BOX SCORE

Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University women’s basketball team led wire-to-wire Wednesday night, collecting a 74-61 South Atlantic Conference victory over Anderson (S.C.) University in the Abney Center. Four players hit double figures as Wingate won its fifth straight game and 11th contest in 13 tries. The Bulldogs are 18-7 overall and 12-5 in the SAC. The Anderson Trojans are 10-15 overall and 7-10 in the SAC.
 
Wingate senior forward Simone Rutledge (Atlanta, Ga.) led the visitors with 12 points and nine rebounds. Three Bulldogs netted 10 points each: sophomore guard Nikki Burton (Charlotte, N.C.), junior forward Tish Logan (Suitland, Md.) and sophomore guard Janitsha Williams (Statesville, N.C.).
 
Anderson sophomore guard Emily Willoughby (Mount Pleasant, S.C.) led all scorers with 20 points. She hit six-of-12 three-point field goals Wednesday. Trojan junior guard Alissa Diaz (Coral Springs, Fla.) contributed 19 points. Diaz had a career-high 29 markers in Wingate’s 61-51 victory on Wednesday, Jan. 25.
 
“Our kids are focused on their defense,” Wingate head coach Barbara Nelson says. “They know offense comes when our defensive efforts are committed. Tonight, we were very unselfish with the basketball.”
 
Wingate held Anderson to 34.6 percent shooting in the first half (nine-of-26) as the Bulldogs earned a 39-23 halftime lead. Rutledge led the way with 12 markers as the visitors shot 57.6 percent in the first 20 minutes (19-of-33). Diaz and Willoughby had six points each for the hosts.
 
A lay-up by junior guard Sarah Wollett (Raleigh, N.C.) gave Wingate a 20-10 lead with 10:31 remaining in the opening stanza. A Willoughby triple cut the AU deficit to 23-18 with 5:18 to go. The Bulldogs finished the frame with a 16-5 flurry. Rutledge, Logan and Burton had four points each as five different players contributed points to the half-ending explosion.
 
Anderson cut the deficit to 43-32 on an inside hoop by freshman guard Sierra Simpson (Simpsonville, S.C.) at the 14:54 mark. The Trojans would get no closer the rest of the way. Williams hit back-to-back baskets to give Wingate a 49-32 lead with 14:10 remaining. The Bulldogs stretched the margin to 19 points in the waning moments before settling for the final margin.
 
Wingate hit 50.8 percent of its field goals Wednesday (31-of-61). Rutledge connected on six-of-11, while Logan nailed five-of-11. Anderson shot 48.4 percent in the second stanza to finish at 42.1 percent for the evening (24-of-57). The Bulldogs held the edge in points in the paint (48-14) and points off turnovers (25-6). The AU Trojans hit nine three-point field goals, compared to one for Wingate.
 
The Bulldogs presented Nelson with her 95th victory at the Wingate helm Wednesday. She is 95-50 overall in her five Bulldog seasons. Wingate returns home Saturday, hosting Brevard College for a 2 p.m. contest. The Bulldogs will honor Rutledge, senior guard Tiffany Brown (Cartersville, Ga.) and senior guard/forward Kurie Washington (Marion, N.C.) in post-game Senior Day ceremonies. Anderson hosts Carson-Newman Saturday at the same time.

Newspaper Box Score
Wingate vs Anderson (S.C.)
02/22/12 6 p.m. at Anderson, S.C.

WINGATE WOMEN 74, ANDERSON (S.C.) 61
WINGATE (18-7 overall, 12-5 SAC)
Rutledge, Simone 6-11 0-0 12; Williams, Janitsha 5-10 0-0 10; Burton, Nikki 5-9 0-0 10; Logan, Tish 5-11 0-2 10; Wollett, Sarah 2-4 4-5 8; Washington, Kurie 2-4 3-4 7; Brown, Tiffany 2-4 1-2 6; Dunbar, Chantal 2-4 0-0 4; DeBerry, Jasmine 0-0 3-4 3; Bonner, Kelli 1-2 0-0 2; Boston, Brooklyn 1-1 0-0 2; Thompson, Jakari 0-1 0-0 0; Weekly, Cayleigh 0-0 0-0 0; Montgomery, Jade 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 31-61 11-17 74.
ANDERSON (S.C.) (10-15 overall, 7-10 SAC)
Willoughby, Emily 7-14 0-0 20; Diaz, Alissa 7-13 4-5 19; Simpson, Sierra 4-7 0-0 8; Ahlin, Tilde 2-5 0-0 6; Shannon, Breonda 2-9 0-0 4; Woods, Lauren 1-4 0-0 2; Woods, Lesley 1-5 0-0 2; Moore, Jaclyn 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-57 4-5 61.
Wingate.......................   39   35  -   74
Anderson (S.C.)...............   23   38  -   61
3-point goals--Wingate 1-8 (Brown, Tiffany 1-3; Williams, Janitsha 0-2; Wollett, Sarah 0-1; Washington, Kurie 0-1; Bonner, Kelli 0-1), Anderson
(S.C.) 9-26 (Willoughby, Emily 6-12; Ahlin, Tilde 2-4; Diaz, Alissa 1-4;
Woods, Lauren 0-3; Woods, Lesley 0-3). Fouled out--Wingate-None, Anderson (S.C.)-None. Rebounds--Wingate 35 (Rutledge, Simone 9), Anderson (S.C.) 28 (Shannon, Breonda 10). Assists--Wingate 13 (Burton, Nikki 4), Anderson (S.C.) 8 (Ahlin, Tilde 2). Total fouls--Wingate 10, Anderson (S.C.) 14. Technical fouls--Wingate-None, Anderson (S.C.)-None. A-217
SAC women's basketball, Abney Center, Anderson, S.C.
Wingate hosts Brevard Saturday, Feb. 25 for Senior Day (2 p.m.)
Anderson (S.C.) hosts Carson-Newman Saturday, Feb. 25 (2 p.m.)