Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University women's basketball team rallied from a 10-point third quarter deficit, claiming a 63-57 South Atlantic Conference women's basketball victory over Carson-Newman University Saturday afternoon in Cuddy Arena and Thomas Koontz Family Court. Four players hit double-digit points for the victorious Bulldogs.
 
With the triumph, Wingate improves to 9-3 overall and 6-2 in the SAC with its sixth consecutive win. Carson-Newman falls to 10-4 overall and 4-4 in the SAC. Wingate visits Catawba College Wednesday night at 6 p.m. Carson-Newman hosts Brevard College Wednesday night at the same time.
 
Wingate senior forward Morgan McGee (Durham, N.C.) passed the 1000-point plateau for her career, leading the Bulldogs with 15 points. She has 1005 career points. Wingate junior forward Kristina Rumplasch (Mount Airy, N.C.) had 14 points off the bench, nailing seven-of-nine field goals.
 
Bulldog freshman guard Danasia Witherspoon (Hickory, N.C.) and junior guard Alex Tomlinson (Raleigh, N.C.) had 13 points and 11 points, respectively. Tomlinson and Rumplasch had seven rebounds each for the hosts. Rumplasch helped the Bulldog bench outscore the Eagle reserves 19-10.
 
For Carson-Newman, junior guard Kailyn Brooks (Lafayette, Tenn.) had 16 points. C-N senior forward Taylor Peterson (Mt. Juliet, Tenn.) had 13 points, while senior guard Jai Jai McLaughlin (Knoxville, Tenn.) posted a double-double with 10 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.
 
"I'm so proud and excited for our team," Wingate head women's basketball coach Ann Hancock says. "They showed a lot of heart to fight their way back from 10 points down.  Several players played well down the stretch.  Kristina made some tough baskets along with Morgan and Danasia. (Wingate freshman guard) Caroline Averette (Midlothian, Va.) made some big plays defensively. This is a big win for our program."
 
In the third quarter, Carson-Newman led 46-36 when freshman guard Ashton Wykle (Greeneville, Tenn.) hit a three-point field goal (from a McLaughlin dish) at the 2:38 mark. Wingate finished the game on a 27-11 run to take the victory.

The Bulldogs outscored the Eagles 10-2 to conclude the third frame, cutting the deficit to 48-46 on an Averette triple (on a Tomlinson assist) with 38 ticks left on the clock. After Carson-Newman hit a free throw to start the fourth quarter, Witherspoon (9:10) and Averette (8:17) scored Wingate's first two baskets to give the Bulldogs the lead for good at 50-49. Wingate led by as many as nine points in the waning moments.
 
Wingate held a 34-12 advantage in points in the paint. The Bulldogs turned 16 Eagle turnovers into 14 points, while Carson-Newman scored 12 points off 14 Wingate miscues. The Eagles had 21 second-chance points, compared to 13 for the Bulldogs.
 
Carson-Newman hit only 25 percent of its second half field goals (seven-of-28) to finish the game shooting 32.7 percent (18-of-55). Wingate concluded the contest shooting at a 39.7 percent clip (23-of-58). The Eagles outrebounded the Bulldogs by a slim 38-37 margin. C-N sophomore forward/center Jecca Simerly (Talbott, Tenn.) supported McLaughlin's efforts on the glass with seven rebounds.