Box Score

Hickory, N.C.----For the second consecutive game, the Wingate University Bulldogs had the lead in the final seconds. And for the second straight time, the Bulldogs lost it at the buzzer, as Lenoir-Rhyne University junior forward D.J. Blackmon (Albemarle, N.C.) hit a 16-footer as time expired to give the Bears a 74-73 victory in South Atlantic Conference men’s basketball action Wednesday night. 

LRU improves to 7-18 overall and 5-10 in the SAC. Wingate falls to 13-13 overall and 6-9 in the league. The Bulldogs have had their share of close conference games this year. Wingate has lost five league games by a total of eight points this season. 

Blackmon led all scorers with 29 points, hitting 11-of-17 shots from the field and three-of-five shots from three-point range. Sophomore guard Jon Hathcock (Concord, N.C.) added a career-high 22 points, knocking down six-of-nine shots from beyond the arc. 

Freshman guard Paidrick Matilus (Boynton Beach, Fla.) led the Bulldogs with 19 points on seven-of-11 shooting from the field. Freshman forward Quan Alexander (Charlotte, N.C.) added 13 points and a team-high six rebounds, while freshman forward Odell Turner (Charlotte, N.C.) contributed 11 points and four boards.

The Bulldogs used a 15-2 run to take a 17-10 lead seven minutes into the first half. Wingate sophomore guard Jaime Vaughn (Tallahassee, Fla.) got it started with a three, while freshman guard Ethan Kincaid (Morganton, N.C.) capped it with a trifecta. A Matilus layup gave Wingate a six-point lead at the 5:38 mark. The Bears answered by scoring the next 14 points to take a 39-31 lead with two minutes remaining in the half. Blackmon hit a pair of threes, while Hathcock capped it with a three. Vaughn hit a pair of free throws with 18 seconds remaining to trim the lead to three at halftime.  

The Bears took a seven-point lead on a lay-up from freshman forward Will Carpenter (Greensboro, N.C.) five minutes into the second half. Wingate scored the next seven points to tie the game at 54 on a three from sophomore guard Chase Smith (Upper Marlboro, Md.). A three-pointer and a jumper from Matilus put the Bulldogs on top by three at the 8:36 mark.

A lay-up from senior guard Larry Staley (Charlotte, N.C.) put Wingate up 65-60 at the 6:50 mark. Blackmon hit a pair of free throws with four minutes remaining to trim the lead to two, but Staley responded with two free throws to make it 69-65. The Bears cut the lead to one on a Hathcock three with 3:28 remaining. 

Blackmon hit two more free throws with 2:46 to go to put LRU on top by one. Wingate answered with a Turner lay-up to regain a one-point advantage. Blackmon knocked down a jumper with 20 seconds remaining to give the Bears a 72-71 lead. 

Staley was fouled with five seconds remaining. He hit his first shot and missed the second, grabbing the rebound and drawing a foul. Staley hit one-of-two free throws to give Wingate a one-point lead with four seconds left. The Bears again turned to Blackmon, who went the length of the floor and hit the game-winner.
Lenoir-Rhyne shot 48.1 percent from the field, while hitting 11-of-24 shots from beyond the arc (45.8 percent). Wingate shot 50 percent from the field and knocked down seven-of-15 from three-point range (46.7 percent). The Bulldogs held a 34-25 rebounding advantage and a 26-24 edge in points in the paint. LRU held a 17-7 advantage in second-chance points and scored 23 points from 16 Wingate turnovers. 

The Bulldogs return to action Saturday, hosting Carson-Newman College at 4 p.m. in the regular season finale. Wingate will honor two seniors on Senior Day. It will be the final home game for Staley and redshirt senior guard/forward David Johnson (Durham, N.C.). LRU travels to Mars Hill College Saturday for a 4 p.m. start. 

(Wingate University assistant sports information director Hugh Patton wrote this article. Patton is a 2006 Wingate graduate with a B.A. degree in Communication Studies.)