Wingate, N.C.----Wingate University senior forward Morgan McGee (Durham, N.C.) had a season-high 24 points to lead the Bulldogs to a wild-and-woolly 83-74 double overtime South Atlantic Conference victory over Lincoln Memorial University Saturday afternoon in Cuddy Arena and Thomas Koontz Family Court. Lincoln Memorial junior center Josey Harding (Middletown, Ohio) led the visiting Railsplitters with 20 points and a career-high 18 rebounds.
 
With their second double-overtime triumph of the season, Wingate improves to 11-8 overall and 8-7 in the SAC. Lincoln Memorial falls to 13-8 overall and 10-6 in the SAC. The Bulldogs sweep the season series over the LMU Railsplitters.
 
"This was a great team win for us," Wingate head women's basketball coach Ann Hancock says. "We have fought hard in so many close games…to get over the hump will help us build momentum for the stretch run."
 
McGee hit nine-of-13 field goals Saturday. She filled out her statistical ledger with three rebounds and three blocked shots in her 25 minutes played. Wingate redshirt junior guard Amber Neely (Charlotte, N.C.) and freshman guard Courtney Robinson (Taylors, S.C.) added 11 points and 10 points, respectively.
 
Neely had nine rebounds and five assists. Both freshman guard Caroline Averette (Midlothian, Va.) and sophomore center Marta Miscenko (Riga, Latvia) posted Wingate career-highs in rebounding, as Averette collected 11 boards and eight points. Miscenko pulled down 10 boards.
 
Harding has three double-doubles this season. She hit eight-of-15 field goals. Following close behind her in the scoring column was senior guard Kiara Rawls (Killeen, Texas), who posted 19 points by hitting six-of-13 field goals, five-of-five free throws and two-of-two three-pointers. LMU senior guard Britney Guy (Locust Grove, Ga.) added 11 points.
 
Lincoln Memorial junior guard/forward Megan Pittman (Liberty, Ky.) attained her SAC-leading average of 10 rebounds, posting that very number during her performance in the contest. Rawls kept the Railsplitters' hopes alive nearing the end of the first overtime period, when she banked in a massive three-point shot with less than two seconds left on the clock to tie it up again at 72-72, sending the game into its second overtime.
 
"Amber was big down the stretch, as well as Caroline," Hancock says. "I thought we did a good job on the boards when we needed some stops." Averette pulled down eight of her team-high 11 rebounds in the second overtime period alone as Wingate outscored LMU 11-2 in the second OT stanza.
 
Wingate University will remain at home on Monday night, Feb. 8, hosting Mars Hill University. In December, the Bulldogs earned a double overtime 106-103 victory. Wingate's Hancock is 7-0 overall against the Lions during her three years-plus head coaching tenure at her alma mater. "We know we cannot take anything for granted the rest of the way," Hancock says. "Every game is important from here on out."
 
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL ALUMNI DAY IS FEB. 13
 
Wingate University head women's basketball coach Ann Hancock ('92) and the Bulldog family announce the re-scheduling of the Wingate women's basketball Alumni Day for Saturday, Feb. 13. The Bulldogs will face South Atlantic Conference foe Brevard College as part of the festivities in Cuddy Arena and Thomas Koontz Family Court. Tip-off for this contest is 2 p.m.
 
The day begins at 11 a.m. with a chance for the alumni to meet and greet the current team. The alumni will be served a catered lunch at 11:30 a.m. Both the meet-and-greet opportunity and the lunch will be held at the Jesse Helms Center in Wingate.
 
Campus tours will be available from 12:45 p.m. until 1:30 p.m. The Wingate Outfitters (bookstore) will be open as well. The Wingate women's basketball alumni will be recognized at halftime of the WU-BC game. The Bulldogs will also host their Play 4Kay (Pink Day) activities on Saturday, Feb. 13.
 
Alumni can register (and view an attendee list) at this link. For more details, please contact Ann Hancock via E-mail at a.hancock@wingate.edu or via phone at 704-233-8172. Hancock and her team look forward to celebrating the past, present and future accomplishments of the Wingate women's basketball alumni.
 
(Wingate University athletics intern Phillip Pruett, Jr. contributed this article. Pruett is senior at Temple University, majoring in Sport and Recreation Management.)