Pembroke, N.C.----The UNC Pembroke Braves used a 10-0 run late in the second half to pull away from visiting Wingate University, prevailing 79-69 in NCAA Division II men's basketball action Monday night. The Braves improve to 6-0 on the season, while Wingate falls to 5-1 on the year.

Brandon Winford had 24 points and five rebounds to lead the UNC Pembroke attack, hitting nine-of-11 shots from the field. Ben Jacobs added 17 points on six-of-seven shooting to go along with 12 rebounds and four blocks, while Brandon Watts contributed 13 points and nine boards. Quamin Rose added seven points, five assists and four steals for the Braves.

Redshirt sophomore forward Terrill Hilliard (Rocky Mount, N.C.) led the Bulldogs with a career-high 18 points, hitting three-of-five shots from beyond the arc while adding eight rebounds. Senior guard Ryan Daye (Burlington, N.C.) added 15 points and five boards, while junior guard Xavier Griffin (Marshville, N.C.) had 10 points and three assists. Freshman guard Zeriq Lolar (Orlando, Fla.) contributed seven points and five assists, while freshman Lee McCall (Indian Land, S.C.) had six points and six rebounds.

A Rose jumper gave the Braves a 10-2 lead four minutes into the opening half. Wingate answered with a 24-4 run to take a 12-point lead. Daye scored the first nine points of the flurry to put the 'Dogs on top, while Hilliard followed with back-to-back triples. Freshman Bryan Rouse (Greensboro, N.C.) followed with a three and a jumper, while a dunk from Griffin made it 26-14 at the 8:42 mark. UNCP responded with an 11-0 run, cutting the lead to one on a Winford layup with 5:57 to go. The Braves grabbed a two-point lead, but a McCall layup in the final seconds tied it at 33 heading to intermission.

UNC Pembroke scored the first seven points in the second half, taking a 40-33 lead on a Rose triple. A Watts triple and Rose layup gave Pembroke a 51-39 lead at the 13:27 mark. Layups from Lolar and Hilliard cut the lead to six with 7:48 to go, while a Hilliard triple cut the lead to five at the 7:34 mark.

Griffin knocked down a three to make it 64-60 with 5:45 to go, while a tip-in from sophomore Isiah Cureton (Waxhaw, N.C.) with three minutes left made it 69-66. A pair of free throws and a jumper from Winford put the Braves on top by seven, while two Jacobs free throws along with two free throws from Watts made it 77-66 with a minute to go.

UNCP shot 43.1 percent from the field, hitting four-of-13 shots from three-point range (30.8 percent). Wingate shot 41.5 percent, while knocking down eight-of-21 shots from beyond the arc (38.1 percent). UNCP out-rebounded Wingate 44-39, while going 19-of-24 at the free throw line, compared to Wingate's seven-of-12 shooting at the charity stripe. The Braves converted 15 Wingate turnovers into 18 points, piling up 13 steals on the night.

Wingate is back in action Saturday, returning to SAC play at Mars Hill at 4 p.m. It marks the fourth consecutive conference road game for the Bulldogs, who will enter Saturday's game at 3-0 in league play.