BOX SCORE

Milledgeville, Ga.----Wingate University junior forward Simone Rutledge (Atlanta, Ga.) had 16 points and eight rebounds to lead the Bulldogs past the Braves of UNC Pembroke 70-65 on day one of the 2010 Bobcat Classic at the Centennial Center Wednesday afternoon. The Bulldogs improve to 5-4 overall, while UNC Pembroke falls to 5-4 on the season.

Rutledge hit six-of-10 shots from the field, while adding four assists for the Bulldogs. Sophomore guard Sarah Wollett (Raleigh, N.C) added 10 points for Wingate, who had eight players score at least five points. Junior guard Kurie Washington (Marion, N.C.) and junior guard Tiffany Brown (Cartersville, Ga.) chipped in with nine points each for the Bulldogs.

Senior forward JaToya Kemp (Elizabethtown, N.C.) had 16 points and 11 rebounds to lead the UNC Pembroke attack. Senior guard Illya Hunt (Raleigh, N.C.) added 12 points, four rebounds and three assists for the Braves. Senior forward Briana Stanton (Hookerton, N.C.) and junior guard Domonique Washington (Redlands, Calif.) chipped in with eight points each.

A triple from senior guard CC Brooks (Mount Holly, N.C.) gave the ‘Dogs their largest lead of the half at 11-6 a the 16:58 mark. A layup from junior guard DeDe Cotton (Fayetteville, N.C.) put the Braves on top by one, but Wingate responded with a triple from freshman guard Janitsha Williams (Statesville, N.C.) for a 16-14 lead five minutes in. No team would lead by more than two until a Bolton layup gave UNCP a 23-20 lead at the midway point.

A layup and jumper by Washington, followed by a jumper from Brown gave the Bulldogs a 26-23 advantage. Sophomore forward Tish Logan (Suitland, Md.) drained a jumper to push Wingate’s lead back to five at the 5:54 mark. The Braves responded with a 10-4 run, capped by a jumper from Ray to give UNCP a 33-30 lead. A layup from freshman forward Chantal Dunbar (Virginia Beach, Va.) with six seconds remaining cut the deficit to two at 36-34 heading to intermission.

The Bulldogs used a 14-0 run to turn a four-point deficit into a 55-45 lead at the 10:32 mark. Freshman forward Shey Brown (Rockingham, N.C.) tied the game with a layup, while a jumper from Rutledge put Wingate on top at the 13:25 mark. Rutledge and Brown added two more buckets each in the flurry, while Logan capped it with a jumper. The Braves scored the next seven points, cutting the lead to three on a Stanton jumper with 7:52 remaining.

Logan pushed the Wingate lead back to seven with a jumper at the 5:10 mark. A three-point play from Kemp, followed by layups from Bolton and Stanton tied it at 61 with 3:30 to go. Wollett answered with a three to give the Bulldogs a 64-61 lead. Washington responded with a layup on the other end to cut the lead back to one. Rutledge and Wollett each hit a free throw to push the Bulldog lead to three. Wollett knocked down a pair of free throws with six seconds left to secure the win for the Bulldogs.

Wingate shot 38.8 percent from the field, while hitting four-of-16 from three-point range (25 percent). The ‘Dogs hit 14-of-18 free throws on the afternoon (77.8 percent), while the Braves were seven-of-13 (53.8 percent). UNCP shot 42.4 percent from the field, while hitting eight-of-22 shots from beyond the arc (36.4 percent). The ‘Dogs converted 24 UNC Pembroke turnovers into 30 points. The Braves out-rebounded Wingate 41-37.

The Bulldogs return to action Thursday, taking on Georgia College & State University at 3 p.m. The Braves will take on Newberry Thursday at 1 p.m.