WINGATE, N.C. - Newberry College fell 72-64 to Wingate University in its South Atlantic Conference opener.  It is only the Lady Indians second loss of the season as they slip to 5-2 (0-1 SAC).  The Bulldogs improve to 3-4 (1-0 SAC).

The Newberry Lady Indians came out firing to open the game on a 7-0 run.  However, Wingate fought back to tie the game at 11.  Trailing by one point at 16-15, Newberry went five minutes without scoring a point.  During that time, the Bulldogs scored 11 points stretching the lead to 27-18. 
 
Down by nine, Newberry settled in and battled back to close the gap.  An Ashley Marine (Peachtree City, Ga.) three-pointer at the buzzer brought the Lady Indians within one point at 37-36 going into the locker room.

Janine Ward (Tallevast, Fla.) quickly put Newberry into the lead to start the second half with a three-pointer.  Wingate�s Kate Edwards answered with a three-pointer of her own to give the lead back to the home team. 
The Lady Indians seemed poised to take over the game.  Newberry scored the next six points to gain its biggest lead of the half at 45-40 with 16:41 to play in the game. 

The Bulldogs responded again; this time with a 14-3 run taking a 54-48 lead and regaining the momentum.   After the two teams traded a couple more buckets, the game went over two minutes before it saw its next field goal.  That field goal came from Newberry�s Laura Marquardt (Mt. Pleasant, S.C.) to cut the deficit to 57-53 with just over 10 minutes remaining. 

A three-pointer by Marine and a pair of free throws courtesy of Tosha Goodman (Winter Park, Fla.) brought the Lady Indians within three points at 61-58 with 7:33 to play.  However, the Wingate defense stepped up the pressure by forcing seven Newberry turnovers in the final seven minutes to keep the Lady Indians at bay.  Newberry scored only one field goal in the final five minutes.

Ashley Wright (Myrtle Beach, S.C.) scored that lone field goal with just over three minutes to play.  Wright�s basket brought the Lady Indians within four points.

However, both teams went cold again and neither side was able to score for the next two minutes.  Wingate finally broke the drought and subsequently won the game by a score of 72-64.

Tonique Frasier (Walterboro, S.C.) led the way for the Lady Indians with a double-double.  The senior had a game high 16 points marking the third time in four games she has been the leading scorer for Newberry.  Frasier also had 14 rebounds on the night.  Wright and Marine each added eight points for the Lady Indians.

Brittany West led Wingate�s offense tying Frasier�s mark of 16 points.  Edwards and Anna Atkinson each added 11 points for the home team.

Newberry will host Allen University on Saturday afternoon.  Tip off is at 2 p.m.