Murfreesboro, N.C.----Wingate University senior guard Taziya Moody (Columbia, S.C.) hit the go-ahead jumper with 20 seconds left, lifting the number 22 Bulldogs to a 72-69 NCAA Division II women's basketball victory over Chowan University Sunday at the Helms Center. Moody was one of four Wingate student-athletes to hit double-figure points.
 
Bulldog junior guard Caroline Averette (Midlothian, Va.) led the visitors with 17 points and eight rebounds. WU junior center Zasha Barrett (Monroe, N.C.) had a career-high 15 points. Junior forward Danasia Witherspoon (Hickory, N.C.) netted 13 points, while Moody achieved a season-high with her 11 points.
 
For Chowan, junior forward Danielle Weldon (Glen Allen, Va.) had 19 points to lead all scorers. Weldon scored all of her points in the second half. CU junior guard Jada Lee (Virginia Beach, Va.) and senior forward Dhyamond Crenshaw (Burke, Va.) had 15 and 13 points, respectively.
 
GAME INFORMATION
 
Score: #22 Wingate 72, Chowan 69
Records: #22 Wingate 10-2 overall (4-1 SAC), Chowan 11-2 overall (3-0 CIAA)
Location: Helms Center and Bob Burke Court, Murfreesboro, N.C.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
 
-Averette hit three-of-four from downtown, while senior guard Taylor Helms (Monroe, N.C.) made her only three-point try. The Bulldogs made four-of-seven three-pointers (57.1 percent) Sunday, while the Hawks hit only four-of-19 three-point tries (21.1 percent).
-Wingate converted 78.6 percent of its free throws (22-of-28), while Chowan managed only 57.9 percent shooting from the charity stripe (11-of-19). The Bulldogs entered the game hitting 73 percent of their free throws.
-The two teams combined for 45 turnovers (WU 23, CU 22). The two teams scored 22 points each off the miscues.
-Chowan outrebounded Wingate 34-31, marking only the second team the Bulldogs have been outrebounded this season. Weldon and senior guard Chantel Roberts (Suffolk, Va.) led the Hawks with seven boards each. Averette's eight rebounds led the Bulldogs.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
First Quarter
 
Averette had 10 first-quarter points as the Bulldogs built a 23-15 lead after the first 10 minutes. Wingate led 9-3 when junior guard Courtney Robinson (Taylors, S.C.) hit a lay-up at the 7:38 mark. Crenshaw gave the hosts their only lead with an inside hoop two minutes later, making the score 10-9 Chowan.
 
The Bulldogs outscored the Hawks 14-5 the rest of the way, building their margin to 23-13 on a driving lay-up by senior guard Taziya Moody (Columbia, S.C.) with one minute left. Crenshaw had nine points to top the CU first-quarter charts.
 
Second quarter
 
Lee sandwiched two baskets around a jumper by junior guard Joanne Williams (Norfolk, Va.), pulling Chowan within 31-29 at the 3:20 mark. Helms hit a triple to push the Bulldog lead back to five. Barrett had four points in the final two minutes of the half, helping Wingate take a 40-33 lead to the halftime locker room. Witherspoon had seven points in the second quarter to lead both teams.
 
Third quarter
 
Moody started the quarter with a traditional three-point play (9:50) and Barrett added a jumper (9:20) to give Wingate its biggest lead at 45-33. Chowan responded with 10 unanswered points, including the final six by Weldon to pull within 45-43 at the 4:31 plateau. Robinson had five points in the final four minutes, the last bucket a lay-up with two minutes left to make the score 52-47 Bulldogs. Wingate led 55-51 entering the fourth frame. Weldon had 12 third-quarter points.
 
Fourth Quarter
 
The lead changed hands six times in the final three minutes. Lee's only three-point field goal of the contest gave the hosts a 65-64 edge with 2:38 to play. The lead was Chowan's first advantage since the first quarter. Barrett and Weldon traded two made free throws each, putting the hosts up by one point with 1:09 to play.
 
Moody went to work, hitting a lay-up to give the Bulldogs a 68-67 edge with 56 seconds remaining. Weldon hit a follow shot on the other end to make the score 69-68 with 25 ticks left on the clock. Moody hit a 15-footer (on a Robinson assist) with 20 seconds to play for the game-winning hoop. Chowan made a turnover on the ensuing possession. Averette made two free throws with one second left to settle the final margin. The Hawks missed a desperation three-point field goal at the buzzer.
 
TURNING POINT
 
Moody's two huge baskets in the final 56 seconds made the difference for the Bulldogs.
 
NOTABLES
 
-Moody and Barrett received their first career starts Sunday.
-Robinson played 40 minutes for the Bulldogs, while Averette played 38 minutes. Roberts played 40 minutes for Chowan, while Crenshaw played 38 minutes.
-Chowan's two 2017-18 losses have both been at the hands of South Atlantic Conference schools. Catawba edged the visiting CU Hawks 75-72 in Salisbury on Nov. 20.
 
QUOTABLES
 
Wingate head women's basketball coach Ann Hancock: "Chowan is a very talented team who is going to win a lot of games. They made us earn every point and rebound we got. I was proud of how we fought. We had several players step up to fill needed roles. Taz and Zasha stepped up big. (Freshman forward) Teliyah Jeter (Greenville, S.C.) and (sophomore forward) Jordan Quick (High Point, N.C.) played extended minutes when we were in foul trouble. Overall, it is nice to get back on track to end 2017. This was definitely a total team effort."
 
NEXT ON THE AGENDA

Wingate returns to South Atlantic Conference action Wednesday, Jan. 3, visiting Queens University of Charlotte for a 6 p.m. contest. Chowan resumes CIAA play Thursday, Jan. 4, hosting Johnson C. Smith University at 5:30 p.m.