Salisbury, N.C.----Catawba College seniors Serena Brown (Ft. Washington, Md.) and Terri Rogers (Mebane, N.C.) combined for 34 points, leading the Indians to a 60-47 South Atlantic Conference victory over number 14 Wingate University Saturday afternoon in Goodman Gymnasium. The Indians break a five-game losing streak against the defending SAC tournament champion Wingate Bulldogs.
 
Catawba sprinted to a 16-5 lead after the first quarter and never looked back. WU junior forward Danasia Witherspoon (Hickory, N.C.) led the visiting Bulldogs with 13 points and nine rebounds. Three teammates had eight points each.
 
GAME INFORMATION
 
Score: Catawba 60, #14 Wingate 47
Records: Catawba 6-5 overall (4-1 SAC), #14 Wingate 9-2 overall (4-1 SAC)
Location: Goodman Gymnasium, Salisbury, N.C.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
 
-Brown led the Catawba College Indians with 18 points and nine rebounds. Rogers contributed 16 points and six rebounds.
-Brown filled out her statistical ledger with five assists and only one turnover in a game-high 38 minutes. She made a game-best three three-point field goals (in five attempts).
-Bulldog senior guard Taziya Moody (Columbia, S.C.), junior guard Caroline Averette (Midlothian, Va.) and junior forward Zasha Barrett (Monroe, N.C.) had eight points each.
-Wingate hit only one-of-12 field goals in the first quarter (8.3 percent). The Bulldogs shot a season-low 29.8 percent from the floor (17-of-57).
-On the other end, Catawba converted 45.1 percent of its field goal attempts (23-of-51). Brown hit five-of-eight tries.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
First Quarter
 
Witherspoon scored Wingate's only field goal of the first quarter when she hit an inside hoop at the 3:02 mark, cutting the Bulldog deficit to 9-4. The Indians finished the frame with a 7-1 flurry as three players contributed points. DeShazo's jumper ended the first quarter scoring at the 1:14 plateau.
 
Second quarter
 
Wingate cut the margin to nine on two occasions, the first on a Witherspoon jumper 47 seconds into the new quarter. The basket made the score 16-7 Catawba. Bulldog senior guard Taziya Moody (Columbia, S.C.) hit a hoop with 6:10 remaining as the visitors cut the deficit to 22-13. DeShazo finished the scoring for the second quarter in a row, making one free throw with one tick left on the clock. The charity toss gave the hosts their biggest lead of the afternoon at 30-16.
 
Third quarter
 
Witherspoon sandwiched two baskets around a Rogers jumper, bringing the Bulldogs within 12 (32-20) at the 8:27 mark. Rogers scored back-to-back baskets (7:48, 7:00) and senior guard Alexis Newbold made another hoop (6:17) to make the score 38-20 Catawba.
 
The Indians had three traditional three-point plays in the final 3:33 of the third quarter, including two by freshman center Talia Barnes. The first of Barnes' three-point plays gave Catawba a 44-25 lead with 2:35 left. The 19-point advantage was the hosts' largest lead of the afternoon.
 
Fourth Quarter
 
The Bulldogs did not fold the tents, pulling within nine (56-47) on an Averette jumper with 53 seconds left in the contest. Catawba made only three field goals in the fourth quarter, while Wingate made a game-high seven baskets.
 
TURNING POINT
 
For the second game in a row, the first quarter was a big determining factor. The Navy Blue and Vegas Gold-clad Bulldogs entered the Catawba game with 183 points in the first quarter (equaling their fourth-quarter output of 183 points in the same time frame).
 
NOTABLES
 
-Catawba has held three of its five SAC opponents (to date) under 50 percent shooting from the floor.
-The 47 points was Wingate's lowest point total since the Bulldogs scored 46 points against number five Pittsburg State (Kan.) on Dec. 17, 2014 in the Honolulu Holiday Classic (#5 PSU 66, WU 46).
-The Bulldogs hit only 28.6 percent from the floor the same day (16-of-56), their coldest shooting night before today's contest.
-Catawba's last victory over Wingate was a 73-69 decision in Salisbury on Jan. 13, 2016. The Indians (nine) and the Bulldogs (eight) combined for 17 three-point field goals in the slugfest.
 
QUOTABLES
 
Wingate head women's basketball coach Ann Hancock: "Catawba is very athletic and balanced on both ends of the floor. Defensively, they disrupted and took us out of what we wanted to run.  Offensively, they shot the ball well and were able to execute. They played hard and won all the loose balls. They were the better team today."
 
NEXT ON THE AGENDA

Both teams will take a break for the Christmas holidays. Wingate returns to the hardwood Sunday, Dec. 31, journeying to Chowan for a 3 p.m. afternoon matinee against the CIAA-member Hawks. The Bulldogs return to South Atlantic Conference action Wednesday, Jan. 3, visiting Queens University of Charlotte for a 6 p.m. contest.
 
Catawba will also face a CIAA opponent in its next game, traveling to Richmond, Va. for a 2 p.m. encounter with Virginia Union on Saturday, Dec. 30. The Indians resume SAC play Wednesday, Jan. 3 at Lenoir-Rhyne (6 p.m. tip-off).