Wingate, N.C. ----Lincoln Memorial University junior guard Shea Coker (Knoxville, Tenn.) nailed the game-winning jumper with four seconds remaining in the second overtime period as the 11th-ranked LMU Railsplitters escaped Cuddy Arena and Thomas Koontz Family Court with an 84-83 South Atlantic Conference women's basketball decision over host Wingate University Wednesday evening. The 'Dogs overcame a 12-point deficit with 57 seconds remaining in the third quarter to force overtime.
 
Wingate is now 5-3 overall and 3-2 in the SAC. Lincoln Memorial maintains its undefeated record, improving to 10-0 overall and 5-0 in conference action. "Tonight was a great battle between two good teams," Wingate head coach Ann Hancock says. "I was extremely proud of how hard we fought to take the lead and get back in the game."
 
Four Bulldogs finished with double figures as WU sophomore guard Caroline Averette (Midlothian, Va.) posted a career-high 22 points to lead the scoring. Sophomore guard/forward Danasia Witherspoon (Hickory, N.C.) and junior center Marta Miscenko (Riga, Latvia) each posted double-doubles in the contest.
 
Miscenko tallied her sixth double-double performance of the season with 15 points and 10 rebounds, while Witherspoon had the second of her sophomore campaign with 17 points and 10 boards. Graduate student point guard Amber Neely (Charlotte, N.C.) contributed 12 points for the hosts.
 
Lincoln Memorial seniors Sydnie Anderson (Cleveland, Tenn.) and Megan Pittman (Liberty, Ky.) combined for 38 points to lead the number 11 Railsplitters. Anderson had 20 points, while Pittman had 18 points, 15 rebounds, four assists, four blocked shots and two steals as four LMU Railsplitters hit double-digit points. Pittman was the only student-athlete to play 50 minutes Wednesday night.
 
LMU redshirt junior guard Karsen Sims (Gatlinburg, Tenn.) and sophomore guard Emily Griffith (Oliver Springs, Tenn.) tallied 11 and 10 points, respectively. Five different Railsplitters hit one three-point field goal each. Averette had all three of Wingate's three-point field goals Wednesday.
 
The Railsplitters never trailed in the contest until the 47-second mark of the fourth quarter. LMU sprinted out to the early 18-8 advantage in the opening stanza. Wingate trimmed the margin down to six points at 18-12 with 1:52 on the clock; however, the visitors maintained 23-15 lead at the break between quarters.
 
Wingate would not get any closer than six points in the second quarter, trailing by its largest deficit of 11 points at 33-22 with 2:21 remaining in the first half of play. The Bulldogs would cut the LMU lead down to single digits with the Railsplitters holding on to the 34-26 advantage at the halftime intermission.
 
It was a tightly-contested battle throughout the third stanza as a lay-up from senior guard Shelby Tricoli (Waynesville, N.C.) trimmed the WU deficit down six points to make it a 41-35 game at the 6:28 mark. Wingate was unable to make it less than a six-point contest in the quarter with LMU extending the lead out to 12 points at 54-42 for the 'Splitters biggest advantage of the game with 57 seconds left on the clock. Lincoln Memorial led by a score of 54-45 at the third quarter break.
 
The 'Dogs trailed by 11 points with 8:14 in the fourth quarter, but commenced their furious comeback with an 8-0 mini-run to cut the margin down to three points on a two-point jumper from Miscenko to make the score 58-55 at the 5:59 mark.
 
A three-pointer from Averette put the hosts within two points with 1:04 remaining in regulation, followed by back-to-back free throws from Miscenko to give Wingate its first lead of the game with 47 seconds left. The home team led by a score of 69-67; however, a converted lay-up from Sims knotted the score at 69-69 to send the thrilling contest to its first overtime period.
 
Wingate held on to the narrow advantage throughout the majority of overtime with LMU trailing by three points or less. The Railsplitters tied the game up at 76-76 with 27 seconds to go, but Neely hit the go-ahead jumper with six seconds on the clock. LMU sophomore guard Rachel Griffith (Oliver Springs, Tenn.) answered with a two-pointer of her own to beat the buzzer and send the game to a second overtime with a 78-78 tie.
 
With the 'Dogs trailing 82-81 with 2:05 left in double overtime, Averette nailed a clutch two-pointer to give the hosts an 83-82 advantage with 1:39 on the clock. Neither team would tally a bucket until Coker hit the jumper with four seconds left to give Lincoln Memorial the epic victory.
 
"Rebounding was going to be important and we beat them on the boards," Hancock says. "We got LMU in foul trouble, but we were not able to capitalize at the free throw line. They have really talented players who can shoot the ball well, which makes them really hard to defend. The combination of the inside/outside game is tough. We will regroup and get ready for Brevard on Saturday."
 
Wingate outrebounded Lincoln Memorial 46-42, while also maintaining the 15-9 edge in assists. The Bulldogs outscored LMU 44-32 in the paint, held the 16-15 advantage in points off turnovers and led 14-11 in second-chance buckets. The Bulldog bench outscored the Railsplitters' reserves 31-24 in the contest. Wingate shot 41.5 percent from the field with LMU posting a 42.5 field goal percentage.
 
The Wingate University Bulldogs are back in action Saturday at home for an afternoon SAC showdown versus the Brevard College Tornados. Tip-off is slated for a 2 p.m. start. Lincoln Memorial will also be home at the same time Saturday for a conference battle against the Newberry College Wolves from Tex Turner Arena.
 
(Wingate University athletic media relations/sports network student assistant Jackson Kaplan contributed this article. A sophomore from Raleigh, Kaplan is a Communication Studies major at Wingate. He is the son of Harrison and Dona Kaplan.)