Box Score Wingate, N.C.----Wingate University sophomore guard Kelli Bonner (Yadkinville, N.C.) posted a career-high 15 points to help keep the Bulldogs undefeated at home with a 66-53 win over the visiting Benedict College Tigers Tuesday night in Cuddy Arena. Wingate (5-3 overall) never trailed against the Tigers (2-5 overall), as the Bulldogs were playing their first game against a SIAC team since 2006 when they beat rival Claflin University.

Senior guard Sarah Wollett (Raleigh, N.C.) and freshman forward Morgan McGee (Durham, N.C.) each scored 10 points for Wingate, with Wollett adding a game-high eight assists. Bulldog junior forward Chantal Dunbar (Virginia Beach, Va.) pulled down 11 rebounds to mark the fifth time in seven games she has posted 10 rebounds or more. Benedict senior guard Alexus Jones (Silver Springs, Md.) scored a team-high 14 points, while junior guard Ashley Thompson (Camden, N.J.) added 12 for the Tigers.

Wingate bolted to a 15-6 lead, with Bonner finishing the opening flurry with a three-point field goal at the 10:49 mark. Jones hit a triple with 6:21 left in the first half, cutting Benedict’s deficit to 19-18. The Bulldogs finished the half with a 20-8 spurt to take a 39-26 lead at intermission. Wollett and sophomore guard Jasmine DeBerry (Charlotte, N.C.) contributed eight and six points, respectively, to the half-closing run.
 
Benedict made one more push, as a Thompson bucket made the score 48-42 Wingate with 10 minutes to play. Back-to-back buckets by freshman forward Morgan McGee (Durham, N.C.) put the Bulldogs up 54-42 with 8:33 left in the contest. The Tigers would get no closer than nine points down the stretch.
 
Fittingly, a Bonner three-point field goal gave Wingate a 64-48 advantage with 3:47 to play. The 16-point lead was the Bulldogs’ largest of the evening. Bonner’s career night included a five-of-seven shooting performance. The Starmount High School product made four-of-five from three-point land. Wollett supported Bonner’s long-range efforts with two triples of her own.
 
On the night, Wingate shot 49 percent from the floor (24-of-49). Benedict made 31.1 percent of its attempts (19-of-61). Dunbar and junior guard Janitsha Williams (Statesville, N.C.) combined for 20 rebounds to help Wingate win the battle of the boards 43-32. Jones and Thompson topped the Benedict rebounding charts with five caroms each.
 
Wingate is 3-0 at home this season. The Bulldogs will complete first semester play with two additional home contests. On Friday, Wingate faces number three USC Aiken at 7 p.m. The Bulldogs host defending Southeast Region champion Lander Wednesday, Dec. 19. The Lander contest is Future Bulldog Day, when the Wingate women’s basketball program invites local fifth-grade students to the campus for a day of hoops and fun. Tip-off is slated for 12 noon.

Newspaper Box Score
Benedict vs Wingate
12/04/12 7 p.m. at Wingate, N.C.

WINGATE WOMEN 66, BENEDICT 53
BENEDICT (2-5 overall)
Jones, Alexus 5-12 2-2 14; Thompson, Ashley 4-15 2-4 12; Richardson, London 4-7 1-2 9; Elliott, Kaiya 3-4 0-0 6; Jackson, Brittany 2-6 1-3 5; Ellison, Jessica 1-3 1-1 3; Whittaker, Chelsea 0-1 2-2 2; Chisley, TaNarnia 0-0 0-0 0; Nelson, Maya 0-1 0-0 0; Vaughn, KaDeeja 0-0 0-0 0; McDade, Erica 0-1 0-0 0; Weathers, Monique 0-9 0-0 0; Wilkins, Dreu 0-1 0-0 0; Rakin, Tia 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 19-61 9-14 53.*
WINGATE (5-3 overall)
Bonner, Kelli 5-7 1-2 15; Wollett, Sarah 4-8 0-1 10; McGee, Morgan 3-8 4-4 10; Dunbar, Chantal 3-6 1-4 7; DeBerry, Jasmine 2-2 2-2 6; Thompson, Jakari 3-5 0-0 6; Williams, Janitsha 2-8 2-5 6; Logan, Tish 2-3 0-0 4; Burnick, Sarah 0-0 2-2 2; Anderson, Jecia 0-0 0-0 0; Boston, Brooklyn 0-2 0-0 0; Boyd, Sharee 0-0 0-0 0; Morton, Sequoia 0-0 0-0 0; Weekly, Cayleigh 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-49 12-20 66.
Benedict......................   26   27  -   53*
Wingate.......................   39   27  -   66
3-point goals--Benedict 4-24 (Jones, Alexus 2-3; Thompson, Ashley 2-9; Ellison, Jessica 0-2; Whittaker, Chelsea 0-1; McDade, Erica 0-1; Weathers, Monique 0-8), Wingate 6-12 (Bonner, Kelli 4-5; Wollett, Sarah 2-4; Williams, Janitsha 0-3). Fouled out--Benedict-Elliott, Kaiya, Wingate-None. Rebounds--Benedict 32 (Thompson, Ashley 5; Jones, Alexus 5), Wingate 43 (Dunbar, Chantal 11). Assists--Benedict 10 (Jones, Alexus 4), Wingate 16 (Wollett, Sarah 8). Total fouls--Benedict 16, Wingate 17. Technical fouls--Benedict-None, Wingate-None. A-275
* - two points scored by the other team (wrong basket)
NCAA D-II women's basketball, Cuddy Arena, Wingate, N.C.