Box Score Brian Good postgame interview      CJ McVay postgame interview

Wingate, N.C.---- The Wingate University men's basketball team went on an emphatic 19-0 run over the final 5:22 to take a 79-73 South Atlantic Conference victory over Mars Hill University Saturday afternoon in Cuddy Arena and Thomas Koontz Court. Wingate freshman Isiah Cureton (Waxhaw, N.C.) posted his second double-double of the season against the Lions, scoring 20 points and pulling down 10 rebounds. The win marked Wingate's 17th straight home win over MHU.
 
Cureton went nine-of-12 from the field, including seven-for-seven in the second half and has 43 points and 22 rebounds in the two games against Mars Hill this season. The Bulldogs sweep the season series with the victory, improving their record to 12-6 overall and 9-5 in the SAC. The Lions fall to 3-16 overall and 1-13 in the SAC.
 
Freshman guard Dustin Dodd (Concord, N.C.) had a career-high 12 points in his first career start, while junior Ryan Daye (Burlington, N.C.) also contributed 12 points and a season-high six rebounds. Sophomore point guard Xavier Griffin (Marshville, N.C.) came off the bench to score seven points, including the go-ahead bucket with 1:17 remaining, and dished out out six assists against zero turnovers.
 
For Mars Hill, sophomore guard Carter Wright (Roanoke, Va.) had 22 points on the strength of a game-high six three-point field goals. He went just one-for-nine in the second half after a 20 point output in the first half. Lion junior forward Isaiah Cuthbertson (Cleveland, N.C.) had 21 points and six rebounds.

Mars Hill junior forward Thomas Anderson (Terre Haute, Ind.) made an uncontested lay-up with 5:22 remaining to give Mars Hill a 73-60 lead. The Lions, who led by as many as 18 in the second half, would not score again.

Senior forward Jeff Parker (Madison, N.C.) started the run with a pair of free throws. Cureton followed with five straight points, including his only three pointer of the night, to pull the 'Dogs within six. Parker then scored his only field goal on the night on a fast break opportunity while Daye followed with a three to pull Wingate within one. After another Lion miss, the Bulldogs took their first lead of the second thanks to the go-ahead basket from Griffin. He added a free throw to complete the three-point play and put Wingate up for good. The Bulldogs finished the game with four straight made free throws to win by six.

Mars Hill used a 21-5 run in the first half to break a 19-19 tie and take a 16 point lead. Wright had three triples during the stretch. Wingate cut the lead down to 11 just before the half but Anderson beat the first-half buzzer with a hook shot to give Mars Hill a 13-point halftime lead. It was the second largest halftime deficit for Wingate this season.

Wingate shot 48.2 percent for the game, including a blistering 55.6 in the second half. After 13-30 night from the line on Thursday, the Bulldogs went 19-24 (79.2 percent) in the win over Mars Hill. The Lions hit 19-32 shots in the first half (59.4 percent) but cooled off in the second to shoot 45.5 percent for the game.  MHU went seven-of-12 from three-point range (58.3 percent) in the first half but only three-of-12 in the second half (25.0 percent).

Wingate held a 40-27 rebounding edge to move to 11-3 on the season when outrebounding their opponent. Mars Hill converted 14 WU turnovers into 22 points but the Bulldog benched turned in a season-high 47 points to the Lions' nine bench points. Each team added 36 points in the paint.

The Bulldogs will play four of their next five games on the road, starting Wednesday night at 8 p.m. at Newberry (13-5, 9-5 SAC). Wingate and the Newberry Wolves are currently tied for third in the SAC, one game back of Anderson who the 'Dogs will face next Saturday. Mars Hill will host Brevard on Wednesday night at 8 p.m.