Lions Drop Tight Contest to Wingate
MARS HILL, N.C.- A 19-3 run spanning nine minutes of play sparked Wingate to a 69-62 victory over Mars Hill in South Atlantic Conference action Saturday afternoon in Stanford Arena.
The run enabled the Bulldogs to turn a 30-21 deficit into a 40-33 lead with 17:47 to play. Wingate would never trail the rest of the way. Armeka Booker paced Mars Hill with 24 points in just 22 minutes of action. It was the second time Booker has scored 20-plus points this season. Janitsha Williams paced WU with 22 points, nine rebounds and five steals. Mars Hill fell to 3-9 overall on the season and 0-4 in SAC play. Wingate improved to 2-2 in conference play and 8-6 overall.
Ansley Ricker scored 14 points and connected on 3-of-6 from beyong the arc for the Lions. Ricker has scored in double-figures in seven straight games. Kristen Metcalf came off the bench to score 11 points on 4-of-9 shooting. Mars Hill shot 44.2 percent from the field (23-of-52) and held a 32-26 advantage in the paint.
Morgan McGee added 14 points on 5-of-8 shooting for the Bulldogs. Chantal Dunbar chipped in with 11 points and seven rebounds. Wingate shot 50 percent (24-of-48) and held a 14-2 advantage in fast-break points.
After falling behind 11-4 early, Mars Hill used a series of big runs to take a lead into the half. The Lions held Wingate without a field goal for a span of 4:53 to spark a 9-0 run that gave MHC the lead. Booker scored all nine points in the run on a variety of post moves and convertedan old-fashioned three-point play.
A later 13-4 surge turned a 17-17 tie into a nine-point Lion lead. MHC heated up from outside during the surge, with Ricker knocking down a pair of threes and Metcalf adding a three of her own. The duo accounted for the other four points in the run on a Ricker jumper and a left-handed floater in the lane by Metcalf.
Wingate closed the half on an 8-1 run to close the halftime score to 31-29. Mars Hill shot 50 percent from the field in the half (13-of-26) and outscored Wingate 18-10 in the paint. The Bulldogs hit 44 percent from the field (11-of-25) in the half and held a 7-2 advantage in second-chance points.
The Bulldogs continued their run in opening the second half on an 11-2 run to cap off the 19-3 surge. Wingate scored six straight fast-break points to open the half, and Sarah Wollett capped the run with a three to make the score 40-33 with 17:47 to play.
Mars Hill made a run to tie the score at 52-52 with an 11-4 run. Booker converted an old-fashioned three-point play, while Metcalf and Ricker added threes before an Erica Warren steal and lay-up tied the score with 6:39 to play.
A quick five points on a three and pull-up jumper by Kelli Bonner gave the Bulldogs a 57-52 lead. A pair of Booker free throws cut the Lion deficit to three, but a free throw each by Sarah Wollett and Tish logan pushed the Bulldog lead to five. Mars Hill would get no closer the rest of the way.
Mars Hill will host Carson-Newman this Wednesday, Jan. 19 at
6:00 p.m. in Stanford Arena.