Winthrop began its season against Queens University on Monday at 9 a.m. at the Rock Hill Sports & Event Center, giving the program an early spotlight in the Field of 68 Opening Day Marathon. The matchup also came with a familiar backdrop: Winthrop had beaten Queens 81-74 in last season’s opener and entered this meeting having won six straight games in the series.
For Winthrop, the game marked another chance to start fast after back-to-back 23-win campaigns and two straight trips to the Big South Conference championship game. That recent run has set a clear standard for Mark Prosser’s program, which entered his sixth season with a 101-63 record. With 11 newcomers on the roster, the opener also offered an early look at how quickly the Eagles could blend new pieces into a team that has stayed near the top of the league.
What the matchup means
The early start time and neutral-site feel made the game stand out, but the bigger story was where Winthrop stood entering the year. The Eagles have been one of the steadier programs in the Big South Conference over the last two seasons, and the opener against Queens gave them a chance to extend that momentum right away. A win would keep the series streak intact and reinforce the idea that Winthrop remains a difficult team to knock off early in the season.
Queens, meanwhile, was trying to turn the page after last year’s 81-74 loss in the opener. With the same teams meeting again to open the new season, the result carried a little extra meaning beyond the first game of the schedule.
Winthrop's next step
After the Monday morning opener, Winthrop was scheduled to host North Dakota in its home opener on Saturday, Nov. 7, at noon. That game will give the Eagles another early chance to settle in before the rest of the schedule unfolds, and it should provide a better look at how the roster is coming together after the offseason turnover.
For now, the focus is simple: Winthrop started the season against a familiar opponent, with a proven track record in the series and a recent history that suggests the program is again aiming high.
