Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University women's basketball team started the third quarter on a 20-2 run, lifting the host Bulldogs to a 77-45 South Atlantic Conference victory over Tusculum College Saturday afternoon in Cuddy Arena and Thomas Koontz Family Court. WU junior center Marta Miscenko (Riga, Latvia) led three players in double figures with 16 points.
 
With its fourth consecutive victory, Wingate improves to 15-4 overall and 11-3 in the SAC. Tusculum falls to 4-14 overall and 3-11 in the league. The Bulldogs complete a two-game home stand Wednesday, hosting Newberry for a 6 p.m. contest. Tusculum returns home to entertain Anderson the same night and time.
 
WU sophomore forward/guard Danasia Witherspoon (Hickory, N.C.) had 13 points and a game-high eight rebounds as Wingate outrebounded Tusculum 43-17. Senior forward Kristina Rumplasch (Mount Airy, N.C.) had 13 points in 19 minutes off the Bulldog bench.
 
"We started a little slowly, but we got it together at the end of the second quarter," Wingate head women's basketball coach Ann Hancock says. "I thought our defense tightened up and we got some easy baskets to start the third to keep the momentum going."
 
For Tusculum, sophomore forward Kasey Johnson (Greensboro, N.C.) had 13 points, four blocked shots and three rebounds. TC sophomore guard Callie Patterson (McLeansville, N.C.) had 11 points for the visitors. Pioneer senior point guard Benedicta Makakala (Stockholm, Sweden) played 40 minutes, posting three points, three assists, three rebounds and three steals.
 
Six different Bulldogs contributed to the pivotal 20-2 explosion, led by Witherspoon and senior guard Shelby Tricoli (Waynesville, N.C.) with five points each. A three-point field goal by Wingate sophomore guard Caroline Averette (Midlothian, Va.) concluded the flurry and gave the hosts a 52-26 advantage with 3:43 left in the third quarter. The Bulldogs outscored the Pioneers 28-8 in the third frame. Tusculum would get no closer than 27 in the fourth quarter.
 
In the first half, the score was tied five times and the lead changed hands on six occasions. After the two teams battled to a 13-13 tie after the first quarter, Wingate outscored Tusculum 19-11 in the second stanza to take a 32-24 lead to the halftime locker room. The Bulldogs scored the last 11 points of the first half, turning a 24-21 deficit into an advantage they would not relinquish.
 
Wingate swept the specialty statistics categories, outscoring Tusculum 50-10 in the paint. The Bulldogs turned 19 Pioneer turnovers into 27 points. Wingate's 18 offensive rebounds resulted in 19 second-chance points. The Bulldog bench outscored the Pioneer substitutes 29-18, thanks to 13 from Rumplasch and nine from Averette. Wingate had six fast-break points, compared to zero for Tusculum.
 
The Bulldogs converted 29-of-57 field goals for a 50.9 shooting percentage. Wingate hit 10-of-17 baskets in the third quarter for a 58.8 percent clip. The Pioneers shot 39.5 percent from the floor (17-of-43) and made only three-of-nine hoops (33.3 percent) in the third quarter. Wingate had 16 assists, led by senior guard Alex Tomlinson (Raleigh, N.C.) and her five helpers. Miscenko had three assists, two steals and one blocked shot to go with her 16 points and five boards.
 
"It's nice to get lots of people playing time," Hancock says. "Everyone has been practicing hard and challenging each other. Rebounding was key as was taking care of the ball better in the second half.  Tusculum has some talented players who started the game hot. I was glad to see us fight through a rough start."