BOX SCORE

Pembroke, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs overcame an early 12-point deficit, notching a 69-65 overtime victory at UNC Pembroke in NCAA Division II men’s basketball action Tuesday night. The Bulldogs improve to 2-4 overall, with both wins coming in overtime. The Braves fall to 2-3 on the season.
 
Senior guard Jaime Vaughn (Tallahassee, Fla.) had 22 points to lead the Bulldogs. Junior guard Ethan Kincaid (Morganton, N.C.) added 12 points and eight rebounds, while junior guard Paidrick Matilus (Boynton Beach, Fla.) contributed 10 points.
 
George Blakeney had 20 points and seven rebounds to lead the UNCP attack. Nathan Priest and Marcus Heath added nine points each for Pembroke.
 
The Braves came out hot, scoring the first 11 points of the contest, getting six early points from Blakeney. Another jumper from Blakeney gave UNCP a 15-3 lead five minutes into the game. Threes from Vaughn and senior guard Chase Smith (Upper Marlboro, Md.) helped Wingate trim the lead to five, but the Braves pushed the lead back into double figures when a jumper from Ty Alston made it 26-16 at the 7:07 mark.
 
Wingate had the answer, closing the half on an 18-5 run to take the lead. Vaughn started the flurry with a three, while a Kincaid triple made it a four-point game. Three consecutive free throws from junior forward Odell Turner (Charlotte, N.C.) put the Bulldogs on top, while two more free throws from freshman forward Mike Tyson (Kinston, N.C.) gave Wingate a 34-31 lead at halftime.
 
After the Braves regained the lead early in the second half, Wingate used a 7-0 run to take a 45-40 lead, getting a Kincaid triple followed by Vaughn jumper six minutes into the second half. A jumper from sophomore forward Jeff Parker (Madison, N.C.), followed by a pair of Vaughn free throws gave the ‘Dogs a 53-46 lead with 7:49 remaining in the contest. UNCP answered with a 10-2 run to take a 56-55 lead on a jumper from K.J. Cooper at the 2:39 mark.
 
A Vaughn jumper put the Bulldogs back on top with 2:30 to go. Blakeney hit a free throw to tie the game with 1:10 remaining. Wingate had the answer on the ensuing possession, with Matilus knocking down a jumper with 42 seconds left to put the ‘Dogs on top 59-57. The Braves were able to answer on their end, getting a putback from Priest with 16 seconds remaining to tie it. The Bulldogs had a chance to end it in regulation, but a floater in the lane rimmed out, sending it to overtime.
 
A triple from Matilus gave Wingate an early lead in overtime. The Braves cut it to one, but a layup from sophomore forward Deion Turman (Pittsburgh, Pa.) pushed the lead back to three with three minutes to go. A layup from Heath cut the lead back to one, but a Parker free throw gave the ‘Dogs a two-point lead with under a minute to go. Vaughn hit a pair of free throws to give Wingate a 67-63 advantage. A Brackett layup made it a two-point game once again, but Matilus was fouled, and knocked down two more free throws with seven seconds remaining to ice it for Wingate.
 
The Bulldogs shot 46 percent from the field, while knocking down seven-of-15 from beyond the arc (47 percent). The Braves shot 39 percent from the floor, while hitting only two-of-14 from three-point range (14 percent). Wingate held a slim 36-32 edge in rebounding.
 
The Bulldogs return to action Saturday, traveling to Clayton State for a 4 p.m. start.