FLORENCE, S.C. – Erica Crumlin posted a double-double Friday afternoon (March 14) in the first game of the NCAA Division II Women's Basketball South Atlantic Regional Tournament to lead top-seeded Wingate University to a 61-50 quarterfinal victory over eighth-seeded Johnson C. Smith University in Francis Marion’s Smith University Center.
Wingate, which improves to 24-7 overall, advances to the semifinals where the Lady Bulldogs will play Augusta State University at 6 p.m. Saturday.
Johnson C. Smith, an at-large team from the CIAA, ends the season at 21-10.
Crumlin scored 14 points on 7-of-12 field goals and grabbed 15 rebounds to lead Wingate, which earned an automatic berth by winning the South Atlantic Conference tournament. Kate Edwards added 10 points, while Anna Atkinson chipped in a game-high 11 assists.
Kyria Buford led the Lady Golden Bulls with 16 points and a career-high 16 rebounds.
Both teams struggled in the first half as Wingate, which led 23-17 at halftime, shot 39.3 percent on 11-of-28 field goals, and Johnson C. Smith connected on 7-of-31 field goals for 22.6 percent.
Wingate opened the second half with six unanswered points to stretch their lead to 29-17. J.C. Smith scored its first bucket at 16:22 to cut the margin to 29-19 on an Ashley Chase bucket then went on a 10-2 run midway through the second half to cut the lead to 40-37 with 6:27 remaining in the game.
Atkinson made two free throws and Edwards netted a three-pointer to stretch the Bulldog lead back to 45-37 with 4:25 remaining.
After a 2-2 start, Wingate scored eight unanswered points to take a 10-2 lead on a Kasey Gillis putback at 16:35. The Lady Golden Bulls cut the margin to 14-9 when Buford scored five points on a three-pointer and two pointer.
After a two-minute scoring drought, J.C. Smith made it 14-10 on a free throw by Shontanette Shaw.
Edwards’ three pointer gave Wingate a 17-10 lead at 10:20 and then Wingate scored its biggest lead of the first half at 19-10 on a Gillis layup at 10:03.
J.C. Smith cut the margin to 19-14 at 9:13 when Rochelle Bodie and Buford made back-to-back baskets.
After a 6:07 scoring drought by both teams, an Edwards’ putback gave the Lady Bulldogs a 21-14 advantage with 3:04 left in the half.
For the game, Wingate connected on 23-of-57 field goals for 40.4 percent, including 2-of-16 three pointers for 12.5 percent. The Lady Bulldogs, which outrebounded J.C. Smith, 51-45, made 13-of-19 free throws for 68.4 percent.
The Lady Golden Bulls made 20-of-74 field goals for 27 percent, including 2-of-8 three pointers for 25 percent. J.C. Smith made 8-of-19 free throws for 42.1 percent.
