Box Score

Hickory, N.C.----The Lenoir-Rhyne University women’s basketball team survived two potential game-winning shots by Wingate University in the final seconds, picking up a 59-58 South Atlantic Conference victory over the visiting Bulldogs Wednesday night in Shuford Gymnasium.

With the triumph, the number 24 Bears improve to 19-6 overall and 12-3 in the SAC. Lenoir-Rhyne clinches at least a share of the 2009-10 SAC regular season title with the victory. Wingate is 14-12 overall and 7-8 in the SAC. The Bulldogs and the Bears split the season series, as Wingate earned a hard-fought 73-70 home victory on Jan. 27.

Lenoir-Rhyne senior guard Brittany Mitch (McLean, Va.) had 10 points off the Bear bench, helping the hosts complete the regular season 10-0 in the friendly confines of Shuford Gymnasium. The Duke University transfer was the only LRU player to hit double digits. She added seven rebounds, four steals and two blocked shots to her statistics ledger Wednesday.

Wingate sophomore guard/forward Kurie Washington (Marion, N.C.) posted a game-high 19 points. Bulldog junior guard CC Brooks (Mount Holly, N.C.) added 12 points. Senior center Stacie Rhodes (Knightdale, N.C.) narrowly missed a double-double with nine points and a game-high eight rebounds. 

Washington hit a jumper with 41 seconds remaining to pull the visiting Bulldogs within 59-58. Lenoir-Rhyne worked the shot clock on the other end, but senior guard Amber Holt (Charlotte, N.C.) shot an air ball three-pointer as the 30-second device was winding down.

Bear senior point guard Jami Safrit (Hickory, N.C.) got the rebound, but the warning signal sounded before the hosts could get another shot. Wingate called time-out with 12.2 seconds remaining to set up the final play.

Bulldog freshman point guard Sarah Wollett (Raleigh, N.C.) brought the ball down court and missed a running lay-up. Sophomore guard Gladney Brown (High Point, N.C.) got the rebound on a jump-ball situation to give the visitors one more chance. Rhodes missed a jumper at the buzzer and Mitch corralled the rebound.

Lenoir-Rhyne led 50-40 on a jumper by senior forward Denise Moore (Newport News, Va.) with 10:29 to play. The 10-point bulge was the Bears’ biggest lead of the night. A Moore lay-up at the 4:34 mark kept the hosts’ advantage at eight (59-51).

On the next possession, Washington answered with a three-point field goal to pull the Bulldogs within 59-54 at the 4:19 plateau. Neither team could find the basket until Brooks hit an inside hoop with 1:54 remaining, making it a one-possession game and setting the stage for a wild last minute.

The Lenoir-Rhyne bench outscored the Wingate reserves 42-14. The Bulldog substitutes held a 41-16 bench point advantage in the January victory. The Bears were not shy, attempting 19 three-point field goals Wednesday. Mitch hit two-of-five triples, while her teammates managed only two-of-14.

Wingate outrebounded Lenoir-Rhyne 40-28. Brown and Washington contributed five boards each to support Rhodes’ game-high total. Brown added eight points on three-of-four shooting from the floor. She hit her only three-point attempt Wednesday.

The Bulldogs return to action Saturday, hosting number 20 Carson-Newman College for a 2 p.m. start. Wingate will honor its three seniors in a post-game ceremony: Rhodes, Sarah Rosser (Raleigh, N.C.) and Erica Crumlin (Irmo, S.C.). Lenoir-Rhyne visits Mars Hill College Saturday for a 2 p.m. contest.