BOX SCORE

Greeneville, Tenn.----Wingate University sophomore forward Odell Turner (Charlotte, N.C.) posted team-bests with 16 points, eight rebounds and a career-high six blocked shots as the Bulldogs collected a 61-50 South Atlantic Conference men’s basketball victory over host Tusculum College Saturday afternoon in Pioneer Arena.

The Bulldogs led wire-to-wire, improving to 14-8 overall and 9-5 in the SAC with their fourth consecutive victory. With the triumph, Wingate gains sole possession of second place in the league standings. The Tusculum Pioneers are 11-13 overall and 8-6 in the SAC.

Turner collected 31 points and 20 rebounds in two regular season contests against the TC Pioneers this year. Bulldog junior guard Chase Smith (Upper Marlboro, Md.) and sophomore guard Paidrick Matilus (Boynton Beach, Fla.) posted 12 points each Saturday. Smith hit four-of-seven from downtown, while Matilus made two-of-three triples. Freshman forward Robert Carpenter (Fayetteville, N.C.) nailed three-of-four trifectas en route to a nine-point night. Matilus and Carpenter helped the Wingate bench outscore the Tusculum reserves 26-3.

Tusculum sophomore guard Dionte Grey (Johnson City, Tenn.) led the Pioneers with 12 points. Senior forward Rob Troutman (Mt. Washington, Ky.) had 11 points, while junior guard Justin Steigerwald (Cincinnati, Ohio) contributed 10 markers. Troutman had 24 points in Tusculum’s 76-74 double overtime victory over Wingate in January.

Smith opened the scoring with a three-pointer (17:46) and the Bulldogs never looked back. Another Smith triple gave Wingate a 21-10 lead at the 7:24 mark. A Matilus three-point field goal gave the visitors their largest lead (31-16) with 2:19 remaining in the opening frame. Wingate led 31-18 at intermission, as eight Bulldogs hit the scoring column. Turner topped the charts with nine points. Wingate hit five-of-eight three-pointers in the first half (62.5 percent).

In the second half, the Pioneers pulled within 33-27 on a three-pointer by Troutman with 15:17 to play. The Bulldogs responded with back-to-back buckets by Matilus and a three-pointer from Carpenter to go ahead 40-28 with 13:06 left. Tusculum was able to cut the deficit to eight points (49-41) as Troutman sank another three with 5:56 left, but a Turner block on the defensive end led to a traditional three-point play by the Bulldogs’ leading scorer at the other end with 4:46 to go to push Wingate into a double-figure lead for good.

Wingate was very efficient, hitting 19-of-37 shots for a 51.4 percent clip. The Bulldogs converted nine-of-16 triples Saturday (56.3 percent). Wingate leads the SAC in three-point field goal percentage at 38.9 percent (146-of-375). Tusculum managed only 34.9 percent shooting Saturday (15-of-43). The Pioneer reserves hit one-of-seven field goals (14.3 percent), while the Bulldog substitutes nailed 10-of-15 attempts (66.7 percent).

The Bulldogs return to action Wednesday, hosting Newberry College at 8 p.m. Wingate completes the 2011 league slate with three of four home games. Tusculum travels to Anderson (S.C.) University Wednesday for an 8 p.m. start.

(Special thanks to Tusculum College assistant SID Jim Miller for his contributions to this article.)