GAFFNEY, S.C. – Despite an impressive 22-4 run to open the second half, the Limestone College women's basketball team could not hold off visiting Wingate University in the late going as it dropped its second straight home game by a final of 77-71 on Sunday, November 25 at the Timken Center.
 
GAME INFORMATION
Score: Wingate 77, Limestone 71
Records: Wingate (4-2), Limestone (1-4)
Location: Timken Center
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
 

• Senior Taylour Hunter (Clemson, S.C.) tallied a team-high 19 points and dished out five assists
• Junior Schekinah Bimpa (Loganville, Ga.) added a double-double with 15 points and 11 boards
• Junior Jayla Morrow (Tucker, Ga.) chipped in 13 points to go with five assists
• Freshman Niya Goudelock (Gaffney, S.C.) posted 12 points and three steals
• Freshman Alaan West (Harvey, La.) registered eight points off the bench
• Wingate finished with a commanding 42-25 advantage on the boards
• Limestone went 25-of-66 (38%) from the field, including 10-of-26 (39%) from long range
• The Bulldogs shot 29-of-54 (54%) from the floor and recorded 36 points in the paint

 
HOW IT HAPPENED
 
First Quarter
 
After forcing a pair of turnovers on defense, the Saints jumped out to an early 4-0 lead behind a midrange jumper by Bimpa along the baseline. Wingate answered with five straight points, but an inside score by Bimpa and a conventional three-point play by Hunter would stake Limestone to a 9-5 edge.
 
The Bulldogs capped a 7-2 spurt coming out of the media timeout as the visitors regained the lead, 12-11, but a pair of free throws by Goudelock put the Saints back on top with 2:51 remaining. Goudelock then hit from distance, but back-to-back corner triples gave Wingate a 20-16 advantage at the end of the first.
 
Second Quarter
 
Wingate extended its overall run to 17-2 midway through the second quarter, grabbing a 31-18 cushion with 5:07 left to play. The Saints countered with a 10-2 spurt, however, as West, Goudelock and Hunter all connected from long distance, allowing the Blue and Gold to close the gap to five points.
 
The Bulldogs hit from long range on the other end, pushing the margin back to eight with 63 ticks remaining, but Hunter knocked down another deep three as Limestone cut the lead to 36-31 at the break. The Saints went 11-of-36 (31%) from the field in the half while Wingate shot 50-percent from the floor.
 
Third Quarter
 
Morrow took over for the Saints early in the third, scoring 11 straight points behind a pair of long range bombs as the home team opened the second half with a 22-4 stretch. Bimpa added four points during the run while West hit another from behind the arc as Limestone pulled out to a 53-40 lead with 4:03 left.  
 
Wingate responded with six straight points, pulling to within seven points a few moments later, but a layup by Hunter and free throws by junior Alexis Armstrong (Gastonia, N.C.) staked the Blue and Gold to a 57-49 advantage with just over a minute to play in the period.
 
Fourth Quarter
 
After recording the final bucket of the third quarter, the Bulldogs opened the final period with an 8-2 run to pull the game even at 59-all with 8:12 remaining. Bimpa hit two free throws on the other end to put Limestone on top by two, but Wingate ran off six straight points to make it a 65-61 contest.
 
Hunter would then cap a 7-0 run for the Blue and Gold as her three-point bomb put the home team back on top, 68-65, with 5:05 remaining. That lead would not hold up, however, as the Saints managed just three points the rest of the way – a three by Hunter – allowing Wingate to close out the 77-71 decision.  
 
TURNING POINT
 
The Saints appeared to have taken control of the contest behind a 22-4 run to open then second half, and then again when a 7-0 spurt put the home team in front 68-65 with 5:05 left in regulation. However, Limestone scored just three points the rest of the way as Wingate stormed back to take the win.  
 
NOTABLES
 

• Limestone posted season highs with 71 points and 10 three-pointers
• Bimpa tallied her second straight double-double and her third of the season
• The last time the Saints opened a season at 1-4 was during the 2006-07 campaign

 
UP NEXT
 
The Blue and Gold will open up Conference Carolinas play on Wednesday, November 28, when it travels to nearby Spartanburg, S.C. to take on Converse College. Tip-off is slated for 6 p.m.