Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs defeated Converse University in front of a packed crowd of local elementary school students for Future Bulldog Day in Cuddy Arena in Division II women's basketball action Wednesday afternoon. The Bulldogs improve to 3-0 overall, while the Valkyries drop to 0-3 overall.

KEY STATS

- The Bulldogs shot 36 percent from the floor; Converse was held to 21 percent shooting
- Wingate was seven-for-25 (28 percent) on three-pointers; the Valkyries were four-of-22 (18 percent) from deep
- WU converted 20 of 22 free throw attempts (91 percent); Converse made 13 of 14 (93 percent) at the line
- The 'Dogs out-rebounded CU 54-39, out-scoring Converse 26-5 in second-chance points
- Wingate held the lead for over 39 minutes of the action
- Converse turned 21 Bulldog turnovers into 19 points; the 'Dogs turned 22 CU turnovers into 15 points
- WU's bench out-scored the Valkyries' 42-14
- The Bulldogs dominated the paint with a 30-12 advantage

KEY BULLDOGS

- Leah Barringer led the 'Dogs with 13 points and four rebounds
- Emily Hege added 10 points and three assists
- Laura Kozo recorded 10 points, eight rebounds and a career-high four blocks
- Hannah Clark logged eight points, five rebounds, four steals and three assists
- Jaia Wilson had six points, eight rebounds and four assists

FIRST QUARTER

- Hege got the scoring started with a three-pointer nearly a minute in; the 'Dogs never gave up the lead from that point on
- Kozo's layup pushed the lead to 7-3 with just under seven minutes left
- Alisa Davenport responded with a three to cut the Converse deficit to a single point
- Wingate responded with six straight points to stretch out the lead to 13-6 at the 4:27 mark
- The teams traded baskets the rest of the way, as the 'Dogs took a 17-13 lead after one

SECOND QUARTER

- Colbie Perry's three-pointer brought the Valkyries within a point again at 17-16
- The Bulldogs came back with a 13-2 run to extend the lead to the largest of the game to that point with Hege's layup giving Wingate a 30-18 advantage at the 4:12 mark
- WU ended the half on a 6-0 run behind four Wilson free throws and a Jaxson Douglas layup, as the 'Dogs took a 36-20 lead into the break, capping a 19-4 run in the final 8:36

THIRD QUARTER

- Sullivan and Clark started the half with back-to-back three-pointers to extend the run to 12 straight Wingate points, taking a 42-20 lead with 8:14 to go
- WU made it an 18-2 run to open the second half after a pair of Barringer free throws gave the 'Dogs a 54-22 lead, a 37-6 run from the second quarter
- The Bulldogs took advantage of the bonus, converting free throws for the remainder of the quarter
- Wingate led 62-27 after three quarters

FOURTH QUARTER

-A Kyndall Shivers layup at the 6:44 mark put the Bulldogs up by their largest margin of the game at 64-29
- Wingate matched the 35-point margin again later on in the game after an Adair Garrison three-pointer put the 'Dogs up 71-36 with 3:11 left
- The two traded baskets the rest of the way, as Wingate took the final 73-43

UP NEXT

- The Bulldogs open up SAC play on the road next Tuesday, traveling to Lenoir-Rhyne for a 5:30 p.m. tip