Box Score

Harrogate, Tenn.----The 12th-ranked Lincoln Memorial University Railsplitters held on for a 60-58 victory over the visiting Wingate University Bulldogs in South Atlantic Conference men’s basketball action Saturday night. Wingate sees its six-game winning streak come to an end, falling for the first time in league play. The Bulldogs fall to 11-5 overall and 7-1 in the SAC, while LMU moves to 14-2 overall and 7-1 in the conference.

Wingate shot better from the field and from three-point range Saturday night, but was hurt at the free throw line. The Bulldogs hit just nine-of-22 free throws (40.9 percent), while also being outscored 17-2 in second-chance points. The Bulldogs are now tied for first in the SAC standings with LMU and Anderson.

Jake Troyli had 20 points and eight rebounds to lead the Lincoln Memorial attack. Vincent Bailey added 17 points and eight rebounds, hitting eight-of-nine shots from the field. Dustin Craig chipped in with eight points and nine rebounds for LMU.

Sophomore guard Ryan Daye (Burlington, N.C.) had 18 points to lead the Wingate attack, hitting three-of-four shots from beyond the arc. Junior forward Jeff Parker (Madison, N.C.) added 14 points on four-of-six shooting, while junior center Deion Turman (Pittsburgh, Pa.) had 10 points and eight boards.

LMU scored the first nine points of the contest, taking a 9-0 lead on a tip-in from Bailey 2:30 into the game. A pair of Turman buckets, followed by a three-point play from Daye trimmed the lead to five at the 13:38 mark. A three-point play from Troyli pushed the LMU lead to double figures at 31-21 with 8:16 remaining. Back-to-back buckets from Craig at the 5:34 mark gave the Railsplitters an 11-point advantage. Jumpers from Turner and Daye helped Wingate trim the lead to six, but a triple from Wally Jones made it 38-29. The Railsplitters would take a nine-point lead into halftime.

The Bulldogs came out hot in the second half, using a 10-2 run to cut the LMU lead to one. Turner had a three-point play in the flurry, while Daye added a triple and Parker capped it with a jumper in the paint. Wingate did not score a point over the next five minutes as LMU pushed the advantage to 49-43 with 10 minutes remaining in the half. A jumper from Bailey made it 55-47 at the 7:11 mark.

Buckets from Turman and Kincaid cut the lead to four with 5:45 remaining. The Railsplitters took a 60-53 lead on a three-point play from Bailey at the 3:38 mark. Turner answered with a jumper the next possession to cut the lead to five. Daye knocked down a big triple with 1:11 left to make it a two-point game. The ‘Dogs got the ball back with 28 seconds to go, getting an open look from three for Daye that rimmed out. Turman got a rebound and missed the putback, then got another rebound and was fouled just before making his second putback, sending him to the line for two shots. With .02 seconds to go, Turman missed the first shot, then missed the second intentionally, which was rebounded by LMU to secure the win.

Lincoln Memorial shot 42.1 percent from the field, hitting just two-of-15 shots from three-point range (13.3 percent). Wingate shot 46 percent from the field, hitting three-of-eight shots from beyond the arc (37.5 percent). The Railsplitters hit 10-of-12 shots from the free throw line. LMU out-rebounded Wingate 37-30 on the night. It is only the second time this year the Bulldogs have been out-rebounded.

The Bulldogs are back in action Wednesday, hosting Catawba at 8 p.m. LMU hosts Tusculum Wednesday at 8 p.m.