Florence, S.C. -- Senior forward Shannon Proffit tallied 17 points and eight rebounds to lead Wingate University to a 77-60 non-conference victory over Francis Marion University, Monday night (Dec. 5) in women's basketball action.

The Bulldogs improve to 6-3 overall with their third consecutive win, while the Patriots fall to 3-3. Both teams will take a break for final exams before returning to the hardwood.  FMU plays host to Anderson College, Dec. 14, while Wingate plays at Belmont Abbey College on Dec. 17.

Three Wingate players scored in double figures. In addition to Proffit's effort, senior center Veronica Taylor recorded a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds and junior guard Tanetra Barrett contributed 12 points and a game-high seven assists.

Senior guard/forward Danielle Moore led Francis Marion with 15 points, six rebounds, three assists and two steals. No other Patriot reached double digits.  Freshman forward Katie Kiefer contributed nine points off the bench.

Taylor gave the visitors the lead for good when she hit an inside hoop to put the Bulldogs up 9-7 with 15:33 to go in the opening frame. In the first half, Wingate took its biggest lead (36-22) when junior forward Emily Paffrath hit one-of-two free throws with 1:14 remaining.

Wingate led 38-28 at halftime as Barrett and Moore led their respective teams with 10 points each in the first period. The Patriots would get no closer than eight in the second half. The Bulldogs built a 67-44 lead when sophomore guard Kate Edwards  nailed the third of her three second-half three-point field goals.

The Bulldogs turned 19 Patriot turnovers into 21 points. Wingate also fared well from the field, as the Bulldogs shot 48.3 percent (29-of-60) on the evening, while holding Francis Marion to only 35.4 percent (23-of-65).

12-5-05 5:30 pm at Florence, SC (Smith University Center)
WINGATE UNIVERSITY 77, FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY 60
 
WINGATE UNIVERSITY (6-3)
Proffit, Shannon 6-9 5-9 17; Taylor, Veronica 5-12 3-5 13; Barrett, Tanetra 5-15 2-2 12; Edwards, Kate 3-4 0-0 9; Metzker, Kerri 3-6 2-2 8; Paffrath, Emily 2-3 3-4 7; Atkinson, Anna 3-7 0-0 7; Gillis, Kasey 2-4 0-1 4; Byer, Lakin 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 29-60 15-23 77.

FRANCIS MARION UNIVERSITY (3-3)
Moore, Danielle 4-14 7-8 15; Kiefer, Katie 3-10 2-4 9; Guilliams, Renee 3-9 0-0 8; Downer, Shonelle 4-6 0-0 8; Singletary,Creshenda 3-9 1-1 7;  Marsh, Kirby 2-3 0-0 5; Goff, Vanessa 2-4 0-0 4; Young, Brittany 2-5 0-0 4; Mack, Shavone 0-1 0-0 0; Etheredge, Courtenay 0-4 0-0 0. Totals 23-65 10-13 60.

Halftime--Wingate 38 Francis Marion 28. 3-point goals-Wingate 4-8 (Edwards, Kate 3-4; Atkinson, Anna 1-3; Proffit,  Shannon 0-1), Francis Marion 4-16 (Guilliams, Renee 2-6; Marsh, Kirby 1-1;  Kiefer, Katie 1-2; Etheredge, Courtenay 0-3; Singletary,Creshenda 0-2; Moore,  Danielle 0-2). Fouled out--None. Rebounds-Wingate 34 (Taylor, Veronica 10),  Francis Marion 38 (Downer, Shonelle 8). Assists-Wingate 23 (Barrett, Tanetra 7), Francis Marion 16 (Moore, Danielle 3). Total fouls-Wingate 10, Francis Marion  18. A-200