Dustin Terrel Postgame Interview       Kayla Harris Postgame Interview

Wingate, N.C.----Five players hit double-figure points as the Wingate University women's basketball team claimed an 80-66 South Atlantic Conference victory over Mars Hill University Saturday afternoon in Cuddy Arena and Thomas Koontz Family Court. Bulldog senior forward Kayla Harris (Raleigh, N.C.) led the way with 22 points and 10 rebounds.

First-place Wingate earns its 10th home victory of the 2013-14 season, improving its record to 15-3 overall and 11-3 in the SAC. The Bulldogs have won six league games in a row, sweeping the season series over the MHU Lions in the process. Mars Hill is 4-14 overall and 3-11 in the SAC.

Senior guard Janitsha Williams (Statesville, N.C.) and freshman guard Shelby Tricoli (Waynesville, N.C.) had 14 points each. Tricoli hit a team-high four three-point field goals Saturday. Sophomore forward Morgan McGee (Durham, N.C.) had 12 points, four rebounds and three blocked shots. Sophomore forward Sharee Boyd (Charlotte, N.C.) contributed 10 points and five rebounds off the Bulldog bench.

Mars Hill sophomore forward Cadence Wilmoth (Glade Spring, Va.) posted 15 points to lead the visiting Lions. MHU junior guard Ansley Ricker (Greeneville, Tenn.) had 13 points, five points below her 18 points per game average entering the contest. Both teams hit seven three-point field goals as three Lions hit two triples each.
 
Wingate shot 60 percent from the floor after intermission (15-of-25), including a 50 percent clip from behind the three-point line (five-of-10). The Bulldogs took the lead for good when Williams hit a triple with 16:22 to play, giving the hosts a 41-38 advantage. Another Williams three-pointer made the score 56-46 with 9:58 to go. The Lions would get no closer than seven points down the stretch.
 
The first half was tightly contested with six ties and eight lead changes. Neither team led by more than four points in the first frame. Harris led the Bulldogs with 11 points and six rebounds, while Wilmoth had nine points for the Lions. Eight of the nine MHU players who played in the first half found the scoring column. The visitors hit five-of-nine three-pointers in the opening stanza. Mars Hill could manage only two triples (in seven attempts) after intermission.
 
Wingate shot 47.5 percent from the floor (29-of-61) Saturday, while Mars Hill converted 42.9 percent of its field goals (24-of-56). The Bulldogs hit 83.3 percent of their free throws (15-of-18). The Lions managed only 64.7 percent shooting from the charity stripe (11-of-17).
 
The Bulldogs outscored the Lions 34-28 in the paint. Mars Hill converted 19 Wingate turnovers into 23 points, while the hosts scored 20 points from 16 MHU miscues. Thanks to Wilmoth, the Mars Hill bench outscored the Wingate reserves 28-15.
 
Wingate hits the road Wednesday, visiting SAC foe Newberry College for a 6 p.m. contest. Mars Hill returns home the same day, entertaining Brevard at 6 p.m. Neither Wingate nor Mars Hill has seen its Wednesday opponent this season.

Newspaper Box Score
Mars Hill vs Wingate
02/01/14 2 p.m. at Wingate, N.C.

WINGATE WOMEN 80, MARS HILL 66
MARS HILL (4-14 overall, 3-11 SAC)
Wilmoth, Cadence 5-6 5-8 15; Ricker, Ansley 4-15 5-5 13; Baker, Brittany 3-6 0-0 8; Chavis, Paige 3-6 0-2 7; Ward, Autumn 2-3 1-2 7; Lane, Genice 3-9 0-0 6; Stevens, Katie 2-6 0-0 6; Espinosa, Kelsey 2-5 0-0 4; Comer, Sydney 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 24-56 11-17 66.
WINGATE (15-3 overall, 11-3 SAC)
Harris, Kayla 9-12 4-5 22; Williams, Janitsha 6-15 0-0 14; Tricoli, Shelby 5-9 0-0 14; McGee, Morgan 4-7 4-5 12; Boyd, Sharee 2-5 6-6 10; Bonner, Kelli 1-4 0-0 3; Neely, Amber 1-6 1-2 3; Tomlinson, Alex 1-3 0-0 2; Boston, Brooklyn 0-0 0-0 0; DeBerry, Jasmine 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 29-61 15-18 80.
Mars Hill.....................   34   32  -   66
Wingate.......................   35   45  -   80
3-point goals--Mars Hill 7-16 (Baker, Brittany 2-2; Ward, Autumn 2-3;
Stevens, Katie 2-3; Chavis, Paige 1-3; Lane, Genice 0-1; Ricker, Ansley
0-4), Wingate 7-17 (Tricoli, Shelby 4-5; Williams, Janitsha 2-6; Bonner, Kelli 1-3; Neely, Amber 0-3). Fouled out--Mars Hill-None, Wingate-None. Rebounds--Mars Hill 24 (Lane, Genice 4; Espinosa, Kelsey 4; Baker, Brittany 4), Wingate 44 (Harris, Kayla 10). Assists--Mars Hill 15 (Chavis, Paige 5), Wingate 19 (Neely, Amber 6). Total fouls--Mars Hill 15, Wingate 17. Technical fouls--Mars Hill-None, Wingate-None. A-299
SAC women's basketball, Cuddy Arena, Wingate, N.C.
Wingate visits Newberry Wednesday, Feb. 5 (6 p.m.)
Mars Hill hosts Brevard Wednesday, Feb. 5 (6 p.m.)