Mars Hill, N.C.----Wingate University graduate student forward Andrea Bertrand (Midlothian, Va.) scored a Bulldog career-high 24 points on 10-of-15 field goal shooting as Wingate defeated Mars Hill University 74-63 in South Atlantic Conference women's basketball action Saturday afternoon at Stanford Arena. Wingate never trailed en route to its third consecutive SAC road victory, improving to 4-4 overall and 3-1 in the SAC. Mars Hill is 3-4 overall and 1-3 in the SAC.
 
Wingate sophomore guard Shelby Tricoli (Waynesville, N.C.) added 11 points, while graduate student forward Chantal Dunbar (Virginia Beach, Va.) contributed her 15th career double-double with 10 points and a game-high 17 rebounds. Dunbar has 21 double-digit rebounding games for her WU career.
 
For Mars Hill, junior guard Camille Glymph (Greenville, S.C.) and sophomore guard Paige Chavis (Lexington, N.C.) had 17 and 16 points, respectively. The backcourt tandem combined to take 37 shots. Their seven teammates hoisted 22 shots.

"Today was one of our best games of the season," Wingate head women's basketball coach Ann Hancock says. "Andrea had a terrific offensive game. Chantal was a beast on the glass and (redshirt senior guard) Brittany (Hill) had an amazing defensive effort against Glymph. We played much better in the second half with only six turnovers." 
 
Wingate led 43-33 on a deep three-point field goal by senior guard Kelli Bonner (Yadkinville, N.C.) with 16:39 to play in the second stanza. Mars Hill answered with a 10-0 run to tie the game 43-43 on an inside hoop by junior forward Kelsey Espinosa (Austin, Texas) with 13:48 to play. MHU redshirt sophomore guard Genice Lane (Winston-Salem, N.C.) contributed five points to the 10-0 flurry.
 
The 43-43 tie was the only tie score of the evening. The Bulldogs responded to the 10-0 Lion run with a 6-0 spurt as Bertrand sandwiched two inside hoops around two Tricoli free throws. The second Bertrand basket made the score 49-43 Wingate with 12:15 remaining. A three-pointer by Chavis cut the MHU deficit to 53-50 one minute later, but the hosts would get no closer down the stretch.
 
Fittingly, Bertrand scored an inside bucket with 1:54 left to give the visitors their biggest lead at 72-61. The Concord (W.Va.) University graduate had 15 second-half points to help the Bulldogs keep the Lions at bay.
 
In the first half, a Bertrand lay-up gave Wingate a 24-15 advantage with 8:20 left in the opening frame. Mars Hill cut the margin to 26-25 on a Glymph lay-up four minutes later, but the Lions could not get over the hump.
 
Bertrand (nine points) and Tricoli (seven points) combined for 16 first-half markers for the Bulldogs. Chavis led all first-half scorers with 11 points. Glymph and freshman forward Raven Brown (Marietta, Ga.) had six points each in the first 20 minutes.
 
Wingate shot 48.3 percent from the floor (28-of-58) and 84.2 percent from the foul line (16-of-19), both season highs for the Bulldogs. On the other end, Mars Hill shot 37.3 percent from the field (22-of-59) and 76.2 percent from the charity stripe (16-of-21). Wingate outrebounded Mars Hill 43-29.
 
The Bulldogs outscored the Lions in points in the paint (44-32) and bench points (38-27). Wingate had 20 assists on 28 made baskets, as Hill and Bonner combined for 13 assists and only two turnovers in 65 cumulative minutes. Hill had a team-high three steals as well. "Brittany and Kelli stepped up big today," Hancock says. "I am glad we took advantage of our chances at the free throw line today."
 
Wingate will host Shaw on Tuesday for Future Bulldog Day at 11 a.m. The third annual Future Bulldog Day will attract more than 1000 N.C. fifth-graders and their chaperones for a day of campus tours, educational emphasis and basketball. Mars Hill visits SAC foe Coker next Saturday at 2 p.m.