Newberry, S.C.----Wingate University sophomore guard Emily Hege poured in a career-high 32 points Wednesday night, leading the Bulldogs to a 76-51 victory in South Atlantic Conference women's basketball action. Wingate improves to 8-4 overall and 3-1 in the SAC, while the Wolves fall to 4-9 overall and 2-3 in league play. Hege's 32 points are the most by a Bulldog since Tanetra Barrett scored 40 points in February of 2007.

KEY STATS

- Wingate shot 46 percent from the field, going 10-for-16 from three-point range (63 percent)
- Newberry shot 38 percent from the field, going seven-for-19 from deep (37 percent)
- Each team had 34 rebounds; the 'Dogs held a 14-11 advantage in second-chance points
- The 'Dogs scored 18 points off 21 Newberry turnovers
- Wingate had seven steals on the night and led by as many as 29

KEY BULLDOGS

- Hege had 32 points, five rebounds and two assists
- She went 13-for-21 from the field and four-for-seven from three-point range
- Hege is the first Bulldog to score 30 points since Bryanna Troutman had 31 on Jan. 12, 2022
- Hannah Clark had 17 points, four boards and four assists, going three-for-four from deep
- Jaia Wilson added 11 points, knocking down all three triples on the night
- Lia Anderson contributed eight points, six rebounds and two blocks
- Laney Beale had six points, five boards and four assists

FIRST QUARTER

- Threes from Hege and Wilson helped the Bulldogs race out to an 8-2 lead
- A Beale jumper and Clark three made it 15-4 at the 4:19 mark
- Anderson's three-point play extended the lead to 12 a minute later
- A Payton Cronen triple with 30 seconds left to cut the lead to 20-12

SECOND QUARTER

- WU scored the first seven points of the quarter, getting a Hege three to make it 27-12
- Another Hege triple pushed the lead to 16 with six minutes to go
- Clark's triple made it 36-16 with 4:53 remaining
- A Caylin Moment triple at the 1:44 mark cut the lead to 17
- Two Hege free throws made it 42-23 at halftime

THIRD QUARTER

- Jumper from Clark and Hege, along with a Wilson three made it 49-25 at the 7:10 mark
- A Jess Tompkins layup cut the lead to 18 with 3:48 to go
- Anderson's jumper in the final minute put the 'Dogs on top 55-36

FOURTH QUARTER

- A layup from April Rummery-Lamb made it 55-41 a minute into the fourth
- Back-to-back Hege buckets pushed the lead back to 18
- A Rummery-Lamb three at the 6:56 mark pulled the Wolves back within 14
- Wingate scored the next 15 to take its largest lead of the game
- Hege had seven points in the spurt, with Clark adding five points and Wilson knocking down a three
- Hege's triple capped the flurry at the 2:09 mark, making it 76-47

UP NEXT

- Wingate is back in action Saturday, opening a three-game home stand at 2 p.m. against Tusculum
- The 'Dogs host Catawba next Wednesday, then welcome Mars Hill to town Jan. 13