January 30, 2008

Wingate Women’s Basketball Downs Lenoir-Rhyne, 82-64, Behind Strong Second Half

Bulldogs rally from an 11-point, second-half deficit to take the win

Wingate, N.C. – The Wingate University Women’s Basketball Team (13-6, 6-1) remained tied for first place in the South Atlantic Conference with an 82-64 victory over Lenoir-Rhyne College (10-8, 2-5) Wednesday evening at Cuddy Arena in Wingate, N.C.

The Bulldogs, tied for first place in the SAC with the Pioneers of Tusculum College, have won four straight games while the Bears dropped their third consecutive contest.

Wingate junior Anna Atkinson (Marion, N.C.) led all scorers with 17 points as the Bulldogs were able to rally from an 11-point deficit early in the second half to roll to the win.

After L-R sophomore center Jacquelyn Kremer (Sevierville, Tenn./Sevier County HS) hit a lay-up with 19:12 remaining to make it a 45-34 Bear advantage, the Bulldogs reeled off 19 straight points over the next nine minutes for a 53-45 Wingate lead.

Another Kremer lay-up with 9:56 remaining snapped a nearly 10-minute scoreless streak for the Bears.

Wingate later put the game away with a 17-3 run that gave the Bulldogs their largest lead at 78-58 on a basket by Kasey Gillis (Indian Trail, N.C.) at the 3:12 mark of the second half.

Gillis, along with Erica Crumlin (Irmo, S.C.), scored 13 points apiece for Wingate, who forced Lenoir-Rhyne into 25 turnovers for the game.

The Bulldogs also shot 79 percent (27-of-34) from the free throw line in the victory.

Kremer led Lenoir-Rhyne with 11 points while redshirt freshman LaCourtney Rann (Charlotte, N.C./Hopewell HS) added 10 points despite the loss.

Lenoir-Rhyne wraps up its three-game conference road swing when it travels to Greeneville, Tenn., to face first-place Tusculum on Saturday beginning at 2 p.m., while Wingate travels to Harrogate, Tenn., to face Lincoln Memorial on Saturday at 6 p.m.

Box Score