Wingate, N.C.----After playing four of their last five on the road, the Wingate University Bulldogs start a two-game homestand Wednesday night, hosting Catawba College in South Atlantic Conference men’s basketball action at 8 p.m. The Bulldogs enter the contest 11-5 overall and 7-1 in the SAC. Catawba is 5-11 overall and 2-6 in the conference.

Wednesday’s contest will mark the halfway point in the league schedule. The Bulldogs are tied with Anderson and Lincoln Memorial atop the SAC standings at 7-1 in league play. Wingate will host both teams in the second half of the season. The Bulldogs play Catawba for the second time this season. In the second half of the conference schedule, Wingate will take on Carson-Newman twice, starting Saturday in Cuddy Arena.

Wingate’s six-game winning streak was snapped Saturday night in a 60-58 loss at 12th-ranked Lincoln Memorial. The Bulldogs out-shot the Railsplitters from the field and from three-point range, but could not overcome their 13 missed free throws in 22 attempts. Wingate was also out-rebounded for only the second time all season. Sophomore guard Ryan Daye (Burlington, N.C.) had 18 points to lead the Wingate attack Saturday, while junior forward Jeff Parker (Madison, N.C.) came off the bench to add 14 points.

The Bulldogs picked up a big road win last Wednesday, handing Anderson its first league-loss of the season with a 66-55 victory. It was only the third loss at home for the Trojans in the past two seasons. Junior center Deion Turman (Pittsburgh, Pa.) had 16 points and 14 rebounds to lead the attack, going seven-for-11 from the field. Senior guard Paidrick Matilus (Boynton Beach, Fla.) added 16 points and three steals, while senior guard Ethan Kincaid (Morganton, N.C.) had 13 points, three steals and three assists. Wingate’s defense held Anderson to its season-low of 55 points, while holding reigning SAC Player of the Year and the league’s leading scorer Denzail Jones to six points, 14 points below his season average entering the contest.

In their most recent home game, the Bulldogs registered a 78-57 win over Brevard. The victory was the fifth straight conference win of at least 21 points. Senior forward Odell Turner (Charlotte, N.C.) led the way with 16 points and nine rebounds, hitting seven-of-10 shots from the field. Matilus added 15 points and five rebounds, while Daye contributed 15 points in 17 minutes.

Wingate and Catawba met in November in the conference opener for both teams, with Wingate rallying for a 64-62 victory. Trailing by five in the final three minutes, the Bulldogs closed the game on a 10-3 run, getting the game-winning jump hook from Turner with two seconds remaining. Turner had 15 points, nine rebounds, six steals and two blocks to lead the Wingate attack. Matilus added 13 points, while Daye chipped in with 10 points. Lee Martin led the Catawba attack with 20 points on seven-of-11 shooting.

Wingate’s balanced attack has three players scoring at least 11.5 points per game. Daye leads the team with 11.6 points per contest, including 14.5 points per game in league play. Daye is shooting 53.2 percent from the field and 60.9 percent in SAC play, ranking third in the conference. Daye is shooting a league-best 51.1 percent from three-point range. Turner is also scoring 11.6 points per game, while ranking second in the league with 8.9 rebounds per contest. His 59.7 percent shooting from the field in conference play ranks fourth in the SAC. Matilus is third on the team with 11.5 points per game.

Turman is fourth on the team with 8.1 points per game, while ranking fifth in the league with 7.7 rebounds per contest. He ranks second in the SAC on the year, shooting 61.1 percent from the field. His 62.5 percent shooting in conference games leads the league. Kincaid is third in the SAC with 3.9 assists per game, while ranking fifth in assist-to-turnover ratio. Parker’s 1.4 blocks per contest rank third in the SAC.

Catawba is led by Tyrece Little, who ranks eighth in the league with 15.1 points per game and fourth with 7.9 rebounds per contest. Elon Edwards is second on the team with 13.4 points per game, ranking fourth in the SAC with 42 threes on the year. Martin ranks third on the team with 13.1 points per contest, shooting 44.6 percent from three-point range.

During SAC contests, the Bulldogs lead the league in scoring margin (17.9 points per game), field goal percentage (51.4 percent), field goal percentage defense (36.2 percent), steals per game (10.4) and three-point percentage defense (24.6 percent). The Bulldogs lead the nation in three-point percentage defense, while ranking 10th nationally in scoring defense.

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, visitwww.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 to www.wingatebulldogs.com.