Brevard, N.C.----Wingate University sophomore guard Nikki Burton (Charlotte, N.C.) had 21 points, seven rebounds and two steals to lead the Bulldogs past the Tornados of Brevard College 65-61 in South Atlantic Conference women’s basketball action Saturday afternoon. The Bulldogs win their fourth straight contest, improving to 11-5 overall and 5-3 in the SAC. Brevard falls to 5-11 overall and 0-8 in the SAC.
 
Burton hit nine-of-17 shots from the field to lead the Wingate attack. Five other Bulldogs scored at least six points on the afternoon. Senior forward Simone Rutledge (Atlanta, Ga.) had 10 points and 12 rebounds. Senior guard Kurie Washington (Marion, N.C.) and junior guard Sarah Wollett (Raleigh, N.C.) added eight points each for the ‘Dogs.
 
Senior guard Anna Schlobohm (Greensboro, N.C.) led the Tornados with a game-high 23 points. Junior guard Michaela Watkins (Forest City, N.C.) added 12 points, while senior guard Lindsay Brendle (High Point, N.C.) chipped in with 11 points.
 
An 8-2 run gave the Bulldogs an 18-7 lead eight minutes into the opening half. Burton started the spurt with a three-point play, while freshman guard Kelli Bonner (Yadkinville, N.C.) added a triple for the ‘Dogs. Brevard responded by scoring the next eight points, making the contest a three-point affair on a jumper from Lacey Singletary (Burlington, N.C.) at the 8:39 mark.
 
Seven straight Wingate points put the lead back in double figures, highlighted by another Bonner three. Another 5-0 run, capped by a Burton lay-up, gave the ‘Dogs their biggest lead of the game at 38-23 with 1:20 remaining. The Tornados scored the final four points of the half, cutting Wingate’s advantage to 38-27 at intermission.
 
A pair of early buckets from Washington pushed the Wingate lead to 13 points four minutes into the second half. Brevard would not go away, trimming the lead to eight on a three from Watkins a minute later. The Bulldogs pushed the lead back to 12 on a Rutledge lay-up, but the Tornados used a 9-3 run to cut the deficit to six with 7:18 remaining, capped by a three from Brendle.

A Burton jumper gave the ‘Dogs a 54-45 advantage, but senior guard Holli Flippo (Kingston Springs, Tenn.) answered with a three to cut the lead back to six with five minutes to go. A pair of free throws from junior forward Tish Logan (Suitland, Md.), along with a Burton lay-up, put Wingate on top 58-48 with just under three minutes remaining.
 
A three-point play from Michaela Watkins trimmed the lead back to seven, but junior guard Sarah Wollett (Raleigh, N.C.) knocked down a pair of free throws to push the advantage to nine with 1:31 to go. Brevard scored five unanswered to make things interesting, as they trimmed the deficit to four with 18 seconds left. Rutledge hit a free throw, but a triple from BC junior guard Asheley Watkins (Bostic, N.C.) made the score 63-61 with nine seconds left. Burton drained two free throws with five seconds left to clinch the Wingate victory.   
 
The Bulldogs shot 37 percent from the field, while going three-for-11 from beyond the arc (27.3 percent). Brevard shot 36 percent from the field, knocking down six-of-23 from three-point range (26.1 percent). Wingate dominated the boards, holding a 52-35 advantage, while out-scoring Brevard 20-8 in second-chance points. Wingate had 36 points in the paint, while the Bulldogs bench outscored Brevard’s reserves 43-25.

The Bulldogs are back in action Wednesday, hosting Anderson (S.C.) University at 6 p.m. The Tornados travel to Newberry College Wednesday for a 6 p.m. start.
 
(Wingate University assistant sports information director Hugh Patton wrote this article. Patton is a 2006 Wingate graduate with a B.A. degree in Communication Studies.)

Newspaper Box Score
Wingate vs Brevard
01/21/12 2 p.m. at Brevard, N.C.

WINGATE WOMEN 65, BREVARD 61
WINGATE (11-5 overall, 5-3 SAC)
Burton, Nikki 9-17 3-3 21; Rutledge, Simone 3-9 4-6 10; Washington, Kurie 3-7 2-4 8; Wollett, Sarah 1-4 5-6 8; Bonner, Kelli 2-7 0-0 6; Williams, Janitsha 3-6 0-5 6; Logan, Tish 1-4 2-2 4; Dunbar, Chantal 1-2 0-0 2; Anderson, Jecia 0-0 0-0 0; Boston, Brooklyn 0-1 0-0 0; Morton, Sequoia 0-0 0-0 0; Thompson, Jakari 0-0 0-0 0; Brown, Tiffany 0-5 0-0 0. Totals 23-62 16-26 65.
BREVARD (5-11 overall, 0-8 SAC)
Schlobohm, Anna 8-15 5-5 23; Watkins, Micheala 5-14 1-1 12; Brendle, Lindsay 3-10 4-7 11; Singletary, Lacey 3-8 0-0 6; Flippo, Holli 1-6 1-2 4; Watkins, Asheley 1-5 0-0 3; Cutshaw, Alyssa 1-1 0-0 2; Hiatt, Taylor 0-0 0-0 0; Fritz, Candice 0-2 0-0 0; Mack, Tempestt 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 22-61 11-15 61.
Wingate.......................   38   27  -   65
Brevard.......................   27   34  -   61
3-point goals--Wingate 3-11 (Bonner, Kelli 2-5; Wollett, Sarah 1-2;
Williams, Janitsha 0-1; Brown, Tiffany 0-3), Brevard 6-23 (Schlobohm, Anna 2-7; Watkins, Asheley 1-2; Watkins, Micheala 1-4; Flippo, Holli 1-6; Brendle, Lindsay 1-4). Fouled out--Wingate-None, Brevard-None.
Rebounds--Wingate 52 (Rutledge, Simone 12), Brevard 35 (Singletary, Lacey 8; Brendle, Lindsay 8). Assists--Wingate 9 (Bonner, Kelli 4), Brevard 10 (Watkins, Micheala 5). Total fouls--Wingate 16, Brevard 20. Technical fouls--Wingate-None, Brevard-None. A-723
SAC women's basketball, Boshamer Gymnasium, Brevard, N.C.