Staff report

WINGATE — Down 20-4 early, Wingate’s women’s basketball team didn’t panic, and the Bulldogs came back to stun Catawba 78-65.

About the only scenario in which Catawba can lose in the South Atlantic Conference is for Lyrik Thorne and Janiya Downs to shoot low percentages at the same time.

That happened on Tuesday.

Thorne shot 5-for-19, although she made four 3-pointers, got to the foul line often enough to register 21 points and handed out six assists.

Downs had seven rebounds, but she shot a quiet 2-for-8 and scored six points.

Sara McIntosh scored 19 for the Indians, while Nala Baker had 10.

As a team, Catawba shot only 32.3 percent. The Indians lost on the boards and didn’t have their usual huge advantage in the turnover battle.

Wingate (10-4, 5-1) shot 46,6 percent and put five in double figures, led by former North Davidson standout Emily Hege’s 18 points.

Catawba (10-2, 5-1) led 34-30 at the half.

It was 48-all late in the third quarter when Wingate had a decisive 16-0 run. The Bulldogs closed the quarter with nine straight points and then scored the first seven of the fourth quarter to knock off the Indians. Wingate shot 60 percent in the second half.

Wingate’s victory enabled Lincoln Memorial to take over the SAC lead. Lincoln Memorial (6-0) plays at Catawba on Saturday at 2 p.m.

 

Catawba      23    11    14   17 — 65

Wingate      10     20   27   21   — 78

CATAWBA — Thorne 21, McIntosh 19, Baker 10, Downs 6, Porter 3, Helpman 3, Foskey 2, S. Wilson 1.

WINGATE — Hege 18, Beale 15, J. Wilson 13, Breedlove 13, Anderson 11, Clark 8.