Greeneville, Tenn.----The number 22 Wingate University women's basketball team built a 20-point lead and withstood a furious Tusculum College rally before taking a 78-68 South Atlantic Conference triumph Monday afternoon in Pioneer Arena. Winners of 11 straight contests, Wingate placed four student-athletes in double figures.
 
Bulldog senior center Marta Miscenko (Riga, Latvia) had 19 points and 11 rebounds for her 23rd career double-double. WU junior guard Caroline Averette (Midlothian, Va.) posted 17 points and six rebounds. Junior guard Courtney Robinson (Taylors, S.C.) and junior forward Danasia Witherspoon (Hickory, N.C.) had 16 and 12 points, respectively. Robinson had six rebounds, while Witherspoon pulled down five caroms.
 
For Tusculum, junior guard Sydney Wilson (Greensboro, N.C.) had 18 points and a game-high five three-point field goals. She has 44 points and 11 three-pointers in two games against the Bulldogs this season.  
 
GAME INFORMATION
 
Score: #22 Wingate 78, Tusculum 68
Records: #22 Wingate 22-3 overall (16-2 SAC), Tusculum 16-8 overall (11-7 SAC)
Location: Pioneer Arena, Greeneville, Tenn.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
 
-Tusculum sophomore guard Mia Long (Ann Arbor, Mich.) and junior forward Yolzima Cupidan (Ocoee, Fla.) had 17 points and 16 points, respectively.
-Wingate hit 58.0 percent of its field goal attempts (29-of-50) and 86.4 percent of its free throw tries (19-of-22).
-On the other end, Tusculum made only six-of-16 free throws (37.5 percent) and 27-of-62 field goals (43.5 percent).
-The Bulldogs outrebounded the Pioneers 33-30. Miscenko, Averette, Robinson and Witherspoon combined to pull down 28 rebounds collectively. The top two Tusculum rebounders had five boards each.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
First Quarter
 
Wingate led 26-10 after the first 10 minutes. Robinson had eight points, while Averette posted seven markers. A Robinson lay-up gave the Bulldogs their 16-point lead with 25 seconds left in the quarter. Wingate shot 61.5 percent from the floor in the first frame (eight-of-13) and 76.9 percent from the foul line (10-of-13). The Pioneers had 10 fouls and attempted only one free throw of their own. The Pioneers made five-of-13 first quarter field goals (38.5 percent).
 
Second quarter
 
The Bulldogs built their lead, as an Averette three-point field goal (on a Miscenko assist) put Wingate up 31-13 three minutes into the second stanza. Averette's lay-up at the 4:02 mark made the score 39-19 Bulldogs. The 20-point bulge was Wingate's largest of the afternoon. The visitors led 41-26 at intermission.
 
Third quarter
 
Tusculum started to make its move, as a three-point field goal by junior guard Lovely Locklear (Durham, N.C.) cut the deficit to 53-47 with 29 seconds remaining. The Pioneers outscored the Bulldogs 21-14 in the third frame.
 
Fourth Quarter
 
A Wilson three-point field goal brought the hosts within one point (55-54) two minutes into the fourth frame. Miscenko scored buckets on back-to-back possessions to give the visitors breathing room and a 59-54 edge at the 7:13 mark. Wilson answered with another three-point hoop (6:52) to make the score 59-57 Bulldogs.
 
Wingate made a 10-3 run to take a 69-60 lead on a jumper by junior guard Taylor Helms (Monroe, N.C.) with 3:55 remaining. Wilson made her fifth (and final) three-point field goal with 1:19 left to make the score 74-68 Wingate. The Pioneers would get no closer than the six-point deficit in the waning moments.
 
TURNING POINT
 
Wingate's starters scored 23 of the team's 23 fourth-quarter points. The Bulldogs shot 58.8 percent from the floor (10-of-17) in the fourth quarter. The visitors needed every made basket, as the Pioneers hit 53.8 percent of their fourth-quarter field goal tries (seven-of-13). Tusculum made three-of-four three-point field goals in the final 10 minutes.
 
NOTABLES
 
-The rare Monday league game was a make-up contest, as Tusculum postponed the Feb. 3 date after the Pioneers had a bout with the flu.
-Both Tusculum head coach Devan Carter and Wingate head coach Ann Hancock were basketball student-athletes at their current schools.
-Miscenko (997 career points) and Witherspoon (974 career points) are approaching the 1000-point plateau.
 
QUOTABLES
 
Wingate head women's basketball coach Ann Hancock: "Tusculum challenged us for the entire game and made adjustments which kept us from getting in a rhythm. They are an even tougher team to play on short rest. I'm proud of our effort and resiliency today…making free throws was an important part of the game for us. Several players stepped up and made some big plays for us. Taylor made some tough defensive plays in the first half and Courtney hit some big shots down the stretch. Danasia's offensive rebounding helped get us over the hump."
 
NEXT ON THE AGENDA

The Bulldogs return home Wednesday to face Coker in their final regular season home game. Tip-off is slated for 6 p.m. Wingate concludes its regular season slate with a visit to league leader Carson-Newman Saturday. Tusculum hits the road Wednesday, as the Pioneers visit Anderson for a 6 p.m. contest.