Greenville, S.C.----The Wingate University women's basketball team (22-5 overall) faces Anderson (S.C.) University (16-13 overall) in the Food Lion South Atlantic Conference tournament semi-finals Saturday night in Furman University's Timmons Arena. The Bulldogs and the Trojans will tip-off at 8 p.m. Wingate and Anderson have never met in the SAC semi-final round.
 
"We are looking forward to the SAC semi-finals," Wingate head coach Ann Hancock says. "We know this will be a battle. They have several offensive threats…and are very difficult to defend. This is almost a home game for Anderson; we know their fans will be out in full force."
 
Wingate won both regular season meetings between the two teams. On Dec. 4, Wingate senior All-SAC performers Janitsha Williams (Statesville, N.C.) and Kayla Harris (Raleigh, N.C.) combined for 35 points and 21 rebounds as the Bulldogs defeated the defending SAC champion AU Trojans 56-55 at the Abney Athletic Center.
 
Williams had 20 points and nine rebounds. Harris posted her third double-double of the young season with 15 points and 12 boards. Anderson freshman forward Alexis Dillard (Taylors, S.C.) had 14 points, six blocked shots and five rebounds. Trojan junior guard Sierra Simpson (Simpsonville, S.C.) joined Harris in the double-double club with 13 points and 11 boards.
 
Wingate shot 42.1 percent from the floor (24-of-57), while Anderson managed only 30.8 percent shooting (20-of-65) on its home hardwood. The Bulldogs won the battle of the boards 45-35 as sophomore forward Sharee Boyd (Charlotte, N.C.) pulled down seven rebounds to supplement Harris and Williams' efforts.
 
On Saturday, Feb. 8, Harris had a career-high 29 points and added 12 rebounds as the Bulldogs earned a 91-73 triumph over Anderson in Cuddy Arena and Thomas Koontz Family Court. Williams contributed 21 points and eight boards for the hosts. Wingate's 91 points is a season-high.
 
Harris converted 10-of-14 and nine-of-10 free throws in her 39 minutes. She had a game-high 12 points in the first half as Wingate gained a 41-26 advantage at intermission. The Bulldogs led wire-to-wire, shooting a season-best 51.7 percent from the floor (30-of-58).
 
For Anderson, freshman guard Heather Jankowy (Walhalla, S.C.) had 19 points on the strength of five-of-eight shooting. She drained three-of-six three-point field goals. Trojan junior guards Simpson and Lesley Woods (Raleigh, N.C.) had 10 points each. Woods also hit three buckets from downtown (in seven attempts).
 
Either Harris or Williams has been Wingate's scoring leader in 24 of the Bulldogs' 27 games (to date). Harris took top honors Wednesday, as she posted 23 points and 10 rebounds in Wingate's 78-52 Food Lion SAC quarter-final victory over Newberry. Four Bulldogs hit double-digits in the home triumph, as Williams had 14 points and nine boards, while sophomore center Morgan McGee (Durham, N.C.) and freshman guard Shelby Tricoli (Waynesville, N.C.) had 13 points each.
 
Anderson earned a hard-fought 71-64 overtime victory over number three seed Lincoln Memorial Wednesday night in Harrogate, Tenn. Simpson had 20 points and seven rebounds in 43 minutes. The 20-point effort was the first of her AU Trojan career. Woods had 14 points, while junior forward Jasmine Franklin (Simpsonville, S.C.) added 13 markers in a reserve role.
 
Harris leads Wingate in scoring (17.0), rebounding (9.3), field goal percentage (50.9) and double-doubles (14). She is the only Bulldog to start 27 of 27 games. Her 23-point effort Wednesday was her ninth time scoring 20 or more points this season. Wingate is 8-1 overall when Harris hits 20-plus points. Eight of her nine 20-point (or more) efforts have been against SAC competition.
 
Williams averages 15.5 points per game and 8.0 rebounds per game. She has four double-doubles this year, leading Wingate to a victory in three of the four contests. She has tallied 20 or more points five times. Wingate is 4-1 overall when Williams hits 20-plus points.
 
