WINGATE, N.C. - Unable to recover from a slow start following a two-week lay-off, Anderson University women's basketball's comeback bid fell just short as the Trojans suffered their first South Atlantic Conference setback of the season, falling to defending conference tournament champion, Wingate, 59-48 Wednesday afternoon at Cuddy Arena.

With the setback, AU drops to 7-2 on the season and has not earned a victory over its Tar Heel State rivals since the 2012-13 season. Wingate, which entered Wednesday's game winning one of its last three, improved to an even 6-6 overall record with an identical 4-1 mark in SAC play.

The only Trojan to score in double figures was junior Madison Floyd, who closed the contest shooting 4-of-10 from the field, as she scored in double figures for the first time this season. Senior sharpshooter Lesley Woods added nine points, headlined by three made 3-pointers, while sophomore guard Nakia Young added seven.

On the boards, Anderson won the battle underneath, pulling down 43 rebounds with 22 coming on the offensive end. Wingate, which was paced by Andrea Bertrand's 11 points and nine rebounds, ended the day with 38 boards. For Anderson, junior Jasmine Franklin matched Bertrand's mark and a season-high with nine rebounds, while classmate Jennifer Monroe followed with eight rebounds.

The offense started slowly after their long lay-off, as they committed five straight turnovers to begin the game. The Bulldogs capitalized on the miscues and scored the game's first six points of the game and took a 6-0 lead into the first media timeout. Floyd was able to eventually get AU on the scoreboard at the 15:15 mark with a stick-back from the left block.

Following the Floyd basket, AU would cut the deficit within four at 11-7 when sophomore Bailey Sims made 1-of-2 from the free throw line. The four-point deficit would be the closest the Black and Gold would come until the nine-minute mark of the half, as the home side scored the next four points, which increased their lead to 15-7.

Anderson cut the WU advantage to two at the five-minute mark when sophomore gaurd Heather Jankowy made a pair of free throws, taking the score to 18-16. Despite cutting the lead its smallest deficit since the first basket of the game, the 'Dogs responded with six unanswered points, highlighted by a Kelli Bonner from the wing, setting the score at 26-18.

Wingate eventually took its largest lead of the game of 10 when Shelby Tricoli added a free throw with 42 seconds remaining, setting the halftime score at 30-20. The halftime deficit marked just the second time on the year AU has trailed after the first 20 minutes of the game.

After WU's Morgan McGee added a free throw to begin the second half, Woods sandwiched a pair of 3-pointers around a Tricoli jumper, cutting the Bulldogs' lead to 33-26. With the score at 37-28, Anderson began a 10-0 run, headlined by a wing trey from Floyd giving AU its first advantage of the day.

With Anderson leading 38-37, the teams traded points throughout the next four minutes with neither team taking more than a 3-point lead. Anderson controlled with a 45-44 lead at the seven-minute mark, but the Bulldogs answered with a 7-0 run, handing them a lead they would not relinquish. Woods tried to get the Trojans back with a corner 3-pointer, sending the score to 51-48, but WU scored the final eight points of the game, setting the final score at 59-48.

Anderson was just 18-for-64 from the field, shooting below 30 percent for the first time this season with a 28.1 percent mark. The 18 made field goals matches the fewest made field goals by a Jimmy Garrity-coached team, which it set twice in 2013-14. On the opposite end, Wingate shot 43.8 percent (21-for-48) from the floor and 70 percent (14-for-20) from the free throw line.

The Trojans return home on Saturday when they welcome Catawba to the Abney Athletic Center. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m.