Wingate, N.C.----Wingate University junior forward Danasia Witherspoon (Hickory, N.C.) had 12 points and 13 rebounds to lead the number 21 Bulldogs to a 65-42 South Atlantic Conference women's basketball tournament quarterfinal victory over Newberry College Wednesday night in Cuddy Arena and Thomas Koontz Family Court. Witherspoon passed the 1000-point plateau in Wingate's 24th victory of the season.
 
Wingate junior guard Caroline Averette (Midlothian, Va.) had 15 points, while junior guard Courtney Robinson (Taylors, S.C.) had 10 points and six assists. For Newberry, junior center Meg Essex (Glamorgan Vale, Queensland, Australia) had 15 points, eight rebounds and seven blocked shots. Wolves junior forward Courtney Lyons (Park Orchards, Victoria, Australia) added 11 points.
 
GAME INFORMATION
 
Score: #21 Wingate 65, Newberry 42
Records: #21 Wingate 24-4 overall, Newberry 16-12 overall
Location: Cuddy Arena and Thomas Koontz Family Court, Wingate, N.C.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
 
-Wingate outrebounded Newberry by 25 rebounds (53-28). Freshman guard Jasmine Stephen (Virginia Beach, Va.) had eight rebounds off the WU bench, while senior center Marta Miscenko (Riga, Latvia) and junior center Zasha Barrett (Monroe, N.C.) pulled down seven boards each.
-The Bulldogs held the Wolves below 36 percent shooting in three-of-four quarters. Newberry rallied to shoot 50 percent (five-of-10) in the fourth quarter.
-The Wingate bench outscored the Newberry substitutes 24-11.
-The Bulldogs parlayed 26 offensive rebounds into 14 second-chance points. The Wolves had four second-chance points.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
First Quarter
 
Wingate took a 17-6 lead after the first 10 minutes and never looked back. Witherspoon started strong, posting six points and seven rebounds. Essex had four points and four blocked shots for Newberry, who shot 27.3 percent in the opening frame (three-of-11).
 
Second quarter

A jumper by senior guard Taziya Moody (Columbia, S.C.) put Wingate up 23-9 at the 7:28 mark. The Bulldogs kept the lead in double digits, as Robinson's jumper made the score 29-13 with three minutes left. Wingate led 30-17 at intermission. Eight Bulldogs scored in the first half, led by Averette with seven markers.
 
Third quarter
 
A free throw by Averette put Wingate up 39-19 with six minutes left in the third quarter. A lay-up by sophomore forward Jordan Quick (High Point, N.C.) made the score 43-20 Wingate, giving the hosts a 23-point advantage. The Bulldogs led 43-25 at the end of the third quarter.
 
Fourth Quarter
 
An Averette hoop gave Wingate its biggest lead at 50-25 with 8:22 left in the contest. Averette had seven points in the final frame as Newberry got no closer than 16 points down the stretch.
 
TURNING POINT
 
Wingate's rebounding and unselfishness (16 assists) were big factors from the opening tip.
 
NOTABLES
 
-Wingate won three-of-three contests over Newberry this season. The regular season encounters were decided by five points (at Wingate Nov. 29) and nine points (at Newberry Jan. 24).
-Witherspoon's 12 points gave the Hickory High School product 1007 points for her Bulldog career.
-Wingate is number 21 in this week's WBCA top 25 and number two in the NCAA Division II Southeast Region top 10.
 
QUOTABLES
 
Wingate head women's basketball coach Ann Hancock: "We worked hard to prepare for this game. I was very pleased with our effort. I believe our players are feeling a sense of urgency."
 
ON THE HORIZON

Wingate plays Anderson in the SAC semifinals Saturday. Game time at Furman University's Timmons Arena is 2:30 p.m.