Jefferson City, Tenn.----The Wingate University women’s basketball team hopes to get back on the winning track Saturday, as the Bulldogs visit Carson-Newman College for a 2 p.m. contest in Holt Fieldhouse. The Bulldogs are 13-6 overall and 7-4 in the SAC. The C-N Eagles are 11-8 overall and 5-6 in the SAC.
 
On Dec. 3, Wingate senior guard Kurie Washington (Marion, N.C.) had 18 points to lead four Bulldogs in double figures as Wingate notched a 74-55 victory over the visiting C-N Eagles in Cuddy Arena. Sophomore guard Nikki Burton (Charlotte, N.C.) had 16 points, nine rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocks for the Bulldogs.
 
Sophomore forward Chantal Dunbar (Norfolk, Va.) notched a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, while sophomore guard Janitsha Williams (Statesville, N.C.) had 11 points. Senior forward Simone Rutledge (Atlanta, Ga.) added nine points, 11 rebounds and five assists for the Bulldogs. For Carson-Newman, junior forward Nikki James and sophomore forward Shannon Depew had 13 points each. Senior forward Zoriah Williams added 11 points and 12 rebounds for the Eagles.
 
On Wednesday, Wingate saw a six-game winning streak end as host Catawba claimed a 63-58 decision in Goodman Gymnasium. Burton had 12 points, four assists and three steals for the Bulldogs. Washington contributed 10 points and four rebounds. The Bulldogs were 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.
 
Eagle senior forward Zoriah Williams scored her 1,000th career point as Carson-Newman earned a 68-50 road victory at Brevard Wednesday. Williams led the Eagles with 15 points and seven rebounds in the contest. Sophomore forward Shannon Depew added 11 points and nine boards. Senior guard Lundyn Howard had 10 points and five assists.
 
Wingate leads the SAC with 252 steals. The Bulldogs are averaging 70.3 points per game, while Eagles score 68.1 points per game. Burton leads the Bulldogs in scoring (15.7 points per game), field goal percentage (48.5 percent), free throw percentage (82.5 percent), steals (62) and blocked shots (21). She is ranked in the SAC top 10 in each of the aforementioned categories.
 
Washington averages 10.4 points per game, while Williams contributes 10.3 points per game. Rutledge adds 9.2 points per game and a team-best 6.8 rebounds per game. Williams leads Carson-Newman with 14.7 points per game and 8.6 rebounds per game. Depew averages 11.2 points per game. She tops the Eagle charts with 27 three-point field goals.
 
Burton is this week’s SAC women’s basketball Player of the Week, league officials announced Monday. She averaged 22.5 points per game and 9.0 rebounds per game as the Bulldogs won twice last week. She hit 60 percent of her field goals (15-of-25) in the two victories. Burton had her first Wingate double-double with 23 points and 12 rebounds as the Bulldogs defeated Anderson 61-51 last Wednesday.
           
Bulldog head coach Barbara Nelson has compiled a 90-49 during her five-year tenure at Wingate. In her first season at Wingate, Nelson helped the Bulldogs advance to the 2008 Elite Eight. Wingate has made NCAA play-off appearances in two of her four seasons. The 2011-12 season is the first for Carson-Newman head coach Mike Mincey.
 
The Eagles have won four games in a row over the Bulldogs in Jefferson City. Wingate’s last victory in Jefferson City was a 99-90 decision on Feb. 28, 2009. Washington scored a (then) career-high 30 points to lead Wingate to the regular season-ending victory.
 
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.