Box score
WINGATE, N.C. - The Anderson University women's basketball team
rallied to trim a late second-half 13-point deficit to just six
with 22 seconds left, but top-seeded Wingate converted just enough
free throws in the final moments to claim a 64-58 win past the
Trojans in the first round of the Food Lion South Atlantic
Conference tournament.
Anderson's season ends at 10-18, while Wingate (20-7) advances
to face fifth-seeded Carson-Newman in Saturday's semifinals.
A lay-up by Wingate senior guard Tiffany Brown on a feed from
Nikki Burton concluded the first-half scoring and gave the Bulldogs
their largest lead of the first frame. Junior forward Tilde Ahlin
led the Trojans with her 10 first-half points.
Two free throws by senior forward Simone Rutledge gave Wingate a
39-26 advantage with 16:43 remaining in the contest. But Anderson
made a huge push, draining three consecutive three-point field
goals to cut the deficit to just 39-35 on a 3-pointer by junior
guard Amanda Parris at the 14:35 mark.
Parris started and finished the 9-0 flurry with three-point
baskets. Sarah Wollett ended a four-minute Bulldog field goal
drought with a triple at the 13:17 plateau to end the AU run and
make the score 42-35 Wingate.
A Dunbar jumper on an assist from sophomore guard Janitsha
Williams gave the Bulldogs a 53-39 lead and concluded a 14-4 run
for the hosts. The 14-point bulge was Wingate's largest lead of the
evening.
Anderson didn't quit, cutting the deficit to five in the final
minute of play. Ahlin hit a triple with 22 seconds left to make
things interesting. The forward hit two three-pointers in each
half.
Wingate out-rebounded Anderson 39-26, led by eight boards from
junior forward Tish Logan. Anderson junior forward Breonda Shannon
had eight rebounds to lead the Trojans.
The Bulldogs shot 38.6 percent from the floor (22-of-57), while
the Trojans converted on 42 percent of their field goal attempts
(21-of-50). Anderson drained seven three-pointers in 19 tries (36.8
percent), while Wingate converted four-of-nine triples (44.4
percent).
Anderson junior guard Alissa Diaz led the Trojans with 19
points, while Ahlin added 18 points on the strength of four
three-pointers.