Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University women's basketball team shot a season-best 54.2 percent from the floor en route to a 78-51 South Atlantic Conference victory over Carson-Newman University in Cuddy Arena and Thomas Koontz Family Court Saturday. Wingate (18-7 overall, 16-2 SAC) stays in a first-place tie with Anderson (S.C.) on top of the league standings. Carson-Newman is 16-8 overall and 10-8 in the SAC.
 
Wingate sophomore guard Shelby Tricoli (Waynesville, N.C.) led five Bulldogs in double figures with 18 points. In two games against the C-N Eagles this year, Tricoli has 40 points. Bulldog graduate student post players Andrea Bertrand (Midlothian, Va.) and Chantal Dunbar (Virginia Beach, Va.) combined for 27 points and 17 rebounds.
 
Bertrand had her first double-double as a Bulldog, scoring 14 points and pulling down a team-high 10 rebounds. The Concord (W.Va.) graduate had nine defensive boards as Wingate outrebounded Carson-Newman 35-27. Dunbar had 13 points and seven rebounds. Bulldog junior forward Morgan McGee (Durham, N.C.) and redshirt senior point guard Brittany Hill (Mechanicsville, Va.) had 12 points and 10 points, respectively.
 
Carson-Newman senior center Jassmine Franklin (Lexington, Ky.) led the visitors with 14 points and five rebounds off the Eagle bench. The C-N substitutes outscored the WU reserves 22-14. Sophomore guard Kailyn Brooks (Lafayette, Tenn.) added 10 points for the visitors.
 
"Today was a fantastic day all around," Wingate head women's basketball coach Ann Hancock says. "We played a terrific game, the alumni were recognized and Play 4Kay raised awareness and funds for cancer research."
 
"Our defensive effort was outstanding and our offensive execution was one of the best of the season," Hancock says. "Five players in double figures is evidence of our unselfish play and making the extra pass. We hope to use this game to build momentum for the stretch run."