Box Score               PHOTO GALLERY
 
Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs erased a 13-point second half deficit Saturday night against the Limestone Saints, but were unable to keep the lead, falling to the visiting Saints 75-71 in NCAA Division II men’s basketball action in Cuddy Arena. The Saints improve to 1-1 on the season, while the Bulldogs fall to 1-1 overall.

Charles Blue had 23 points and five rebounds to lead the Limestone attack. Joe Raga added 10 points and six boards, while Josh Corry had 10 points, three assists and two steals for the Saints.

Senior guard Paidrick Matilus (Boynton Beach, Fla.) had 16 points and four steals to lead the Wingate attack. Junior forward Jeff Parker (Madison, N.C.) added 10 points, four rebounds and four blocks, while senior forward Odell Turner (Charlotte, N.C.) had nine points and 11 rebounds. Senior guard Ethan Kincaid (Morganton, N.C.) registered nine points and four assists for the Bulldogs.

A dunk from Rashod Chavis gave the Saints a 21-18 lead nine minutes into the opening half. A jumper from Mike Barrett made it 27-24 at the 7:36 mark. Back-to-back buckets from Parker put Wingate on top, while a 9-0 run gave the Bulldogs a 37-29 lead at the 3:25 mark. Kincaid started the flurry with a three and a layup, while buckets from Matilus and sophomore guard Ryan Daye (Burlington, N.C.) pushed the lead to eight.

Limestone answered with an 8-0 run of its own, tying the game 1:18 before halftime. Corry started the spurt with a triple, while a three from Barrett tied it at 37. A jumper from Turner with 25 seconds remaining gave Wingate a 40-39 halftime advantage.

The Saints used a 10-0 run to take a 12-point lead eight minutes into the second half. Chavis and Barrett got it started with jumpers, while Jamal McNeill added a triple in the flurry. A jumper from Blue at the 10:37 mark gave the Saints a 59-46 lead.

The Bulldogs would begin to chip away at the lead, cutting it to six on a Matilus jumper with 5:32 remaining. A pair of free throws from senior guard Eddie Lewis (Rocky Point, N.C.), followed by a layup from junior forward Deion Turman (Pittsburgh, Pa.), tied the game at 65. Matilus came up with a steal, then assisted on a fastbreak layup by Kincaid to give the Bulldogs a 67-65 lead with three minutes left.

Limestone had the answer, getting buckets from Barrettt and Blue to take a 72-69 lead with 1:11 remaining. A rebound and putback from Parker made it a one-point game with under a minute to go, but a free throw from Raga made it 73-71 with 26 seconds left. Wingate had a chance to take the lead, but a three-point attempt from Lewis with five seconds left would not fall. Limestone iced the game with a pair of free throws.

The Saints shot 48.3 percent from the field, knocking down four-of-13 from three-point range (30.8 percent). Wingate shot 47.3 percent from the field, while also hitting four-of-13 shots from beyond the arc. The Bulldogs held a 37-32 rebounding advantage and a 13-9 edge in second chance points. Limestone scored 22 points off of 17 Wingate turnovers.

The Bulldogs return to action Thursday, traveling to Barton for a 7:30 p.m. start. Limestone hosts Coker next Saturday at 7:30 p.m.