Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs closed out the regular season in style, prevailing 75-70 over UVA Wise in South Atlantic Conference women's basketball action in Cuddy Arena. Wingate improves to 19-9 overall and 14-6 in the SAC, while the Cavs fall to 12-16 overall and 8-12 in league play. Wingate finishes in a three-way tie for third place in the league standings at 14-6. The 'Dogs open SAC Tournament play Wednesday at noon against Lincoln Memorial in Rock Hill, S.C.

KEY STATS

- Wingate shot 37 percent from the field, going four-for-13 from three-point range (31 percent)
- UVA Wise shot 42 percent from the field, connecting on eight-of-23 from deep (35 percent)
- The 'Dogs went 25-for-30 at the free throw line; the Cavs were six-for-10
- The Bulldogs held a 43-40 rebounding advantage and 11-8 edge in second-chance points
- Wingate scored 18 points off 19 UVA Wise turnovers

KEY BULLDOGS

- Hannah Clark had 21 points, three assists and three steals, going three-for-five from deep
- Emily Hege added 17 points, nine boards and two steals
- Trinity Breedlove had 16 points, three rebounds and two blocks, going 10-for-10 at the line
- Jaia Wilson contributed seven points, seven boards and two assists
- Laney Beale had seven points, five rebounds and four assists
- Lia Anderson added five points and eight rebounds

FIRST QUARTER

- A Leah Kestner jumper at the 7:36 mark gave the Cavs an 8-2 lead
- Two Hege jumpers and a Beale triple gave the 'Dogs an 11-10 lead with 3:48 to go
- Sarah Burton's triple capped a 7-0 UVAW run to make it 17-11
- Shaylin Pollock's layup cut it to three at the 1:13 mark
- Burton's layup gave the Cavs a 19-13 advantage

SECOND QUARTER

- McKenzie Bremer's layup in the opening minute stretched the lead to eight
- Burton's triple with six minutes to go gave UVA Wise a 26-17 advantage
- Wingate scored the next 10, getting a Clark triple and Hege three-point play to take a 27-26 lead
- Burton answered with a triple at the 3:18 mark to put the Cavs back on top by two
- Wilsons' three-point play put WU back on top, but a Macie Ridge triple gave Wise a 34-30 halftime lead

THIRD QUARTER

- Hege's layup pulled the 'Dogs within two, but a Caitlyn Ross layup made it 38-34 at the 6:29 mark
- Buckets from Breedlove and Anderson gave Wingate a 39-38 advantage with 4:50 remaining
- Bremer's layup at the 2:19 mark tied it at 42
- Buckets from Anderson and Breedlove, along with a Clark three gave the 'Dogs a 49-42 advantage
- Burton's free throw cut it to six, but two free throws and a layup from Clark gave WU a 53-43 lead

FOURTH QUARTER

- Two Clark free throws extended the lead to 12 in the opening minute
- Burton buried at three at the 6:47 mark to pull the Cavs within five at 59-54
- Four Breedlove free throws and a Clark layup sparked a 7-0 run to give Wingate a 66-54 lead
- Bremer's layup with 2:26 to go cut the lead to seven, but a Clark triple made it 69-59
- UVA Wise scored eight points in a minute, cutting the lead to two on a Ross layup with 55 seconds left
- Wilson's layup with 28 seconds left made it 71-67, but a Burton three six seconds later cut the lead to one
- Hege knocked down two free throws with 13 seconds left to make it 73-70
- Two more Hege free throws with five seconds remaining put the 'Dogs on top by five

UP NEXT

- Wingate is the number four seed in the SAC Tournament
- The Bulldogs will open SAC Tourney play Wednesday at noon, taking on Lincoln Memorial
- The winner is onto the semifinals Thursday at noon to face the Catawba vs. UVA Wise winner
- The SAC title game is slated for Friday at 4 p.m.
- Every game of this year's tournament will take place at the Rock Hill Sports & Event Center in Rock Hill, S.C.