Wingate, N.C.----The Lenoir-Rhyne University Bears led 59-54 with 2:37 remaining in regulation, but the Wingate University Bulldogs responded by scoring the final nine points of the game, prevailing 63-54 in South Atlantic Conference women's basketball action in Cuddy Arena. Wingate improves to 13-7 overall and 8-4 in the SAC, while the Bears fall to 14-6 overall and 9-3 in league play.

KEY STATS

- Wingate shot 52 percent from the field, going six-for-13 from three-point range (46 percent)
- LR shot 39 percent from the field, connecting on just one-of-20 shots from deep (5 percent)
- The Bears out-rebounded the Bulldogs 37-31, with a 12-5 edge in second-chance points
- Lenoir-Rhyne scored 16 points off 18 Wingate turnovers
- The 'Dogs handed out 20 assists on 25 made field goals
- Wingate collected six steals and five blocked shots on the night

KEY BULLDOGS

- Emily Hege had 20 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals, going four-for-five from deep
- 11th game with at least 20 points this season; fourth straight 20-point performance
- Hannah Clark added 16 points, six boards and five assists
- Trinity Breedlove contributed 10 points, four rebounds and two blocks
- Laney Beale piled up eight points, 10 assists, eight boards and two steals
- Jaia Wilson added five points, four boards, an assist and a steal

FIRST QUARTER

- A Mikeba Jones layup gave LR a 9-6 lead at the midway point of the frame
- Triples from Clark and Hege put the 'Dogs on top 14-13 at the 3:40 mark
- A Hege layup and Clark triple gave Wingate a 19-13 lead heading to the second quarter

SECOND QUARTER

- Buckets from Breedlove and Clark put the Bulldogs on top 23-15 two minutes in
- A Jones bucket two minutes later cut the lead to six
- A Clark three-point play and Breedlove jumper gave Wingate an 11-point lead at the 3:11 mark
- An Emily Harman jumper cut the lead to nine in the final minute
- A Breedlove bucket in the final seconds gave the 'Dogs a 32-21 halftime lead

THIRD QUARTER

- A Tilda Lindstrom layup pulled the Bears within seven at the 7:46 mark
- A Hege triple and Beale layup put the 'Dogs on top 39-27
- LR scored the next eight, cutting the lead to four on a Jones layup with 4:46 to go
- A Jayda Glass jumper at the 2:22 mark tied it at 41
- A Clark free throw and Wilson jumper gave the Bulldogs a three-point advantage
- A Jones layup in the final minute made it 44-43 heading to the final frame

FOURTH QUARTER

- Lenoir-Rhyne used a 6-0 run to take a 51-48 lead on a Lindstrom jumper at the 7:19 mark
- Lia Anderson's layup a minute later cut the lead to one
- Harman's jumper with five minutes left gave LR a 55-50 advantage
- Beale's jumper with 3:07 remaining cut the lead to three
- Harman responded with a jumper at the 2:37 mark to give the Bears a 59-54 lead
- Hege started the closing 9-0 run with a triple with 2:16 remaining to cut it to two
- After an LR miss, Hege buried another three with 1:25 left to give WU a 60-59 lead
- Anderson blocked a Jones layup on the other end, getting the ball back to Wingate
- Clark's jumper with 35 seconds left made it 62-59
- Another miss by Lenoir-Rhyne was pulled down by Clark with under 10 seconds
- Wilson buried a free throw with two seconds left, making the final margin 63-59

UP NEXT

- Wingate is back in action Saturday, traveling to Emory & Henry for a 2 p.m. start
- The Bulldogs return home next Wednesday, hosting Coker at 5:30 p.m.