Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University women’s basketball team returns home Saturday afternoon, hosting Mars Hill College in Cuddy Arena. Game time is 2 p.m. Both teams enter the contest on an upswing following Wednesday victories. Wingate is 8-5 overall and 2-3 in the South Atlantic Conference. Mars Hill is 9-5 overall and 2-3 in the SAC.
 
Wingate senior guard Tiffany Brown (Cartersville, Ga.) posted a season-high 13 points to lead the Bulldogs to 63-57 SAC women’s basketball victory over Lenoir-Rhyne University Wednesday night in Shuford Gymnasium. Brown was one of three players in double figures for 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.
 
Bulldog junior guard Sarah Wollett (Raleigh, N.C.) had eight points, six assists and five rebounds Wednesday. Wingate coach Barbara Nelson called on 11 players against Lenoir-Rhyne; 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.
 
Mars Hill defeated SAC rival Lincoln Memorial 89-81 Wednesday night in Harrogate, Tenn. Danielle Tucker and Tyler Carlson led the Lions with 26 and 20 points, respectively. The visiting Lions never trailed in the contest.
 
Last year, the two teams held serve by winning on their home floors. On Feb. 19, 2011, Wingate sophomore guard Janitsha Williams (Statesville, N.C.) poured in a career-high 24 points (with four three-pointers) as the Bulldogs defeated Mars Hill 84-73 in Cuddy Arena. Williams led four Bulldogs in double digits.
 
Washington scored 16 points and grabbed seven rebounds, CC Brooks (‘11) had 15 points and eight rebounds and Brown added 13 points and five steals as Wingate split the season series with Mars Hill. Senior forward Taylor Deal posted 20 points and a game-high 11 rebounds for the visiting Lions.
 
On Jan. 15, 2011, Wingate cut an 18-point, first-half deficit to one, but were unable to complete the comeback, falling to Mars Hill 83-69 in Stanford Arena. Washington led the Bulldogs with 18 points. Williams added 16 points, while Rutledge contributed 11 points and nine rebounds. Deal had 16 points and 13 rebounds for the hosts.
 
Wingate sophomore guard Nikki Burton (Charlotte, N.C.) leads the Bulldogs (and ranks eighth in the SAC) in scoring with her 14.3 points per game. Burton tops the Wingate charts with her 44 steals and 16 blocked shots. Washington contributes 11.2 points per game, while Williams adds 10.3 points per game. Williams (14 three-pointers made) and Washington (11) lead Wingate’s long-range shooters. Burton, Wollett and freshman guard Kelli Bonner (Yadkinville, N.C.) have nine three-point field goals each this season.
 
The Bulldogs lead the SAC in steals with 13.4 thefts per game. Wingate is second on the league charts in free throw percentage (72.3), blocked shots (4.5) and turnover margin (+3.2). Individually, Rutledge is ninth in rebounding with her team-best 6.9 rebounds per game. Rutledge (47.1 percent) and Burton (46.9 percent) are ninth and 10th, respectively, in field goal percentage.
 
Three Bulldogs are listed in the top 10 in free throw percentage: Washington (fourth, 79.5), sophomore forward Chantal Dunbar (fifth, 79.4) and Burton (ninth, 77.4 percent). Wingate head coach Barbara Nelson (85-48 in five seasons) took the Bulldogs to the 2008 Elite Eight.
 
The Wingate University women’s basketball team is teaming with the Wounded Warrior Project to recognize U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Alonzo Lunsford Jr. this weekend with several events. A native of Rockingham, Lunsford was injured in the Nov. 2009 attack on the Fort Hood, Texas Army base.
 
Lunsford will attend Wingate’s Friday basketball practice and interact with the Bulldogs. On Friday night, he will speak to Wingate students at a 7 p.m. lyceum event in Helms Forum (Dickson-Palmer Student Center). Wingate hosts Mars Hill College Saturday afternoon (2 p.m.) with Lunsford serving as an honorary coach. The Bulldogs will collect donations for the Wounded Warrior Project throughout the afternoon.
 
WINGATE UNIVERSITY
 
Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a comprehensive university with more than 2,500 students on three campuses in Wingate, Matthews and Hendersonville, N.C. The university offers 34 undergraduate majors, 37 minors and career concentrations, numerous pre-professional programs, graduate degrees in business, accounting, physician assistant studies and sports administration and doctorates in pharmacy and education.
 
Wingate students gain the tools and support they need to excel in academics and apply that learning toward an extraordinary career and life. The campus community offers in-class learning, out-of-class experiences, strong mentors, a competitive yet caring environment and rewarding community service opportunities for a complete educational experience.
 
Bulldog student-athletes compete in 19 NCAA Division II sports. Wingate University has won the South Atlantic Conference Echols Athletic Excellence Award for the past five years.
 
Wingate University is ranked number three among NCAA Division II Academic All-America® producing schools in the 2000’s with 42 honorees during this millennium. Only Pittsburg State (Kan.) University and Truman State (Mo.) University have produced more Academic All-America® honorees during this time period. Wingate’s 51 Academic All-America® honorees (lifetime) is tops among all SAC schools.