Hartsville, S.C.----Wingate University senior center
Marta Miscenko (Riga, Latvia) had 29 points in 30 minutes, helping the Bulldogs to a 78-61 South Atlantic Conference women's basketball victory over Coker College Monday evening in the DeLoach Center. Wingate is 9-0 against Coker since the Cobras joined the SAC prior to the 2013-14 season.
Bulldog junior guards
Courtney Robinson (Taylors, S.C.) and
Caroline Averette (Midlothian, Va.) had 14 and 13 points, respectively. For Coker, senior guard/forward
Caitland Considine (Greer, S.C.) and sophomore guard
Hayley Kropp (Columbus, N.C.) had 14 points each. Cobra sophomore forward
Erin Houser (Orangeburg, S.C.) added 11 points for the hosts.
GAME INFORMATION
Score: Wingate 78, Coker 61
Records: Wingate 15-3 overall (9-2 SAC), Coker 6-10 overall (3-7 SAC)
Location: DeLoach Center, Hartsville, S.C.
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
-Wingate shot 64 percent in the second half (16-of-25), including a scorching 80 percent in the third quarter (eight-of-10).
-Miscenko had 15 points in the first half and 14 points in the second half.
-The 6-4 center hit 11-of-19 from the floor and seven-of-12 from the foul line.
-Wingate junior center
Zasha Barrett (Monroe, N.C.) and junior guard
Taylor Helms (Monroe, N.C.) had nine points each.
-Helms made six-of-six free throws and drained her only three-point attempt Wednesday.
-Miscenko, Robinson, Averette, Barrett and Helms combined to score 74 of Wingate's 78 points.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter
Fittingly, a Miscenko jumper gave Wingate the lead for good at the 6:40 mark. The bucket made the score 6-5 Bulldogs. Four minutes later, Miscenko hit another jumper to give the visitors a 14-9 lead. The 'Dogs led 16-11 after the first 10 minutes.
Second quarter
Kropp hit a three-point field goal at the 8:05 mark, tying the score 16-16 (the game's only tie). Wingate responded with a 12-4 run to take a 28-20 advantage on a Miscenko jumper with 2:47 left. Robinson had eight points and Miscenko had four points during the run. The Navy Blue and Vegas Gold-clad Bulldogs led 29-24 at intermission.
Third quarter
Miscenko converted a traditional three-point play (on a Helms assist) to make the score 40-31 Bulldogs at the 6:43 mark. Kropp ended a 6-0 run with a jumper one minute later, cutting Coker's deficit to 40-37. Considine made a bucket at the 3:10 mark to pull the hosts within 45-43. The Cobras would get no closer. Robinson finished the frame by making two-of-three free throws with 0.3 seconds left, making the score 54-47 Wingate.
Fourth Quarter
Barrett made an old-fashioned three-point play of her own to make the score 61-49 Bulldogs at the 7:31 mark. The transaction gave Wingate its first double-digit lead of the evening. The Bulldogs built on their lead, going up 74-55 with 3:24 remaining on a Miscenko free throw. Averette had a big quarter, scoring nine of her 13 points on a perfect four-of-four effort from the floor.
TURNING POINT
After both teams had a hot hand in the third quarter (Wingate shot 80 percent, Coker 64.3 percent), the Bulldogs made 53.3 percent in the fourth (eight-of-15) while the Cobras cooled off (six-of-16 for 37.5 percent).
NOTABLES
-Miscenko's 29-point night is her fifth 20-plus point game this season. She had a career-high 31 markers against Lenoir-Rhyne on Jan. 10, 2018.
-Coker outrebounded Wingate by two (31-29) after the Bulldogs outrebounded the Mars Hill Lions by 35 Saturday (57-22).
-Earlier Monday, Coker's Caitland Considine was one of three SAC student-athletes named to the 16th annual class of the Women's Basketball Coaches Association "So You Want To Be A Coach" program. Wingate alum
Alex Tomlinson ('17) was named to last year's class.
QUOTABLES
Wingate head women's basketball coach
Ann Hancock: "Tonight was a tough battle. Coker made us earn everything we got. Marta had a terrific performance as did Courtney. Taylor and Zasha came in and made some huge plays. Coker did a great job on the boards in the first half (21-12 advantage). We made a better effort in the second half to close the gap."
ON THE HORIZON
Wingate concludes a three-game road swing Wednesday, visiting Newberry for a 6 p.m. contest. Coker hits the road as well, visiting Lenoir-Rhyne at the same time.
POSTGAME
Coach Hancock
Zasha Barrett
