Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University men’s basketball team hosts Belmont Abbey College Friday for the fourth game in a five-game home stand. The Bulldogs and the Crusaders will tip-off at 4 p.m. in Cuddy Arena on the Wingate campus.
 
Wingate completed its pre-Christmas schedule with an 82-73 victory over visiting Mount Olive College Saturday, Dec. 17. The Bulldogs set a South Atlantic Conference record with 15 blocked shots while building a 24-point second half lead. Wingate head coach Brian Good hopes his team can take the momentum into its post-Christmas competition.
 
“Sometimes breaks come at a good time…and sometimes they don’t,” Good says. “I thought we played extremely well against Mount Olive. We played well against Winston-Salem State (a two-point loss) two days earlier. I hope we can pick up where we left off…and make good things happen.”
 
In the Mount Olive contest, sophomore forward Jeff Parker (Madison, N.C.) and junior guard Paidrick Matilus (Boynton Beach, Fla.) had 16 points each. Senior guard Jaime Vaughn (Tallahassee, Fla.) and junior forward Odell Turner (Charlotte, N.C.) contributed 10 points each. Parker led the block party with six rejections, while sophomore forward Deion Turman (Pittsburgh, Pa.) added four blocked shots.
 
“We have a long list of guys who we are confident using in any situation,” Good says. “This is a nice luxury…to know we have options. Belmont Abbey is the last opportunity for us to work on us…before we resume South Atlantic Conference play.”
 
Vaughn leads the Bulldogs with his 16.0 points per game. He had a season-high 26 points in the Winston-Salem State contest on Dec. 15. Turner averages 12.8 points per game and a team-best 8.1 rebounds per game. The Myers Park High School product has been Wingate’s leading scorer in six of the team’s 11 contests. Both Vaughn and Turner were named to All-SAC teams in 2011.
 
Eight different Wingate players have recorded at least one double-figure scoring game this season. Good believes his team’s preparation is a key to continued success, both offensively and defensively. “We have challengers in practice,” Good says. “There is great intensity…no one is secure in his role. The coaching staff’s increased confidence in each player…will make us a better team.”
 
The Bulldogs and the Crusaders have three common opponents (so far) this season. Wingate defeated SAC foe Carson-Newman and lost to Winston-Salem State and Johnson C. Smith by a combined 11 points. Belmont Abbey also defeated Carson-Newman. They lost a 12-point decision to WSSU and suffered a four-point setback against JCSU.
 
The last time the two teams met, Wingate put together a 28-4 first half run to defeat Belmont Abbey 81-65 on Thursday, Dec. 30, 2010. Junior forward Quan Alexander (Charlotte, N.C.) had 17 points and seven rebounds to lead the visiting Bulldogs. Senior forward Kyle Phillips (Lexington, S.C.) equaled Alexander’s output with 17 for the host Crusaders.
 
Belmont Abbey junior guard Tyshawn Good (Jamaica, N.Y.) averages 20.4 points per game to lead the Crusaders and the Conference Carolinas. Classmate and backcourt mate Jay Council (Camden, S.C.) contributes 16.7 points per game. Phillips averages 14.1 points per game and a team-best 5.6 rebounds per game. BAC junior guard Terrone Sheffey (Dallas, N.C.) adds 11.4 points per game. Sheffey and Wingate junior point guard Ethan Kincaid (Morganton, N.C.) have 40 assists each to lead their respective clubs.
 
Winston-Salem State was the fifth 2011 NCAA Division II tournament team Wingate has faced so far this season. Previously, the Bulldogs battled Limestone, Queens, UNC Pembroke and Lincoln Memorial. Wingate will add a sixth 2011 NCAA qualifier to its opponent ledger in January, when the Bulldogs play the first of two SAC regular season games against defending Southeast Region champion Anderson (S.C.).
 
Both teams return to league play in January. Wingate hosts Catawba Wednesday, Jan. 4 at 8 p.m. Belmont Abbey travels up the mountain to face Lees-McRae Tuesday, Jan. 3 at 7:30 p.m.

WINGATE UNIVERSITY
 
Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a comprehensive university with more than 2,500 students on three campuses in Wingate, Matthews and Hendersonville, N.C. The university offers 34 undergraduate majors, 37 minors and career concentrations, numerous pre-professional programs, graduate degrees in business, accounting, physician assistant studies and sports administration and doctorates in pharmacy and education.
 
Wingate students gain the tools and support they need to excel in academics and apply that learning toward an extraordinary career and life. The campus community offers in-class learning, out-of-class experiences, strong mentors, a competitive yet caring environment and rewarding community service opportunities for a complete educational experience.
 
Bulldog student-athletes compete in 19 NCAA Division II sports. Wingate University has won the South Atlantic Conference Echols Athletic Excellence Award for the past five years.
 
Wingate University is ranked number three among NCAA Division II Academic All-America® producing schools in the 2000’s with 42 honorees during this millennium. Only Pittsburg State (Kan.) University and Truman State (Mo.) University have produced more Academic All-America® honorees during this time period. Wingate’s 51 Academic All-America® honorees (lifetime) is tops among all SAC schools.