Lions' clutch plays late sink SAC-leading Bulldogs
MHU takes down 9th ranked team in the region.
MARS HILL, N.C. - The Mars Hill women's basketball team (10-6, 7-5 SAC) defeated Wingate (10-5, 9-2 SAC) by a score of 58-56 in a tense South Atlantic Conference clash Sunday afternoon inside Chambers Gymnasium.
After Wingate tied the score at 39 in the opening seconds of the fourth quarter, back-to-back threes from Maddie Gillie gave Mars Hill a six-point advantage less than a minute into the final frame.
A back-and-forth affair in the frame saw the Lions trail by as many as five midway through before rallying to tie the game at 54 with just over a minute remaining. Trading buckets down the stretch, it was Mars Hill's Aaliyah El who hit the eventual game-winner with seven seconds on the clock. On Wingate's final possession, Tateyoina Harris blocked Lia Anderson's layup attempt as the buzzer sounded, clinching the gutsy win for the Lions.
Mars Hill carried the 12-11 into the second quarter before Wingate responded in the second, outscoring the Lions 13-12 to even up the contest going into the half. In the third, the Lions retook the lead, netting 15 in the stanza.
Gillie led all players with 12 points while Naja Ngongba added 11 for the Lions. Both Elyseia Brown and Daisy Gale netted 10 points apiece with Gale's 11 rebounds leading the Lions and giving her the double-double.
Harris pulled down six rebounds and led all players with two blocks. El ended the contest with nine points and eight rebounds.
The Lions handed Wingate just their second loss in the conference. The Bulldogs entered the game as the ninth ranked team in the southeast region.
Mars Hill takes to the road on Wednesday, January 15 when they face Emory & Henry. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m.
