SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Playing in front of its home crowd for the first time all year, the Converse College basketball team was dealt a tough 57-47 loss at the hands of Wingate University on Saturday afternoon inside the Weisiger Center.
GAME INFORMATION
Score: Wingate 57, Converse 47
Records: Wingate (3-1), Converse (1-3)
Location: Hannah Gymnasium, Converse College, Spartanburg, S.C.
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
- Dominique Hill led Converse with a season-high 12 points on 4-of-8 from the floor, including 3-for-6 from downtown.
- Bhrianna Jackson put together a solid performance, chipping in eight points to go along with four steals and three rebounds.
- Nigeria Davis grabbed a team-high six rebounds, while Ashley Sides dished out three assists, paired with her eight points.
- Alliee Pattillo chipped in six points off the bench for the Valkyries.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Quarter
Elana Ingram got the scoring started for Wingate with a layup at the 9:31 mark, but a Sides three half a minute later gave Converse its first lead (3-2) early in the opening period. From that point both teams traded empty possessions over nearly two minutes of game time.
Wingate jumped ahead by three (8-5) before Pattillo connected on her first of two shots from distance, knotting the game once more. The rest of the period was a defensive battle as the Bulldogs took a 16-13 lead into the second.
Second Quarter
Jackson connected on a layup followed by a Hill two-pointer, giving the Purple and Gold a slim margin (17-16) at the onset of quarter number two. After a layup by Ingram gave WU a 21-19 lead, Jackson connected on a mid-range jumper, sparking a 10-2 run over the final five minutes of the half, sending Converse into the locker room leading 29-23.
Third Quarter
Sides and Hill drilled back-to-back threes to open the third, ballooning the Valkyries lead to its largest, 35-23 with 8:39 remaining in the quarter. Ingram made a jump shot, kick-starting a 17-1 run by the Bulldogs, giving Wingate the lead at 40-36 heading into the final period of play.
Fourth Quarter
Hill connected from deep on consecutive possessions to open the fourth, catapulting Converse back into the lead (42-40) one minute into the quarter. Shooting became cold on both sides over the next four-plus minutes before Teliyah Jeter notched a pair of free throws at the 5:40 mark to give WU a 1-point lead (43-42).
Pattillo came up clutch on the Valkyries next possession, drilling a three from the top of the key to give Converse the lead once more. However, that was the last advantage Converse held as Wingate finished the game on a 14-2 run, taking the hard-fought 57-47 non-conference win.
UP NEXT
The Valkyries will return to the road on Tuesday, November 19, traveling to Hartsville, S.C. to face the Cobras of Coker University. That contest is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.