NEWBERRY - A near double-double by freshman Haylee Lepaio was not enough for the Wolves as Newberry was topped at home by the visiting Wingate Bulldogs 65-52.

Wingate (16-7, 10-5 South Atlantic Conference) was led by Nikki Burton's 18 points as the Bulldogs jumped ahead of Newberry (13-10, 8-7 SAC) early taking a four-point lead 12 minutes into the game. The Wolves and Bulldogs battled back-and-fourth for much of the opening period, with both teams leading by as many as four points.

Newberry led by four points as junior Neicey Lewis (Riverdale, Ga.) hit a 3-pointer with 6:43 on the clock, to put the Wolves ahead 21-17. After a basket on the other end by Janitsha Williams cut the Wolves lead to two Lepaio (Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia) hit a jumper to give Newberry another four-point lead.

The Wolves lead drifted away quickly as the Bulldogs closed out the first half on a 7-2 run, to head into the locker room with a 26-25 lead at the half.

Lepaio and fellow freshman Zara Pearson (Echuca, Victoria, Australia) led Newberry with six points at half, while senior Brittany Brown (Fort Myers, Fla.) led the Wolves with seven first half rebounds.

The Bulldogs led wire-to-wire in the second half taking an early three-point lead on a layup by Tiffany Brown. Newberry cut into Wingate's lead on multiple occasions, before Wingate extended its lead to double digits with 33 seconds on the clock.

Lepaio's 12 second half points led all scorers in the half.

Both Wingate's Nikki Burton and Newberry's Lepaio tallied 18 points on the evening, while Lepaio's nine boards were a team-high for the Wolves. A five-block game by Lepaio gives her 33 on the season, good for No. 7 all-time at Newberry for blocks in a season.

Newberry hits the road on Saturday as the Wolves head to Carson-Newman for a 2 p.m. meeting with the Lady Eagles.