Wingate, N.C.----Catawba College senior forward Dana Hicks (York, S.C.) posted 17 points and 17 rebounds as the Indians edged Wingate University 63-58 in South Atlantic Conference women’s basketball action Wednesday night in Goodman Gymnasium. First-place Catawba improves to 14-5 overall and 9-2 in the SAC, while visiting Wingate falls to 13-6 overall and 7-4 in the league.
 
The Indians have won seven straight SAC games at home, dating to last season. Hicks has 49 career double-doubles. Catawba freshman guard Chloe Bully (Hannut, Belgium) had 16 points as she hit four-of-seven from downtown. Senior guard Nisha Long (Dallas, N.C.) contributed 15 points and five assists. Hicks, Bully and Long hit 17-of-28 field goals (60.7 percent); the rest of the Indians converted only six-of-23 (26.1 percent).
 
Wingate sophomore guard Nikki Burton (Charlotte, N.C.) had 12 points, four assists and three steals for the Bulldogs. Senior guard Kurie Washington (Marion, N.C.) contributed 10 points and four rebounds. Wingate was zero-for-two from three-point land Wednesday, ending a streak of 126 consecutive games with a three-point field goal. The Bulldogs’ last game without a triple was Saturday, Jan. 5, 2008, when Wingate outlasted Lincoln Memorial 65-63 in Cuddy Arena.
 
Bulldog junior forward Tish Logan (Suitland, Md.) scored the game’s first basket 15 seconds into the contest. Bully hit the first of her three first half three-pointers at the 18:17 mark to give the hosts the lead for good. Catawba spurted to a 15-6 advantage on a three-pointer by senior guard Jolysa Connor (Charlotte, N.C.) at the 14:26 plateau.
 
The Indians stretched their lead to 33-18 on a three-pointer by sophomore guard Lauren Lewis (Concord, N.C.) with 3:42 to play. The Lewis triple gave Catawba its biggest lead of the evening. Wingate scored the last seven points of the first frame to cut the deficit to eight. Washington contributed a jumper and two free throws to the 7-0 spurt, making the score 33-25 Catawba at intermission.

Wingate senior forward Simone Rutledge (Atlanta, Ga.) concluded an 11-2 Bulldog run with a lay-up at the 9:31 mark. The inside hoop cut the Wingate deficit to 46-44. Catawba junior center Maggie Sullivan (Fort Mill, S.C.) hit a lay-up on a feed from Long the next time down the floor. Wingate would get no closer the rest of the way.
 
A Hicks hoop made the score 63-52 Catawba with 2:39 to play. The host Indians would not score again. Burton hit an inside basket to make the score 63-58 with 51 seconds left. Burton picked up a steal, but the Bulldogs could not make any additional damage.
 
The Wingate bench outscored the Catawba reserves 32-10. The Bulldogs converted 20 Catawba turnovers into 17 points. Wingate outdistanced Catawba 40-28 in points in the paint. The Bulldogs managed only 34.8 percent shooting (23-of-66), while the Indians hit 45.1 percent of their attempts (23-of-51).
 
Catawba outrebounded Wingate by a slim 38-37 margin. Both Sullivan and junior forward Elizabeth Merritt (Lexington, N.C.) had four rebounds each to support Hicks’ monster night. Bulldog sophomore forward Chantal Dunbar (Norfolk, Va.) topped the Bulldog charts with six rebounds. Rutledge pulled down five caroms.
 
Both teams hit the road Saturday. Wingate visits Carson-Newman for a 2 p.m. contest. Catawba ventures to Lincoln Memorial for a 6 p.m. encounter.

Newspaper Box Score
Wingate vs Catawba
02/01/12 6 p.m. at Salisbury, N.C.
 
CATAWBA WOMEN 63, WINGATE 58
WINGATE (13-6 overall, 7-4 SAC)
Burton, Nikki 6-15 0-0 12; Washington, Kurie 3-9 4-4 10; Logan, Tish 4-9 0-0 8; Dunbar, Chantal 3-5 1-1 7; Williams, Janitsha 1-8 2-2 4; Morton, Sequoia 2-4 0-0 4; Brown, Tiffany 1-2 2-2 4; Rutledge, Simone 2-7 0-0 4; Bonner, Kelli 1-3 0-0 2; Wollett, Sarah 0-3 2-2 2; Thompson, Jakari 0-0 1-2 1; Montgomery, Jade 0-0 0-0 0; Anderson, Jecia 0-1 0-0 0; Boston, Brooklyn 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 23-66 12-13 58.
CATAWBA (14-5 overall, 9-2 SAC)
Hicks, Dana 6-8 5-7 17; Bully, Chloe 5-10 2-2 16; Long, Nisha 6-10 2-7 15; Lewis, Lauren 2-5 0-0 6; Sullivan, Maggie 2-5 0-0 4; Connor, Jolysa 1-3 0-0 3; Merritt, Elizabeth 1-7 0-0 2; Coleman, Quaneasia 0-2 0-0 0; May, Taylor 0-1 0-0 0; Clay, Mallary 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 23-51 9-16 63.
Wingate.......................   25   33  -   58
Catawba.......................   33   30  -   63
3-point goals--Wingate 0-2 (; Washington, Kurie 0-1; Williams, Janitsha 0-1), Catawba 8-16 (Bully, Chloe 4-7; Lewis, Lauren 2-5; Long, Nisha 1-2; Connor, Jolysa 1-1; Merritt, Elizabeth 0-1). Fouled out--Wingate-Rutledge, Simone, Catawba-None. Rebounds--Wingate 37 (Dunbar, Chantal 6), Catawba 38 (Hicks, Dana 17). Assists--Wingate 11 (Burton, Nikki 4), Catawba 12 (Long, Nisha 5). Total fouls--Wingate 14, Catawba 12. Technical fouls--Wingate-None, Catawba-None. A-278
SAC women's basketball, Goodman Gymnasium, Salisbury, N.C.