Saturday, January 26, 2008

 

WINGATE DEFEATS TUSCULUM 89-80 TO MOVE INTO A TIE FOR FIRST PLACE,

12-GAME WINNING STREAK ENDS FOR PIONEERS

 

Nikki Van Dine                WINGATE, N.C. --- The Wingate University women’s basketball team rallied from a 10-point deficit in the second half as the Bulldogs defeated visiting Tusculum College, 89-80 Saturday afternoon at Cuddy Arena.

 

                The Bulldogs (12-6, 5-1 SAC) hand the Pioneers their first league loss of the season, while moving into a tie for first place in the South Atlantic Conference with Tusculum (15-3, 5-1 SAC).  The loss also ends Tusculum’s 12-game winning streak, while Wingate posts its 11th consecutive victory over the Pioneers.

 

                Wingate’s Kasey Gillus (Indian Trail, N.C.) led the charge with a career-high 29 points, shot 9-for-12 from the floor and a sizzling 11-of-11 from the free throw line.  As a team, the Bulldogs went 25-for-27 from the charity stripe and at one point made 22 straight free throws.  Anna Atkinson (Marion, N.C.) added 19 points, seven assists and three steals, while Stefani Shuey (Charlotte, N.C.) and Jessy Keitt (Charlotte, N.C.) finished with 11 and 10 points, respectively.

 

                Junior Nikki Van Dine (Columbus, Ohio) led the Pioneers with 17 points, including five 3-pointers, while sophomore Stephany Neptune (Wallkill, N.Y.) recorded her SAC-best 11th double-double with 16 points and 13 rebounds.  Junior Shantae Shank (Charlotte, N.C.) added 17 points, six rebounds, five assists and three steals, while junior teammate Ashli Oliver (Kokomo, Ind.) added 11 markers in the loss.

 

                With Wingate leading 37-36 at halftime, Tusculum opened the second period with a 15-6 run, including nine unanswered points to move out to a 53-43 advantage with 16:26 remaining, capped off by a lay-up by Neptune.

 

                The Bulldogs answered with a 16-2 spurt over the next 4:15, including eight points by Gillus as Wingate moved ahead 59-55 at the 12:11 mark.

 

                Tusculum tied the game again at 59-59 following a pair of free throws by Diana Neves (Gladstone, Queensland, Australia) and a lay-up by Shank.  Wingate surged ahead again with five straight points, including a three-point play by Atkinson with 9:20 remaining.

 

                With Wingate leading 66-65, the Bulldogs put together an 11-2 spurt to move out to a 10-point advantage (77-67) with 5:39 left on the clock.  Atkinson capped off the run with a jumper as Wingate scored seven straight points.

 

                Van Dine cut the deficit to seven (77-70) with her five trey of the day, but that’s as close as the Pioneers would get.  Wingate would move out its largest lead of the day at 83-71 with 3:01 left in the contest, including four more points by Gillus.

 

                Wingate jumped out to a 10-point lead eight minutes into the game when Shuey converted a three-point play to move the Bulldogs out to an 18-8 lead.

 

                Tusculum responded with a 12-4 spurt and took its first lead of the afternoon at 28-27 on Jasmine Parker’s three-point play at the 5:51 mark, before Wingate surged to take a one-point lead into the intermission.

 

                Wingate forced 19 turnovers, converting those miscues into 22 points.  The Bulldogs shot 47 percent from the floor, including 17-of-32 in the second half (53%).

               

                Wingate remains undefeated at home this season (7-0) and have won their last 14 in row at Cuddy Arena.

 

                Tusculum returns home Wednesday night when they host cross-mountain rival Mars Hill College for a 6 p.m. contest.  Wingate will host Lenoir-Rhyne College on Wednesday at 6 p.m.

 

- TC -