Charleston, S.C.----Charleston Southern University junior guard Katie Tull (Cleburne, Texas) and sophomore forward LeChell Rush (Bishopville, S.C.) combined for 42 points as the home-standing Buccaneers rallied for a 62-59 women’s basketball victory over Wingate University Monday night at the CSU Field House.

The NCAA Division I members of the Big South Conference improve to 9-8 overall on the season. The South Atlantic Conference member Bulldogs fall to 9-7 overall. Wingate’s four non-conference losses this season have been by a combined 16 points.

Tull topped the scoring charts with 23 points. She hit seven-of-10 field goals and five-of-six three-point field goals. Seven CSU teammates hit one-of-23 triples. The Bucs entered the contest hitting nine three-pointers per game. Rush added 19 points on nine-of-14 shooting from the floor.

Wingate sophomore guard/forward Kurie Washington (Marion, N.C.) led the visiting Bulldogs with 13 points. She filled out her statistics ledger with five rebounds and three assists. Bulldog junior guard CC Brooks (Mount Holly, N.C.) had 11 points, while senior center Stacie Rhodes (Knightdale, N.C.) posted nine points, 12 rebounds, four blocked shots and three assists.

The game featured 10 ties and 10 lead changes. Charleston Southern led 58-49 after freshman forward Lakeitha Alston (Myrtle Beach, S.C.) nailed a three-point field goal with 6:53 remaining. Wingate freshman forward Tish Logan (Suitland, Md.) hit two free throws to cut the deficit to 58-57 with 2:02 to go, capping an 8-0 run for the Bulldogs. Rhodes contributed two huge blocked shots to the flurry.

CSU sophomore forward Ali Schwagmeyer (Camp Point, Ill.) converted a follow shot to put the hosts up 60-57 at the 1:13 plateau. Wingate answered, as Brooks hit two free throws with 1:02 to cut the deficit to one. Rush scored an inside hoop on a feed from Schwagmeyer with 37 seconds left to account for the final margin.

Brooks and Logan missed chances to pull the Bulldogs within one in the waning seconds. Wingate was forced to foul, but Charleston Southern missed the front end of a one-and-one with 11 seconds remaining. Tull got the offensive rebound, but Brooks stole the ball from her with two seconds to go. Wingate could not get a potential game-tying shot as time expired.

Wingate hit 33.3 percent of its shots from the floor (17-of-51). The Bulldogs converted six-of-14 three-point field goals (42.9 percent), while making 19-of-24 free throws (79.2 percent). Wingate held a slim 42-41 rebounding edge. The Bulldog reserves outscored the CSU bench 26-8.

Charleston Southern made 24-of-66 field goals for 36.4 percent. The Bucs shot 20.7 percent from three-point land (six-of-29). CSU managed only 50 percent shooting from the charity stripe (eight-of-16). The Buccaneers converted 25 Bulldog turnovers into 23 points. Wingate scored 22 points off 19 CSU turnovers.

In the first half, Wingate led 34-25 when senior guard Sarah Rosser (Raleigh, N.C.) nailed a three-point field goal with 1:36 left in the opening frame. Rush hit two baskets and Tull made a fast-break hoop to cut the CSU deficit to 34-31 at intermission. Washington led Wingate with 11 first-half points. Tull had 12 first-half markers for the CSU Bucs.