McGee contributes 7.7 points per game and 4.7 rebounds per game. Wingate sophomore point guard Amber Neely (Charlotte, N.C.) averages 7.7 points per game, 5.0 rebounds per game and 4.3 assists per game. Neely is third in the SAC with her 2.0 assist-to-turnover ratio. Tricoli posts 7.6 points per game. Her 29 three-point field goals are second on the Bulldog charts to Williams' 38 triples.
 
Anderson has eight players who average between 5.8 points per game and 10.2 points per game. Woods leads the way with her 10.2 points per game, while Simpson is right behind at 10.1 points per game. Woods is the only AU player to start 29 of 29 games. Dillard leads the Trojans with her 6.9 rebounds per game. Anderson tops the SAC charts with its 70.9 points per game average.
 
The Trojans lead the SAC with 191 three-point field goals. Seven different AU players have hit a three-pointer this year, led by Woods and her 79 three-point field goals. By comparison, Wingate has made 109 triples this season.
 
"We must limit Anderson to one shot," Hancock says. "The game may hinge on rebounding. Hopefully, we can get a few easy baskets from offensive rebounds and stick-backs."
 
The Trojans present Wingate with challenges on both ends of the floor. "Anderson plays a difficult match-up zone," Hancock says. "It will be important for us to hit our perimeter shots…so we can open up our touches in the paint."
 
THIS AND THAT: In Saturday's earlier semi-final, Lenoir-Rhyne faces Carson-Newman at 5:30 p.m. The semi-final winners play Sunday (4 p.m. tip-off) for the Food Lion SAC tournament title and an automatic qualification to the NCAA Division II post-season tournament.
 
Wingate has won 11 SAC regular season crowns and six Food Lion SAC tournament championships. The Bulldogs shared the SAC regular season championship with the Lenoir-Rhyne Bears.
 
Trojan head coach Jimmy Garrity spent eight years on Ann Hancock's staff at UNC Wilmington. The 2013-14 season is Garrity's first year at Anderson. The AU Trojans swept the season series over league co-champion Lenoir-Rhyne, taking a 71-70 victory at L-R in November and a 76-67 home triumph in January.
 
The Wingate University women's basketball team hosted a Be The Match® Marrow Donor Registry Drive Saturday, Feb. 8 in Cuddy Arena. The drive honored University of North Carolina head women's basketball coach Sylvia Hatchell, who was diagnosed with leukemia in October of 2013. The drive raised more than $800; 135 people were entered into the registry.
 
Any person ages 18-44 can be added to the registry by simply giving a cheek swab. There is no charge to register. The Bulldogs encouraged non-registrants to make a monetary donation. Every $100 raised helps add another member to the registry.
 
WINGATE UNIVERSITY
 
Wingate University, ranked as the 8th "best value" in the South by U.S. News & World Report, serves more than 3,000 students on three campuses in Wingate, Charlotte and Hendersonville, N.C. Founded in 1896, the University offers 35 undergraduate majors, 37 minors and career concentrations, numerous pre-professional programs, graduate degrees in business, accounting, education, physician assistant studies and sport administration, and doctorates in pharmacy, physical therapy and education.
 
With a 14 to 1 student/teacher ratio, Wingate students gain the tools and support needed to excel in academics and apply that learning toward an extraordinary career and life. To view current news, video and story ideas, visit www.youtube.com/wingateuniversity. 
 
In addition to a robust intramural athletics program, Wingate student athletes compete in 22 NCAA Division II sports. The University has won the South Atlantic Conference Echols Athletic Excellence Award for the past seven years. For more information, go to www.wingate.edu.
 
Wingate is first among NCAA Division II Academic All-America®-producing private colleges in the 2000's with 59 selections. Among North Carolina's colleges and universities, Wingate's 59 Academic All-America® honorees are number one during this millennium. Wingate's 68 lifetime Academic All-America® picks are tops among all SAC schools. For more information on WU athletics, go to www.wingatebulldogs.com.