Hickory, N.C.----Wingate University senior guard
Tiffany Brown (Cartersville, Ga.) posted a season-high 13 points to lead the Bulldogs to 63-57 South Atlantic Conference women’s basketball victory over Lenoir-Rhyne University Wednesday night in Shuford Gymnasium. Brown was one of three players in double figures for Wingate (8-5 overall, 2-3 SAC).
Wingate senior forward
Simone Rutledge (Atlanta, Ga.) had 12 points and a team-high 11 rebounds, while senior guard
Kurie Washington (Marion, N.C.) added 10 points for the visitors. Lenoir-Rhyne freshman guard
Jazmine Charles (Lexington, N.C.) had 10 points for the Bears (11-3 overall, 3-2 SAC).
Bulldog junior guard
Sarah Wollett (Raleigh, N.C.) had eight points, six assists and five rebounds. Wingate coach
Barbara Nelson called on 11 players Wednesday night and 10 found the scoring column. The Bulldogs outrebounded the Bears 47-39 with a 21-14 advantage in offensive rebounds. Wingate had 20 second-chance points, compared to four for Lenoir-Rhyne.
The first half was tied six times with seven lead changes. Charles hit two free throws at the 4:17 mark to give Lenoir-Rhyne a 28-25 edge. The three-point lead equaled the Bears’ largest advantage. Brown hit two free throws with 2:58 remaining to give Wingate the lead for good at 29-28.
Wingate led 35-32 at the break, thanks to nine first-half points by Brown. The Bulldogs recorded five of their seven blocked shots in the first 20 minutes. Charles had eight of her 10 points prior to intermission.
The Bulldogs did not trail in the second half. Washington hit back-to-back jumpers to put Wingate up 43-34 at the 18:14 mark. A Wollett lay-up with 9:04 to play gave the Bulldogs their biggest lead at 53-43. Lenoir-Rhyne junior guard
Whitley Culler (Mount Airy, N.C.) put together a personal 4-0 run to cut the Bear deficit to 53-47 with 6:49 left. The hosts would get no closer down the stretch.
Culler and senior guard
Cameron Sealey (Mount Holly, N.C.) had nine points each for the Bears. Culler’s seven boards topped the L-R rebounding brigade. Wingate held Lenoir-Rhyne 16 points below its season average. The Bears shot 33.3 percent from the floor (19-of-57).
Brown added a team-high four steals and four rebounds to her Wednesday statistics ledger. Rutledge and sophomore guard
Nikki Burton (Charlotte, N.C.) had two blocked shots each for the visitors. Washington and junior forward
Tish Logan (Suitland, Md.) pulled down six rebounds each. The two teams combined for 54 turnovers (28 for L-R, 26 for Wingate).
Newspaper Box Score
Wingate vs Lenoir-Rhyne
01/11/12 6 p.m. at Hickory, N.C.
WINGATE WOMEN 63, LENOIR-RHYNE 57
WINGATE (8-5 overall, 2-3 SAC)
Brown, Tiffany 4-10 4-4 13; Rutledge, Simone 4-10 4-4 12; Washington, Kurie 4-12 2-4 10; Wollett, Sarah 3-5 2-2 8; Burton, Nikki 3-10 0-0 6; Logan, Tish 2-5 0-0 4; Williams, Janitsha 1-8 2-4 4; Dunbar, Chantal 1-3 0-0 2; Bonner, Kelli 1-2 0-1 2; Boston, Brooklyn 1-1 0-0 2; Anderson, Jecia 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 24-67 14-19 63.
LENOIR-RHYNE (11-3 overall, 3-2 SAC)
Charles, Jazmine 2-11 6-6 10; Sealey, Cameron 4-11 0-0 9; Culler, Whitley 4-8 1-2 9; Bongiorno, Danielle 3-5 1-1 8; Laughter, Caroline 3-6 1-3 7; Patton, Krystal 0-6 6-6 6; Brinkley, Whitney 1-2 2-2 4; Katt, Alexis 2-6 0-0 4; Rishel, Kristine 0-0 0-0 0; Gust, Jenni 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 19-57 17-20 57.
Wingate....................... 35 28 - 63
Lenoir-Rhyne.................. 32 25 - 57
3-point goals--Wingate 1-9 (Brown, Tiffany 1-3; Washington, Kurie 0-1; Wollett, Sarah 0-1; Burton, Nikki 0-1; Williams, Janitsha 0-2; Bonner, Kelli 0-1), Lenoir-Rhyne 2-10 (Bongiorno, Danielle 1-1; Sealey, Cameron 1-4; Patton, Krystal 0-3; Gust, Jenni 0-1; Charles, Jazmine 0-1). Fouled out--Wingate-None, Lenoir-Rhyne-None. Rebounds--Wingate 47 (Rutledge, Simone 11), Lenoir-Rhyne 39 (Culler, Whitley 7). Assists--Wingate 13 (Wollett, Sarah 6), Lenoir-Rhyne 11 (Patton, Krystal 3). Total fouls--Wingate 18, Lenoir-Rhyne 18. Technical fouls--Wingate-None, Lenoir-Rhyne-None. A-690
South Atlantic Conference women's basketball,
Shuford Gymnasium, Hickory, N.C.
