Harrogate, Tenn.----Wingate University junior point guard Courtney Robinson (Taylors, S.C.) hit a three-pointer at the buzzer, lifting the number 14 Bulldogs to a 67-64 South Atlantic Conference victory over Lincoln Memorial Wednesday evening in Tex Turner Arena. WU junior guard Caroline Averette (Midlothian, Va.) hit a three-pointer with eight seconds left to tie the game and set the stage for Robinson's heroics.
 
Wingate senior center Marta Miscenko (Riga, Latvia) led all scorers with 18 points. Averette added a season-high 17 points, while junior forward Danasia Witherspoon (Hickory, N.C.) contributed 14 points. For Lincoln Memorial, junior guard Emily Griffith (Oliver Springs, Tenn.) had 11 points, while freshman forward Qua Hines (Gatlinburg, Tenn.) posted 10 markers.
 
GAME INFORMATION
 
Score: #14 Wingate 67, Lincoln Memorial 64
Records: #14 Wingate 8-1 overall (3-0 SAC), Lincoln Memorial 5-4 overall (2-2 SAC)
Location: Tex Turner Arena, Harrogate, Tenn.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
 
-Wingate finished the game on an 11-2 run. Lincoln Memorial did not score a field goal in the final 2:47 of play.
-The game featured 15 lead changes and nine ties.
-Miscenko scored 14 of her 18 points after intermission. Averette had 14 of her 17 points in the first half.
-Wingate's seven three-point field goals is the team's second-highest output of the season. The Bulldogs had nine triples in a SAC victory over Mars Hill Dec. 2.
 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
First Quarter
 
An Averette three-point field goal made the score 17-9, giving Wingate an eight-point lead with 2:18 left. The eight-point margin was the Bulldogs' biggest advantage of the evening. LMU freshman center Cameryn DuBose and Hines hit baskets in the waning moments, making the tally Wingate 17, Lincoln Memorial 13 at the end of the first frame. Averette and Witherspoon had seven points each in the opening 10 minutes.
 
Second quarter

The Railsplitters put together a 12-0 run spanning both the first and second quarters to take a 21-17 lead on a jumper by freshman forward Addi Kirkpatrick with 7:32 to play. Wingate rallied, as freshman guard Morgan Simmons hit a three-pointer with 1:47 left, giving the Bulldogs a 32-28 edge. The Navy Blue and Vegas Gold-clad visitors led 34-33 at halftime. Only four Wingate players scored points in the first half.
 
Third quarter
 
The game was tied four times in the third frame with five lead changes. The quarter was the lowest-scoring of the evening, as the two teams scored 12 points each. Wingate freshman guard Jailah Melvin finished the third quarter with a jumper to give the Bulldogs a 46-45 lead entering the final 10 minutes.
 
Fourth Quarter
 
Miscenko (nine points) and Robinson (seven points) both made big baskets in the fourth quarter. Robinson was three-for-three from the floor in the frame, hitting the only three-pointer she tried to win the contest. Lincoln Memorial led 62-56 when DuBose made a jumper with 2:47 left. Wingate outscored LMU 11-2 the rest of the way.
 
TURNING POINT
 
Witherspoon took a charge with two seconds and change remaining, allowing Wingate to call a full time-out and move the ball to half-court. As a result, Averette found Robinson for the winning basket.
 
NOTABLES
 
-Wingate shot 64.3 percent in the fourth quarter (nine-of-14), while LMU hit 53.8 percent in the last 10 minutes (seven-of-13).
-Lincoln Memorial lost its first home contest of the season (in four tries). The Railsplitters had home-court victories over Clayton State, Catawba and Mars Hill prior to Wednesday night.
 
QUOTABLES
 
Wingate head women's basketball coach Ann Hancock: "Lincoln Memorial played a great game. It seemed like whomever had the ball last was going to win.  It was a game that didn't have much rhythm or flow because of the way LMU defended."
 
"Our players fought for everything we got. We made really big plays at the end. In the last eight seconds, Marta assisted on a kick-out (three-point) basket to a Caroline, Danasia took a huge charge and then Courtney made an unbelievable three."
 
"This is a big road win. It seems like every game with LMU is close. We will have to do a better job keeping them off the glass next time. They got too many second-chance points (18) and points in the paint (22)."
 
ON THE HORIZON

Wingate returns home Saturday, hosting Tusculum at 2 p.m. in Cuddy Arena and Thomas Koontz Family Court. Lincoln Memorial hits the road, visiting Newberry Saturday at the same time.