Box Score
Charlotte, N.C.----Wingate University senior guard Janitsha Williams (Statesville, N.C.) scored a game-high 18 points to lead the Bulldogs to a 54-46 South Atlantic Conference women's basketball victory over Queens University of Charlotte Monday night in Curry Arena on the Queens campus. Three players hit double figures for the visiting Bulldogs.
 
Wingate remains in a first-place tie (with Lenoir-Rhyne) on top of the SAC standings. The Bulldogs are 18-4 overall and 14-4 in the SAC. The Royals are 5-17 overall and 4-14 in the SAC. Queens has lost 10 games in a row.
 
Senior forward Kayla Harris (Raleigh, N.C.) had 16 points and seven rebounds. Sophomore point guard Amber Neely (Charlotte, N.C.) contributed 10 points, four rebounds, three assists and two steals. Queens sophomore guard Nikia Squire (Columbia, S.C.) had 15 points and nine rebounds for the hosts.
 
"I am so proud of this team, their determination and will to win," Wingate head coach Ann Hancock says. "It seems like a different person steps up when we need it. (Junior forward) Brooklyn Boston (Lenoir, N.C.) was terrific tonight.  She was relentless on the boards and made huge energy plays. It feels like March…survive and advance."
 
Wingate won despite shooting a season-low 27.6 percent from the field (16-of-58). The Bulldogs' defensive efforts held SAC scoring leader Shonice Pettaway (Walstonburg, N.C.) to three points on one-of-13 shooting from her home floor. A senior forward, Pettaway had 20 points in Queens loss at Wingate Jan. 15.
 
In the first half, a jumper by Squire gave Queens a 17-11 advantage at the 10:29 mark. Back-to-back baskets by Harris gave Wingate the lead for good 22-21 with 5:59 remaining in the first frame. Two Williams' free throws finished the first half scoring (1:20) as the Bulldogs took a 34-28 lead to the halftime locker room.
 
Queens pulled within three points on three second-half occasions, but the Royals could not get over the hump. A jumper by Queens junior forward Lacey Singletary (Burlington, N.C.) pulled the hosts within 37-34 at the 14:13 mark. Williams went on a personal 5-0 run with a three-pointer (13:49) and two free throws (13:12) to put Wingate up 42-34.
 
Squire hit a triple to make the score 42-39 Wingate. Harris and Squire traded hoops to bring the Royals within three for the last time (44-41) with 10:23 left in the contest. Williams hit back-to-back hoops (9:23, 8:46) to nudge Wingate's lead back to 48-41. The Royals would get no closer than four points down the stretch.
 
Wingate turned 19 Queens turnovers into 17 points. The Royals outrebounded the Bulldogs 45-42 as Squire and Singletary topped the rebounding charts. Singletary was in the triple-double neighborhood with six points, eight rebounds and five blocked shots. Harris and Boston led Wingate with seven boards each.
 
The Bulldogs continue their three-road-games-in-six-days adventure Wednesday, visiting Coker for a 6 p.m. SAC contest. Queens visits Newberry Wednesday at the same time.

Newspaper Box Score
Wingate vs Queens (N.C.)
2/17/14 6 p.m. at Charlotte, N.C.

WINGATE WOMEN 54, QUEENS (N.C.) 46
WINGATE (18-4 overall, 14-4 SAC)
Williams, Janitsha 5-17 6-8 18; Harris, Kayla 5-9 6-6 16; Neely, Amber 3-10 2-2 10; Boston, Brooklyn 1-6 1-3 3; Tricoli, Shelby 1-8 0-0 3; Bonner, Kelli 1-3 0-0 3; McGee, Morgan 0-3 1-2 1; Boyd, Sharee 0-2 0-0 0; DeBerry, Jasmine 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 16-58 16-21 54.
QUEENS (N.C.) (5-17 overall, 4-14 SAC)
Squire, Nikia 5-13 4-6 15; Hudgins, Tia 2-3 4-5 8; Pettit, Abby 3-8 2-2 8; Cox, Micha 3-7 0-0 6; Singletary, Lacey 3-7 0-1 6; Pettaway, Shonice 1-13 1-2 3; Oliverio, McKell 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 17-52 11-16 46.
Wingate.......................   34   20  -   54
Queens (N.C.).................   28   18  -   46
3-point goals--Wingate 6-17 (Neely, Amber 2-5; Williams, Janitsha 2-5;
Bonner, Kelli 1-3; Tricoli, Shelby 1-4), Queens (N.C.) 1-9 (Squire, Nikia 1-2; Pettit, Abby 0-3; Cox, Micha 0-1; Pettaway, Shonice 0-3). Fouled out--Wingate-Harris, Kayla, Queens (N.C.)-None. Rebounds--Wingate 42 (Harris, Kayla 7; Boston, Brooklyn 7), Queens (N.C.) 45 (Squire, Nikia 9). Assists--Wingate 9 (Neely, Amber 3; Williams, Janitsha 3), Queens (N.C.) 9 (Singletary, Lacey 2; Pettaway, Shonice 2; Pettit, Abby 2). Total fouls--Wingate 19, Queens (N.C.) 15. Technical fouls--Wingate-None, Queens (N.C.)-None. A-150
SAC women's basketball, Curry Arena, Charlotte, N.C.