Box Score
Savannah, Ga.----The Wingate University Bulldogs defeated the Pirates of Armstrong Atlantic State University for the second time this season, winning 66-63 Wednesday night on day two of the 2009 Hampton Inn & Suites Holiday Classic. The Bulldogs win their third straight game to improve to 8-4 overall, while the Pirates fall to 5-5 on the year.
Freshman forward Odell Turner (Charlotte, N.C.) had 12 points and nine rebounds to lead the Wingate attack. Freshman guard Paidrick Matilus (Boynton Beach, Fla.) added 12 points for the Bulldogs, while four other players had at least eight points. Freshman forward Quan Alexander (Charlotte, N.C.) had nine points and a team-high 10 rebounds, while senior guard Larry Staley (Charlotte, N.C.) also had nine points.
Sophomore guard Chris Vanlandingham (Hendersonville, N.C.) led the Pirates with a game-high 21 points, while senior guard Gabriel Robinson (Augusta, Ga.) added 13 points. Senior guard Patrick Shokpeka (Lawrenceville, Ga.) chipped in with eight points and 10 rebounds for AASU.
The Pirates jumped out to a 15-8 lead six minutes in, getting 10 quick points from Vanlandingham. Trailing by five at the 9:11 mark, the Bulldogs used an 8-0 run to take a 27-24 lead. Sophomore guard Jaime Vaughn (Tallahassee, Fla.) got it started with a three, while Matilus would also add a three in the spurt.
The Pirates closed the half on a 15-6 run to take a six-point lead into halftime. Freshman guard David Pruett (Sugar Hill, Ga.) hit a pair of threes for AASU in the final minute.
A Vanlandingham jumper gave the Pirates an eight-point lead early in the second half. Wingate answered with an 11-2 run to regain the lead at the 15:14 mark. Alexander got it started with a layup, while Matilus followed with a three. A jumper from Turner gave the Bulldogs their first lead of the half. No team would lead by more than three the rest of the way.
A pair of free throws from Shokpeka put the Pirates on top by one at the 6:15 mark. A free throw from Matilus, followed by a jumper from Vaughn gave Wingate a 61-59 lead with five minutes remaining. After AASU tied it, the Bulldogs again turned to Vaughn, who knocked down a jumper for a 63-61 lead at the 4:08 mark. Robinson answered with a jumper 30 seconds later to tie it for the ninth time in the game.
Wingate regained the lead with 2:19 remaining in the game, when Staley grabbed an offensive rebound, then knocked down a jumper for a 65-63 lead. The Pirates looked to tie it in the final minute, but freshman guard Ethan Kincaid (Morganton, N.C.) came up with a steal with 31 seconds remaining. Vaughn knocked down a free throw, and the Bulldogs held on for the three-point win.
The Bulldogs shot 39.3 percent from the field on the night, while hitting six-of-18 shots from three point range (33.3 percent). Wingate converted 15 AASU turnovers into 19 points, while also holding a 42-35 rebounding advantage. The Bulldogs had 15 second chance points, compared to five for the Pirates. AASU shot 38.5 percent from the field in the game, while hitting three-of-17 from beyond the arc (17.6 percent).
Wingate returns to action Saturday, hosting Lincoln Memorial University at 4 p.m. AASU travels to Flagler Saturday for a 3:30 p.m. start.
