Greeneville, Tenn.----Five Wingate University Bulldogs scored in double figures Saturday afternoon as the 'Dogs prevailed 80-59 at Tusculum College in South Atlantic Conference men's basketball action. Wingate improves to 4-0 overall and 2-0 in the SAC, while the Pioneers fall to 0-4 overall and 0-2 in the conference.

Wingate senior guard Ryan Daye (Burlington, N.C.) led the Bulldogs with 19 points, hitting three-of-five shots from beyond the arc while knocking down eight free throws. Sophomore forward Isiah Cureton (Waxhaw, N.C.) had 18 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists, two blocks and a steal, while freshman guard Zeriq Lolar (Orlando, Fla.) added 13 points, hitting three-of-four shots from three-point range. Junior guard Xavier Griffin (Marshville, N.C.) and sophomore center Keith Griffin (Concord, N.C.) had 12 points each. Keith Griffin joined his classmate Cureton with a double-double, as he pulled down 10 rebounds.

Chase Mounce led the Pioneers with 17 points, nine rebounds and six blocks, while Javon Price added 14 points. Matt Shown and Zach Davis contributed nine points each for Tusculum.

Tusculum used a 9-0 run to take a 17-10 lead on a Davis jumper at the 12:37 mark. A Xavier Griffin layup at the 6:40 mark cut the lead to two at 19-17, while Daye's triple with 5:08 left in the half tied it at 22. A Daye free throw and Cureton layup gave the 'Dogs a 30-27 lead two minutes before halftime. Two Cureton free throws with 34 seconds left made it 34-29, but two Mounce free throws cut the lead to three at intermission.

Wingate used a 14-2 run in the first five minutes of the second half to take a double-digit lead. Daye and Xavier Griffin each had five points in the spurt. A Mounce layup trimmed the lead to seven at the 12:15 mark, but Lolar answered with a triple 10 seconds later to put the lead back in double figures. A layup and two free throws from Cureton made it 61-48 with nine minutes remaining in the second half.

A Keith Griffin dunk sparked a 6-0 run, which also included another Lolar triple that gave Wingate a 70-55 advantage. A pair of Xavier Griffin layups gave the 'Dogs a 21-point advantage with under two minutes to go in the half.

Wingate shot 43.1 percent from the field, shooting 50 percent in the second half. The Bulldogs were six-for-16 from beyond the arc (37.5 percent), while knocking down 18-of-25 free throws (72 percent). Tusculum shot 38.2 percent from the field and 27.8 percent from beyond the arc. Wingate held a 43-33 rebounding edge and 22-12 advantage in second chance points. The Bulldogs converted 14 Tusculum turnovers into 19 points, holding a 19-2 advantage in fast break points.

Wingate is back in action Tuesday, traveling to Lenoir-Rhyne for a 6 p.m. start.