Wingate, N.C.-—-The Wingate University Bulldogs utilized a 20-4 third quarter to earn a 64-59 comeback victory over Tusculum University Monday afternoon in South Atlantic Conference women's basketball action in Cuddy Arena. The victory brings the 'Dogs' win streak to 10 games, as they improve to 10-1 overall and 8-0 in the SAC. The Pioneers fall to 5-8 overall and 3-6 in league play.
 
KEY STATS
 
- Each team shot 37 percent from the field
- The Bulldogs were three-for-eight from three-point range (38 percent); Tusculum was eight-for-24 from distance (33 percent)
- The 'Dogs held a 40-30 rebounding advantage and 12-8 edge in second-chance points
- Tusculum was nine-for-11 at the free throw line (82 percent), while WU was 23-for-31 (74 percent)
- The Bulldogs held a 24-20 advantage in points in the paint
- The Pioneers turned 17 Wingate turnovers into 16 points, collecting nine steals
- TU's bench outscored Wingate's 14-12
 
KEY BULLDOGS
 
- Hannah Clark scored a season and game-high 20 points on seven-for-12 shooting and knocked down six-of-seven free throws
- Haleigh Brandon earned her fifth double-double of the season with 10 points and 14 rebounds
- Jaia Wilson had 10 points and four rebounds, converting on six-of-eight free throws
- Lauren Sullivan recorded nine points and five assists, knocking down three triples, including the go-ahead shot
- Bryanna Troutman contributed nine points and five rebounds
- Peyton Davis had four points, six rebounds and three steals
 
NOTES
 
- Wingate moves to 34-15 all-time versus Tusculum
- The 'Dogs are 19-6 against the Pioneers in Cuddy Arena
- Wingate held Tusculum to four points in the third quarter
- Season-high in free throws made (23) and free throw attempts (31) for the 'Dogs
- Season-low in points scored (64)
- Brandon's third consecutive double-double; she's grabbed 85 rebounds in the last five games
- Clark was one point shy of her career high (21, 1/4220 vs Mars Hill); second career 20-point game
 
FIRST QUARTER
 
-The two teams played an even first three minutes, with a Troutman jumper giving the 'Dogs an early 5-4 lead
- Tusculum bolted to a 9-0 run over the next two minutes on three triples, taking a 13-5 lead five minutes in
- Clark assisted on a Sullivan three-pointer and made a layup to bring Wingate within five with 3:18 to go
- The Pioneers answered right back with a three of their own, their fourth in the first eight minutes
- TU's Brianna Dixon knocked down the team's fifth triple just before the buzzer, taking a 22-12 lead after the opening 10 minutes
 
SECOND QUARTER
 
- Dixon came right back with a jumper on the first possession to give Tusculum a 12-point lead
- Sullivan's three-pointer with 7:56 left in the half cut the Bulldog deficit to single digits
- The Pioneers answered with a 5-0 run to take a 31-17 lead
- Dixon connected on her third three-pointer of the half just before the buzzer, giving Tusculum a 39-22 halftime lead, its largest of the game
 
THIRD QUARTER
 
- The 'Dogs utilized a 9-0 run out of the gates to bring the deficit to single digits
- Clark's free throws made the score 39-31
- After a TU layup, the Bulldogs went on to score the next six points, as Clark cut the deficit to four with 2:13 remaining
- The Pioneers answered yet again with a jumper, but Wingate scored the last five points of the quarter, bringing what was once a 17-point deficit to a single point at the end of the quarter
 
FOURTH QUARTER
 
- Tusculum's Jordan Rogers scored the opening basket of the quarter, but Clark answered back to keep the deficit to one
- Wingate scored three points from the line between Brandon and Clark via a shooting foul and a Pioneer technical to take the 47-45 lead, their first since the score was 5-4
- Wilson's layup and Troutman's and-one bucket gave the 'Dogs a five-point lead with 6:15 remaining
- TU answered back with a Mya Belton jumper and Jalia Arnwine three-pointer that tied the game at 52 with 3:44 remaining
- Sullivan's three at the 3:29 mark broke the tie for the final time
- A pair of Elle Hutchinson free throws brought the Pioneers to within a single point, but Troutman answered with a couple of jumpers
- Arnwine knocked down another three-pointer at the 1:10 mark, cutting the deficit to two
- Brandon grabbed an offensive rebound with 35 seconds remaining, knocking down one of two free throws to extend the lead to three
- After a miss on the Tusculum end, Brandon knocked down two more free throws with 16 seconds remaining to put the game out of reach
- The Pioneers scored a quick layup, but Davis salted the game away with a pair of free throws with four seconds remaining
 
UP NEXT
 
- Wingate heads for the holiday break, but will return to SAC action at UVA Wise on Jan. 2
- The 'Dogs will not return to Cuddy Arena until a matchup with Lenoir-Rhyne on Jan. 19