Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs look to continue their best start to a SAC season in program history Saturday, when they host the Tornados of Brevard College at 4 p.m. in Cuddy Arena. Wingate enters the contest 9-4 overall and 5-0 in the SAC. The Tornados are 2-11 overall and 1-4 in the conference.

The Bulldogs have won four straight overall. All four victories have been conference wins and all have been by over 20 points. The closest contest in Wingate’s winning streak was a 65-44 victory over Lenoir-Rhyne on Jan. 9. The Bulldogs have held three of the four opponents under 50 points, winning the four games by a combined 111 points. In five SAC victories this year, Wingate is outscoring its opponents by a league-best average of 21.4 points per contest. The Bulldogs have shot over 52 percent in all four games of their winning streak. Wingate has limited SAC opponents to 52 points per contest, 9.2 points fewer than any other conference team allows.

The Bulldogs started their winning streak with a 76-47 win over Tusculum on Jan. 5. Sophomore guard Ryan Daye (Burlington, N.C.) led the way with 23 points on eight-of-11 shooting. Senior forward Odell Turner (Charlotte, N.C.) added 12 points, six rebounds and four steals, while junior center Deion Turman (Pittsburgh, Pa.) had 10 points and eight boards. Wingate followed with a 21-point win over Lenoir-Rhyne the following Wednesday, getting 13 points from senior guard Paidrick Matilus (Boynton Beach, Fla.). Turner added 12 points and 13 rebounds, while junior forward Jeff Parker (Madison, N.C.) had 11 points and three blocks. Wingate held LRU to 30 percent shooting from the field, out-rebounding the Bears 43-26.

Wingate pushed its winning streak to three games last Saturday, winning 89-65 at Mars Hill. Daye needed only 21 minutes to score a career-high 26 points, hitting nine-of-12 shots from the field. Turman added 14 points, nine rebounds and three blocks, while senior forward Quan Alexander (Charlotte, N.C.) had a season-high 13 points.

The most dominant victory came Wednesday night, when Wingate held Newberry 51 points below their season average in a 79-42 victory. The Bulldog defense held the nation’s third-best offense to just 12 field goals and 20 percent shooting, both season lows by wide margins. Turman led five Bulldogs in double figures with 16 points and seven rebounds, hitting seven-of-eight shots from the field. Turner added 11 points and nine boards, while senior guard Ethan Kincaid (Morganton, N.C.) had 10 points, nine rebounds, six assists and five steals. The Bulldogs dominated inside, outscoring the Wolves 50-12 in the paint.

Wingate won both meetings against Brevard last season. The Bulldogs overcame a 17-point halftime deficit at Brevard, winning 61-57. Turner and Matilus had 12 points each as Wingate outscored Brevard 42-21 in the second half, shooting 64 percent from the field. The Bulldogs dominated the contest at Cuddy Arena, winning 86-53. Last year’s two seniors Jaime Vaughn and Chase Smith led the way with 22 and 15 points, respectively, while Matilus added 10 points and five rebounds.

Wingate’s balanced attack has three players averaging in double figures, led by 11.8 points per game from Matilus. Turner is averaging 11.5 points per contest, ranking second in the SAC with 9.1 rebounds per game. Daye is scoring 11.4 points per game, shooting a league-best 52.8 percent from three-point range. He ranks ninth in the league with 15.8 points per contest in league games. Kincaid is third in the SAC with 4.4 assists per game while leading the conference and ranking 14th nationally in assist-to-turnover ratio. Turman is fourth on the team with 7.4 points per game, ranking sixth in the SAC with 7.1 rebounds per game. His 63.6 percent shooting from the field ranks second in the league. Parker ranks third in the conference with 1.6 blocks per contest.

Wingate leads the nation in three-point field goal percentage defense, holding opponents to 25.4 percent shooting from beyond the arc. The Bulldogs rank second in the SAC and 21st nationally in rebounding margin, out-rebounding opponents by 7.4 boards per game. In conference play, the Bulldogs lead the league in margin of victory, field goal percentage, points allowed, field goal percentage defense, steals, three-point defense and three-point percentage defense. Wingate is shooting 52.1 percent from the field in league games, holding opponents to 33.8 percent shooting.

WINGATE UNIVERSITY

Wingate University, ranked as the 6th “best value” in the South by U.S. News & World Report, serves nearly 2,700 students on three campuses in Wingate, Matthews and Hendersonville, N.C. Founded in 1896, the University offers 35 undergraduate majors, 37 minors and career concentrations, numerous pre-professional programs, graduate degrees in business, accounting, education, physician assistant studies and sport administration, and doctorates in pharmacy and education. With a 14 to 1 student/teacher ratio, Wingate students gain the tools and support needed to excel in academics and apply that learning toward an extraordinary career and life. To view current news, video and story ideas, visit www.youtube.com/wingateuniversity. 
 
In addition to a robust intramural athletics program, Wingate student athletes compete in 22 NCAA Division II sports. The University has won the South Atlantic Conference Echols Athletic Excellence Award for the past six years.
 
Wingate is first among NCAA Division II Academic All-America®-producing private colleges in the 2000’s with 52 selections. Among North Carolina’s colleges and universities, Wingate’s 52 Academic All-America® honorees are tied for first (with Duke University) during this millennium. Wingate’s 61 lifetime Academic All-America® picks are tops among all SAC schools. For more information, go towww.wingatebulldogs.com.