Box Score
Hickory, N.C.----The second-seeded Lenoir-Rhyne University Bears (19-8) received 21 points off the bench and held on for a 59-57 victory over seventh-seeded Wingate University (13-16) in the first round of the Food Lion SAC women’s basketball tournament Wednesday evening in Shuford Gymnasium. It was Lenoir-Rhyne’s second two-point over the Bulldogs on the L-R campus this year, following a 55-53 result on Feb. 6.
Krystal Patton led the Bears with 13 points on four-of-eight shooting and also finished four-of-six from the free throw line.
Wingate shot 51.2 percent from the floor, led by junior
Janitsha Williams’ (Statesville, N.C.) six-for-seven night and game high 16 points.
Sarah Wollett (Raleigh, N.C.) finished with 14 points, five assists and a game high three steals in her final outing wearing the blue and gold. Fellow senior
Tish Logan (Suitland, Md.) and
Jecia Anderson (San Antonio, Texas) also completed four-year Bulldog careers.
The Bears led by 13 with 2:36 remaining in the first, but three points by Wollett and sophomore
Kelli Bonner (Yadkinville, N.C.) as well as a
Chantal Dunbar (Virginia Beach, Va.) free throw cut the deficit to six points at 32-26 going into the half.
A jumper from Williams tied the game at 38 five minutes into the second half. LRU pushed the lead back to five on a pair of
Jenni Gust free throws with 9:12 remaining. An
Alisha Mobley layup with 3:53 to go made it a six-point game. A Wollett jumper, followed by a three-point play from Williams got Wingate to within one with 1:44 remaining.
Danielle Bongiorno hit a three for the Bears, but Wollett’s triple with 10 seconds left cut the lead back to one. Patton hit one free throw with seven seconds left, but the ‘Dogs were unable to get a shot off on the ensuing possession.
Lenoir-Rhyne controlled the glass, coming away with a 37-20 rebounding advantage.
Jazmine Charles led the Bear defensive effort, notching 11 rebounds and two steals. The Bears shot 16-of-26 from the charity stripe, while Wingate posted an eight-of-12 evening from the foul line.
LRU advances to face Tusculum in the semifinal round of the tournament Saturday afternoon in Greenville, S.C.
