logan Duncomb.

The most important part of the game was Winthrop’s decisive 17-4 run early in the second half, which flipped the contest on its head. Charleston Southern had controlled the first half, leading by as many as nine points and taking a 40-37 advantage into the locker room behind the scoring of A’lahn Sumler and Luke Williams. The Buccaneers’ momentum continued early in the second period, with a Jesse Hafemeister layup extending their lead to 42-38.

From there, however, the Eagles took over. The run was a comprehensive effort, featuring defensive stops that ignited transition opportunities and efficient scoring from multiple players. It began with a Seifeldin Hendawy tip-in and was quickly followed by a Nate Brafford driving layup for Charleston Southern. Winthrop then scored 15 unanswered points. Kody Clouet connected on a layup, Daylen Berry sank a 3-pointer, and Duncomb began to impose his will inside. The 6-foot-10 center from Cincinnati scored on a tip-in, completed a three-point play after being fouled, and then assisted on a Clouet layup. When Tommy Kamarad capped the surge with a 3-pointer off another Duncomb assist, Winthrop had transformed a four-point deficit into a 60-52 lead with 9:23 remaining.

Charleston Southern, which had defeated Winthrop just eight days prior, refused to capitulate. The Buccaneers chipped away, closing to within 72-70 on a Reis Jones dunk with 1:58 left. But every time the Buccaneers threatened, Duncomb or Clouet had an answer. Duncomb drew fouls and made free throws, while Clouet attacked the basket. After a Sumler layup cut the Winthrop lead to 79-77 with 21 seconds left, Clouet immediately responded with a driving layup and a subsequent free throw to push the margin back to five.

The Eagles sealed the game at the free-throw line in the final seconds, with Clouet and Kareem Rozier combining to make three of four attempts to reach the final margin.

Duncomb was the catalyst for Winthrop’s comeback, delivering a monumental performance off the bench. In just 15 minutes of action, he scored 20 points on 7-of-8 shooting from the field and a perfect 6-of-6 from the free-throw line, while also grabbing 11 rebounds for a double-double. His efficiency and physical presence in the paint during the second-half run proved insurmountable for Charleston Southern.

Clouet supported him with 19 points and nine rebounds in 32 minutes. Daylen Berry added 13 points and eight rebounds for the Eagles, who won despite committing 15 turnovers.

Charleston Southern was led by A’lahn Sumler’s game-high 22 points. Luke Williams contributed 18 points and five assists, and Reis Jones posted 11 points, seven rebounds and two blocks. The Buccaneers hurt themselves with 14 turnovers and were outrebounded 46-41 by the Eagles.

The game was a tale of two halves statistically. Charleston Southern shot effectively in the first half to build its lead, but Winthrop’s defense tightened and its offense found a rhythm after halftime. The Eagles’ ability to get to the free-throw line was also a key factor, as they attempted 30 free throws compared to 25 for the Buccaneers.

The victory allowed Winthrop to split the regular-season series with Charleston Southern, avenging its 86-84 loss in North Charleston on Feb. 26. In that previous meeting, Duncomb was limited to just nine minutes and four points. His impactful return in this contest underscored his importance to the Eagles’ frontcourt as they head into the postseason.

The game’s total points, 167, narrowly went under the sportsbook over/under line of 162.5. Winthrop also covered the pregame spread, having been installed as a 3.5-point favorite.