BOX SCORE

Aiken, S.C.----Wingate University sophomore guard Nikki Burton (Charlotte, N.C.) knocked down the game-winning runner off the glass with 4.6 seconds remaining to give the third-seeded Bulldogs a thrilling 64-63 win over sixth-ranked Clayton State, the defending national champions. The Bulldogs improve to 24-7 overall, advancing to Monday night's regional championship game. The Lakers end their season at 29-4 overall.
 
The Bulldogs led throughout most of the second half Saturday, but a three from Clayton State's Drameka Griggs put the Lakers on top by one with 10 seconds remaining. After a timeout, Burton took the ball the length of the floor, banking in the game-winner from just outside the lane to put the Bulldogs back on top. Clayton State's desperation heave missed, sending the Bulldogs to the regional championship game for the second time in five years.

“I'm excited about the win,” Wingate head coach Barbara Nelson says. “The kids played hard and focused. In the last month, we've been on fire defensively. We've just been hoping the offense would come, and it's starting to now. This is survive and advance; it’s not a statement game. Clayton State is a great team, great program and their defensive pressure is relentless. The key was not feeding their offense with their defense. We did it all game except the last minute and a half.”
 
Burton led the Bulldogs with 16 points. Senior forward Simone Rutledge (Atlanta, Ga.) added 15 points. Classmate Kurie Washington (Marion, N.C.) had 13 points, all in the first half. The top scorer for Clayton State was Griggs with 18 points. Tanisha Woodard had 14 points on the strength of a game-high four three-point field goals.
 
Both teams came out cold in the opening half, with a Griggs layup putting the Lakers on top 13-8 at the midway point. The Bulldogs scored the next five points, tying the game at 13 on Washington’s three-point play. A triple from Brittany Hall put Clayton State back on top by three, but Wingate responded by scoring the next nine points to take a six-point lead. A layup and two free throws from Washington started the spurt, putting Wingate back on top. Rutledge added a jumper, while sophomore guard Janitsha Williams (Statesville, N.C.) capped it with a three, making it 22-16 with 4:31 remaining in the half.
 
The Lakers responded with a 5-0 run of their own, cutting Wingate’s lead to one on a three-point play from Griggs at the 3:30 mark. A Rutledge jumper and Washington triple pushed the lead back to six less than a minute later. Shannon Smith’s layup with a minute remaining in the half cut the lead back to four, but Washington answered with a layup, giving the ‘Dogs a 31-25 halftime advantage.
 
A triple from Williams put the Bulldogs on top 45-37 at the 12:47 mark of the second half. Clayton State trimmed the deficit to four, but layups from Burton and junior forward Tish Logan (Suitland, Md.) pushed the lead back to eight with 8:36 remaining. The Lakers answered with an 8-2 run to get to within two when a Griggs jumper made it 51-49 at the 6:04 mark.
 
The Bulldogs used a 7-0 run to take their largest lead of the game, going on top 58-49 with 4:21 to go. Rutledge started the spurt with two free throws, while capping it with a three-point play. The Lakers responded with a 9-0 run over the next two minutes, tying the game at 58 on a steal and layup from Griggs. Rutledge answered with a big jumper from the top of the key to put Wingate back on top, but Keona Dixon answered with two free throws, tying it at 60 with 55 seconds to go. Burton grabbed an offensive rebound on the other end, and was fouled on the putback attempt, knocking down two free throws to make it 62-60 with 25 seconds left, setting up the wild finish.
 
“Coach told us to get it out and for me to penetrate,” Burton says about the final shot. “I just decided to go on up with it. I'd either get fouled or make it."
 
Wingate shot 39.7 percent from the field, hitting four-of-nine shots from three-point range (44.4 percent). The Bulldogs were 14-of-15 from the free throw line (93.3 percent), while assisting on 17 of 23 field goals on the day. Clayton State shot 35.7 percent from the field, while going nine-for-27 from beyond the arc (33.3 percent). Wingate held a 47-36 rebounding advantage, while the Lakers converted 23 Wingate turnovers into 28 points.
 
Wingate will make its first appearance in the regional title game since the 2008 season, when the Bulldogs won the regional championship to advance to the Elite Eight. The Bulldogs will take on fourth-seeded Lander University Monday night at 7 p.m. The Bearcats knocked off top-seeded USC Aiken Saturday night. “This means a lot to us,” Nelson says. “It's about what they've devoted and the heart they've given. I asked them if they were done celebrating and they said no way. They weren't just happy with this win. They want to get the next one."