Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University women's basketball placed five student-athletes in double-figure points, claiming a 79-61 NCAA Division II women's basketball triumph over UNC Pembroke Tuesday night in Cuddy Arena and Thomas Koontz Family Court. The contest was the home opener for the victorious Bulldogs (2-1 overall).
 
Bulldog freshman point guard Courtney Robinson (Taylors, S.C.) posted a team-high 14 points. She hit four-of-seven three-point field goals Tuesday. Robinson added eight rebounds and five assists to her statistical ledger. Wingate freshman guard Caroline Averette (Midlothian, Va.) recorded a career-high 13 points on the strength of five-for-five shooting from the field. Averette hit three-of-three from downtown.
 
"It is nice to be in front of the home crowd," Wingate head women's basketball coach Ann Hancock says. "UNC Pembroke is always a challenge because they are athletic and very tough defensively. We had some newcomers step up big tonight. Courtney, Caroline, freshman guard/forward Danasia Witherspoon (Hickory, N.C.) and junior forward Kristina Rumplasch (Mount Airy, N.C.) gave us tremendous balance and scored in a variety of ways. I was pleased we out-rebounded them and that we had a positive assist-to-turnover ratio."
 
For UNC Pembroke (3-2 overall), junior guard Jasmine Huntley (Indian Trail, N.C.) had 15 points off the bench. Senior forward Mary Robinson (Enterprise, Ala.) added 11 points and a team-high (tying) seven rebounds. Huntley and Robinson combined to hit eight-of-16 field goals. Their 10 teammates who saw action Tuesday hit 12-of-45 field goal attempts (26.7 percent).
 
Seven Bulldog newcomers saw playing time Tuesday. The Wingate newbies combined for 49 points, 31 rebounds, 16 assists and three steals. Rumplasch had 12 points, five rebounds, one assist and one blocked shot. Senior forward/center Morgan McGee (Durham, N.C.) led the WU veterans with 12 points, four rebounds and three assists.
 
Witherspoon narrowly missed her first career double-double with 10 points and nine rebounds in a team-high 33 minutes played. The Hickory High School product filled out her statistical ledger with three assists, two steals and one blocked shot. Freshman point guard Taylor Helms (Monroe, N.C.) matched Robinson with five assists. Helms dished out her five dimes in eight minutes played.
 
A Robinson triple (6:39) gave Wingate the lead for good early in the second quarter. Robinson's first of a game-high four three-point field goals made the score 20-18 Bulldogs. Fittingly, another Robinson three-pointer concluded the first half scoring, giving Wingate a 36-28 lead heading to intermission.
 
UNC Pembroke would get no closer than seven points in the second half. A jumper by senior center Alysia Hudson (Jacksonville, N.C.) put Wingate up 79-59 with 39 seconds remaining. Hudson was one of five Bulldogs to block a shot Tuesday. The Bulldogs pressured the Braves into 32.8 percent shooting (20-of-61). Conversely, Wingate shot 46.3 percent from the floor in its home opener (31-of-67).
 
Witherspoon (nine boards) and Robinson (eight caroms) combined for 17 rebounds to help the Bulldogs outrebound the Braves 47-38. Robinson and junior forward Jonissa Monley (Laurinburg, N.C.) had seven rebounds each for the visitors.
 
Both teams return to conference play Saturday. Wingate hits the road, visiting South Atlantic Conference foe Mars Hill for a 2 p.m. afternoon matinee. UNC Pembroke returns to the English E. Jones Center Saturday, hosting Peach Belt Conference rival Lander for a 1 p.m. tilt.