Since the turn of the century, few college basketball mid-majors have accomplished as much as the Winthrop Eagles. For fans, finding cheap Winthrop basketball tickets isn’t as easy as it might be for other small-conference programs. The Eagles have become an established giant killer and a dominant force inside the Big South Conference. Even with several coaches leaving the program for better jobs, the Eagles have maintained a high level of play and kept last-minute Winthrop basketball tickets in high demand.

Marshall’s Plan

Winthrop didn’t begin playing basketball until the 1978-79 season, and roughly 20 years later, the Eagles began their ascent under head coach Gregg Marshall. In his first season at the helm, Marshall led Winthrop to the Big South regular-season and tournament titles, earning the Eagles their first trip to the NCAA Tournament.

That kicked off a run of four straight NCAA Tournament appearances for Winthrop. When all was said and done, Marshall led the Eagles to the Big Dance seven times in his nine seasons. Of course, his final year was the most memorable. During the 2006-07 campaign, the Eagles finished 19-5, including 14-0 in conference play. Most importantly, Winthrop earned its first NCAA Tournament in program history, an upset of Notre Dame. When the postseason polls came out, the Eagles were ranked no. 22, a massive accomplishment for any small-conference program.

Soaring Again

When Marshall left for Wichita State after the 2007 season, Winthrop had a little bit of a rough patch. The Eagles made the NCAA Tournament just twice over the next decade. But Pat Kelsey started to change that after taking over the Eagles in 2012. By Kelsey’s second season, Winthrop was back to competing for Big South titles every year. The Eagles won the Big South regular-season crown in 2016 and returned to the NCAA Tournament in 2017. Winthrop once again earned the Big South’s automatic bid in 2020, making it clear that the Eagles are once again the premier program in the Big South.