WINGATE, N.C. – Trailing by a point heading into the fourth quarter, the Limestone College women's basketball team shot just 2-of-12 from the field in the final frame to drop a 63-47 nonconference decision to No. 14 Wingate University on Monday, December 4 at Cuddy Arena.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Score: No. 14 Wingate 63, Limestone 47
Records: No. 14 Wingate (7-1), Limestone (5-2)
Location: Cuddy Arena
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
 

• Senior Aaliyah Davis (Fayetteville, Ga.) recorded 11 rebounds and six blocks to go with six points
• Senior Keidra Smith (Mebane, N.C.) finished with 10 points and nine boards
• Senior Jasmine Richardson (Talladega, Ala.) tallied 11 points, six rebounds and five steals
• Junior Taylour Hunter (Easley, S.C.) and senior Aliya Ruffin (Apex, N.C.) both added 10 points
• Limestone went 18-of-58 (31%) from the floor, including a 6-of-21 (29%) clip from long range
• The Saints limited the Bulldogs to a 19-of-61 (31%) showing from the field, but Wingate won the game at the line as it went 20-of-25 (80%) from the charity stripe

 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
First Quarter
 
Richardson opened the scoring with a driving layup over Wingate's 6-4 Marta Miscenko, but the Bulldogs hit a triple on the other end to take an early 3-2 lead. Richardson again scored to put Limestone back on top, but Wingate countered with a 10-2 stretch to grab a 13-6 advantage with 3:23 left in the first.
 
Hunter scored twice on Limestone's next two possessions, cutting the margin to 15-10, but a long three-pointer by the Bulldogs allowed the home team to pull out to a 19-10 cushion at the end of one. The Saints limited Wingate in the paint over the first 10 minutes, but gave up four three-pointers.
 
Second Quarter
 
The Blue and Gold started the second quarter with four straight points to make it a 19-14 game, but Wingate responded with five straight to surge out to a double-digit lead, 24-14, with 6:40 remaining.
 
Hunter snapped a field goal drought for the Saints with consecutive long range bombs, capping an 8-2 spurt to cut the margin to 26-22 at the 3:49-mark. However, Limestone would miss its last four shots of the half while the Bulldogs made good use of the free throw line to a take a 32-23 lead into the break.  
 
Third Quarter
 
A three-ball and a fast break score by Richardson bookended a pair of up-and-under baskets by Davis to highlight a 12-6 stretch as the Saints closed the gap to 38-35 with 2:55 left in the third quarter.
 
Wingate hit a three-pointer on the other end to briefly halt the momentum, but a long distance connection by Ruffin from the corner keyed a 7-2 run to close the period. Smith capped the run with back-to-back inside scores as Limestone pulled to within 43-42 at the end of the third.  
 
Fourth Quarter
 
The Bulldogs delivered the opening salvo of the fourth on a backdoor layup, keying a 5-0 run over the first 3:23 of the period to extend the margin to 48-42. Smith buried a triple for Limestone's first bucket of the frame, but Wingate began pulling away as a 5-2 span made it a 53-47 game at the final media timeout.

The Saints would not score again, going 0-for-3 from the field while turning the ball over four times during the final 4:44 of regulation. The Bulldogs managed to go 12-of-14 from the free throw line in the quarter, including 8-for-8 over the last four minutes, as they pulled away for the 63-47 decision.
 
TURNING POINT
 
Despite the cold-shooting effort, Limestone nearly overcame a 10-point, first-half deficit by outscoring the home team 19-11 in the third quarter. Clinging to a one-point lead heading into the fourth, Wingate put the Saints away in the final frame as it scored 12 of its 20 points in the quarter at the charity stripe.   
 
NOTABLES
 

• Limestone and Wingate played a regular season game for the first time since 1992
• The Saints and Bulldogs did meet in the 2015 NCAA Southeast Regional at the Timken Center
• Smith, who was named conference player of the week just before tip-off, went 1-for-11 from the field in the first half, and 4-of-18 for the day
• Davis registered a career-high six blocked shots, most coming on Wingate's 6-4 center
• The Saints fall to 0-2 against nationally ranked opponents this season

 
UP NEXT
 
The Saints will look to rebound when they return to conference action this weekend as they host Lees-McRae College on Saturday, December 9 at 2 p.m.