Wingate, N.C.----Four Bulldogs hit double-figure points as Wingate University claimed a share of first place in the South Atlantic Conference with a 73-59 women's basketball victory over Carson-Newman University Saturday afternoon in Cuddy Arena and Thomas Koontz Family Court. Freshman guard Shelby Tricoli (Waynesville, N.C.) led the hosts with 21 points. Wingate is 9-1 overall and 5-1 in the SAC. Carson-Newman is 8-4 overall and 5-1 in the SAC.
 
Tricoli hit eight-of-13 field goals with two buckets from behind the three-point line. She filled out her first 2014 statistics sheet with four assists, two rebounds, two steals and one blocked shot. Senior forward Kayla Harris (Raleigh, N.C.) had 17 points and eight rebounds, while senior guard Janitsha Williams (Statesville, N.C.) posted 14 points and 10 boards. Bulldog sophomore forward Morgan McGee (Durham, N.C.) added 13 points and eight rebounds.
 
Eleven players found the scoring column for Carson-Newman, with sophomore guard Jai Jai McLaughlin (Knoxville, Tenn.) topping the charts with 15 points. She added seven rebounds and three assists to her stat ledger. McLaughlin was the only C-N player to reach double digits. Eagle freshman forward Kaitlyn Cupples (Clinton, Tenn.) pulled down eight rebounds for the visitors.
 
"Today was a huge win after such a long break," Wingate head coach Ann Hancock says. "Although both teams started slowly, we made a run at the end of the first half which proved to be the difference in the game."
 
Wingate led 42-24 at intermission, thanks to a 20-2 explosion to finish the first frame. Fittingly, Tricoli gave the Bulldogs the lead for good (25-22) with an old-fashioned three-point play at the 4:33 mark. Williams had eight points in the flurry, while Tricoli and Harris pitched in five markers each. The Bulldogs shot 48.6 percent from the floor in the first half (17-of-35). The first half was tied six times with five lead changes.
 
Carson-Newman managed only 25.6 percent shooting (11-of-43) in the first half. The Eagles hit 42.9 percent from the floor after the halftime break (12-of-28), but the visitors could get no closer than 14 points down the stretch. Wingate's biggest lead was a 54-31 margin with 12-plus minutes remaining on a fast-break basket by Williams at the 12:19 plateau.
 
The Bulldogs outscored the Eagles 48-30 in the paint. Wingate turned 12 steals into 25 fast-break points. Williams had four thefts, while sophomore forward Sharee Boyd (Charlotte, N.C.) notched three steals. Harris blocked six of Wingate's season-high nine shots.
 
Wingate outrebounded Carson-Newman 53-41 as sophomore guard Amber Neely (Charlotte, N.C.) pulled down a career-high 12 rebounds. Ten of Neely's 12 boards were corralled on the defensive end. The N.C. Central transfer flirted with a triple-double with six points and a team-best seven assists.
 
"Our rebounding effort was outstanding, especially Amber (Neely)," Hancock says. "Hopefully we can build on this going into a tough road stretch."
 
Wingate plays two critical SAC road games next week. The Bulldogs visit Lenoir-Rhyne Wednesday before taking their longest trip of the season Saturday, Feb. 11 to Lincoln Memorial. Both contests begin at 6 p.m. EST. Carson-Newman hosts Mars Hill Wednesday at 6 p.m.

Newspaper Box Score
Carson-Newman vs Wingate
01/04/14 2 p.m. at Wingate, N.C.

WINGATE WOMEN 73, CARSON-NEWMAN 59
CARSON-NEWMAN (8-4 overall, 5-1 SAC)
Mclaughlin, Jai Jai 5-7 3-6 15; Brooks, Kailyn 3-12 0-0 8; Franklin, Jassmine 3-11 1-2 7; Markus, Chante 3-11 0-0 7; Peacher, Lashawnda 3-6 0-0 6; Burstrom, Tatum 2-6 2-2 6; Kyle, Whitney 1-3 0-0 3; Peterson, Taylor 1-5 0-0 2; Cupples, Kaitlyn 1-5 0-0 2; Sedlacek, Kianna 1-1 0-0 2; Miller, Lacy 0-2 1-2 1; Pippin, Carly 0-1 0-0 0; Stubblefield, Katie 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 23-71 7-12 59.
WINGATE (9-1 overall, 5-1 SAC)
Tricoli, Shelby 8-13 3-3 21; Harris, Kayla 7-16 3-7 17; Williams, Janitsha 7-17 0-0 14; McGee, Morgan 6-7 1-1 13; Neely, Amber 1-7 4-6 6; Tomlinson, Alex 0-3 2-2 2; Boyd, Sharee 0-1 0-2 0; Boston, Brooklyn 0-0 0-0 0; DeBerry, Jasmine 0-2 0-0 0; Bonner, Kelli 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 29-68 13-21 73.
Carson-Newman.................   24   35  -   59
Wingate.......................   42   31  -   73
3-point goals--Carson-Newman 6-24 (Brooks, Kailyn 2-7; Mclaughlin, Jai Jai 2-3; Kyle, Whitney 1-2; Markus, Chante 1-3; Peterson, Taylor 0-3; Miller, Lacy 0-1; Pippin, Carly 0-1; Burstrom, Tatum 0-3; Peacher, Lashawnda 0-1), Wingate 2-14 (Tricoli, Shelby 2-5; Williams, Janitsha 0-2; Neely, Amber 0-3; Tomlinson, Alex 0-2; DeBerry, Jasmine 0-1; Bonner, Kelli 0-1). Fouled out--Carson-Newman-None, Wingate-None. Rebounds--Carson-Newman 41 (Cupples, Kaitlyn 8), Wingate 53 (Neely, Amber 12). Assists--Carson-Newman 11 (Brooks, Kailyn 4), Wingate 18 (Neely, Amber 7). Total fouls--Carson-Newman 20, Wingate 12. Technical fouls--Carson-Newman-None, Wingate-None. A-199
SAC women's basketball, Cuddy Arena, Wingate, N.C.
Wingate visits Lenoir-Rhyne Wednesday, Jan. 8 (6 p.m.)
Carson-Newman hosts Mars Hill, Wednesday, Jan. 8 (6 p.m.)