Wingate, N.C.----Wingate University freshman guard Janitsha Williams (Statesville, N.C.) poured in a career-high 24 points off the bench, including four three-pointers, as the Bulldogs defeated the Mars Hill College Lions 84-73 in South Atlantic Conference action at Cuddy Arena on Saturday afternoon. Williams led four Bulldogs in double digits.

Junior guard Kurie Washington (Marion, N.C.) scored 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds, senior guard CC Brooks (Mount Holly, N.C.) had 15 points and eight rebounds and junior guard Tiffany Brown(Cartersville, Ga.) added 13 points and five steals as Wingate (15-9 overall, 10-6 SAC) split the season series with Mars Hill.

Junior forward Taylor Deal (Catawba, N.C.) posted 20 points and a game-high 11 rebounds for the Lions (15-9 overall, 8-8 SAC). She scored all 20 points after halftime. Mars Hill shot only 33.3 percent in the first half and 39.1 percent for the game.

Wingate led 38-30 at the half, thanks to 11 points from Brooks. The Bulldogs extended their advantage to 52-37 with 13:24 left in the second half after a pair of Brown free throws. A 24-10 Lions run, capped by a Deal jump shot, trimmed the MHC deficit to 62-61 with 5:34 remaining.

With the Bulldogs clinging to a 67-65 lead with 3:28 left, Williams hit two of her four treys on back-to-back possessions to restore a sizeable lead. Wingate made eight-of-10 free throws down the stretch as the Bulldogs moved to 8-2 at home this season.

Williams leads the Bulldogs this season with 29 three-pointers. Wingate hit 11-of-20 triples Saturday (55 percent). Five different players hit a long-range jumper. Brooks, Brown and Washington hit two each to supplement Williams’ quartet of triples. Sophomore forward Tish Logan (Suitland, Md.) hit a halftime buzzer-beater from 40 feet, her first three-point attempt of the season. The Bulldogs hit 12 three-pointers at Carson-Newman on March 4, 2009.

Williams broke out of her mini-slump in a huge way. She hit seven-of-11 from the field and four-of-seven from downtown. In Wingate’s previous four contests, she shot 31.6 percent from the floor (12-of-38). The Bulldogs shot at a 46.3 percent clip Saturday (25-of-54).

Brooks and Williams helped Wingate hold a 43-14 advantage in bench scoring. The Bulldogs host Anderson (S.C.). University Wednesday at 6 p.m. Mars Hill hosts Catawba College Wednesday at 6 p.m.

(Ryan Stanzel wrote this article. Stanzel is a 2000 Wingate graduate with a B.A. in Communication Studies. Stanzel is currently the media relations and team services coordinator for the National Hockey League’s Minnesota Wild.)