Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs tied a season high by knocking down 11 three-pointers while also setting a season-high in points, as they defeated visiting Newberry College 96-64 in South Atlantic Conference men’s basketball action Wednesday night in Cuddy Arena. The Bulldogs improve to 9-8 overall and 5-2 in the SAC. The NC Wolves fall to 8-6 overall and 3-4 in the SAC. Wingate’s first 15 games of the season were all single-digit decisions. The ‘Dogs have won their last two contests by a combined 52 points.

Senior guard Jaime Vaughn (Tallahassee, Fla.) scored 22 of his season-high 29 points to lead the Wingate attack, knocking down 10-of-15 shots from the field and six-of-seven from beyond the arc. Vaughn has scored 93 points in his last three meetings with the Wolves. Junior forward Odell Turner (Charlotte, N.C.) had 15 points, six rebounds, four blocks and three steals, while senior guard Chase Smith (Upper Marlboro, Md.) added 14 points. Junior guard Ethan Kincaid (Morganton, N.C) contributed nine points, six rebounds, six assists and two steals for the Bulldogs.
 
Redshirt freshman forward Dondray Walker (Fountain Inn, S.C.) had 23 points to lead the Newberry attack. Redshirt freshman forward Savad Garner (Fountain Inn, S.C.) added 14 points for the Wolves.
 
The ‘Dogs used a 10-2 run to take a 14-13 lead at the 12:09 mark, capped by a Vaughn jumper. Freshman guard Quayshun Hawkins (Columbia, S.C.) answered with a triple to put the Wolves back on top by two. A jumper from junior guard Paidrick Matilus (Boynton Beach, Fla.), followed by a Vaughn triple, put the Bulldogs on top for good with 10:32 remaining in the opening half. Vaughn would go on to score seven consecutive points to push the lead to seven at the 7:11 mark.
 
Walker knocked down a three to trim the lead to five, but two more triples from Vaughn, along with a Turner jumper, gave Wingate a 10-point advantage with five minutes remaining in the half. A three-point play from Turner gave the ‘Dogs their largest lead of the half at 47-34 with 1:09 remaining. Garner answered with a three-point play to trim the lead to 10 heading to intermission.
 
The Bulldogs used a 12-0 run four minutes into the second half to push the lead above 20. Sophomore forward Jeff Parker (Madison, N.C.) started the spurt with a lay-up, while Matilus and Smith followed with buckets. Vaughn added a triple, while Smith capped the run with a three to make the score 66-44 with 14 minutes remaining. Back-to-back Garner buckets cut the Newberry deficit to 18 at the 12:44 mark.
 
Wingate used an 11-2 run to push the advantage to 27. Turner got things started with two buckets and two free throws, while junior guard Eddie Lewis (Rocky Point, N.C.) finished with a triple. A pair of free throws put the Bulldogs on top by 30 with 3:24 to go. Wingate scored the final six points of the contest, with Lewis knocking down a triple with 28 seconds remaining to give the ‘Dogs their biggest lead of the game at 96-64.
 
The Bulldogs shot a season-best 60.7 percent from the field, while hitting 11-of-19 shots from three-point range (57.9 percent). Newberry shot 35.4 percent from the field, hitting six-of-21 shots from beyond the arc (28.6 percent). The Wolves came in ranked third in the nation, scoring 91.7 points per game. The 64 points are a season-low for Newberry, as the Wolves were held below 70 for only the second time this year. Newberry out-rebounded Wingate 37-33, while the Bulldogs outscored the Wolves in the paint 32-20. The Bulldog bench outscored Newberry’s reserves 35-22.
 
Wingate returns to action Saturday, traveling to Brevard College for a 4 p.m. start. Newberry travels to Catawba College Saturday at 4 p.m.
 
(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.)