FREE HD VIDEO      LIVE STATS

Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs will look for their 10th win of the season Saturday afternoon, hosting Tusculum College in a South Atlantic Conference men's basketball contest at 4 p.m. in Cuddy Arena. The Bulldogs are 9-4 overall and 6-3 in the SAC. Tusculum enters the game 1-14 overall and 0-9 in the SAC. Wingate will provide Free HD Video along with live stats.

Wingate snapped a three-game losing streak Wednesday night against Queens, defeating the Royals 80-63 in Cuddy Arena. Junior guard Ryan Daye (Burlington, N.C.) scored 18 of his game-high 23 points in the second half to lead the Wingate attack, while freshman Josh Dominguez (Matthews, N.C.) scored 19 points on seven-of-10 shooting from the field. Senior forward Jeff Parker (Madison, N.C.) contributed nine points and a career-high 20 rebounds, while freshman guard Austin Crown (Augusta, Ga.) added a career-high nine points for the Bulldogs.

Wingate enters the weekend in a four-way tie for second place in the league standings as the midway point of the SAC season approaches. The 'Dogs are one of four teams with a 6-3 mark in league play, with three other teams entering Saturday's play at 5-4 in the conference. Wingate opened conference play with five consecutive SAC wins, then bounced back from a three-game losing streak with Wednesday's victory. Five of the Bulldogs' six conference wins have come by double figures. Wingate has won six straight against Tusculum. The last time the Pioneers defeated Wingate was in January of 2011 in Cuddy Arena. The Bulldogs lead the all-time series 22-12.

The Bulldogs and Pioneers met in late November in Tennessee, with Wingate prevailing 98-86. Daye poured in a career-high 35 points to lead the Wingate attack, one of four times this season the preseason All-SAC selection has topped the 30-point mark. Freshman Isiah Cureton (Waxhaw, N.C.) added 15 points, eight rebounds and five assists, while Parker had 14 points and 10 rebounds. Tusculum was led by Addison Flynn, who scored 34 points on 11-of-19 shooting. Wingate set season highs for points, field goal percentage (55.2 percent), free throws made (25), free throw attempts (38) and assists (16).

As a team, the Bulldogs lead the SAC with 44.5 rebounds per game and field goal percentage defense (37.6 percent). Wingate allows the fewest points per game in SAC play (68 ppg), while ranking second overall in rebounding margin, out-rebounding opponents by 8.5 boards per game. The Bulldogs rank fourth nationally in field goal percentage defense and 16th in rebounding margin. Wingate has dominated inside all season, outscoring its opponents in the paint 11 of 13 contests. The Bulldogs are averaging 38.9 points per game in the paint, outscoring their opponents by an average of 16 points per contest. Wingate has been outscored in the paint only once this year (34-28 vs. Carson-Newman).

Daye leads the Bulldogs and ranks sixth in the SAC with 19.5 points per game, shooting 39.1 percent from three-point range. Senior center Deion Turman (Pittsburgh, Pa.) is averaging 13.2 points per game, leading the SAC with 10.4 rebounds per game and eight double-doubles. He ranks 11th nationally in doubles-doubles and 12th in rebounds per contest.

Dominguez is scoring 11.3 points per game for the Bulldogs, shooting 50.5 percent from the field and 43.6 percent from three-point range. He ranks third among SAC freshman in scoring, while ranking seventh overall in three-point percentage. Sophomore guard Xavier Griffin (Marshville, N.C.) is scoring 8.2 points per contest, ranking sixth in the league with 3.8 assists per game. Cureton is scoring 7.8 points per game, adding 6.6 rebounds per contest while ranking fifth in the league with 1.8 steals per game. Parker is third in the SAC with 2.1 blocks per game.

Flynn leads the Pioneers and ranks 11th in the conference with 16.7 points per game. He is fourth in the league in three-point percentage (46.8 percent), while knocking down 3.4 triples per contest, second best in the SAC. Darius Carter is 18th in the league with 14.7 points per game. Tusculum enters the contest on a 12-game losing streak, following a 97-68 loss against 11th-ranked Lincoln Memorial Wednesday night. 

WINGATE UNIVERSITY
 
Wingate University, ranked as the 8th "best value" in the South by U.S. News & World Report, serves more than 3,000 students on three campuses in Wingate, Charlotte 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, physical therapy 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 seven years. For more information, go to www.wingate.edu.
 
Wingate is first among NCAA Division II Academic All-America®-producing private colleges in the 2000's with 59 selections. Among North Carolina's colleges and universities, Wingate's 59 Academic All-America® honorees are number one during this millennium. Wingate's 68 lifetime Academic All-America® picks are tops among all SAC schools. For more information on WU athletics, go to www.wingatebulldogs.com.