Charlotte, N.C.----Wingate University junior guard
Xavier Griffin (Marshville, N.C.) and sophomore center
Keith Griffin (Concord, N.C.) scored 16 points each Wednesday night, leading the Bulldogs to a 65-60 victory at Queens University in South Atlantic Conference men's basketball action. Wingate snaps a six-game losing streak, moving to 8-7 overall and 5-4 in the SAC. Queens sees its eight-game winning streak come to an end, falling to 9-6 overall and 6-3 in the conference.
Xavier Griffin was four-for-five from the field and eight-for-nine at the free throw line, adding three assists on the night. Keith Griffin was six-of-nine from the field on the night, adding four rebounds, two steals and a block. Sophomore forward
Isiah Cureton (Waxhaw, N.C.) had 15 points and nine rebounds for the Bulldogs, who closed the game on a 19-8 run, holding the Royals to just two field goals over the final 10 minutes of the second half.
Sean Morgan had 23 points and seven rebounds to lead the Queens attack, going nine-for-17 from the field.
Jedarian Jackson added 12 points, while
Rob Lewis had nine points and three assists.
A Cureton triple gave the 'Dogs an early 5-4 lead, but Queens answered with a 14-6 run, taking an 18-11 lead on a Jackson triple with 11:20 remaining in the first half. A Cureton dunk trimmed the lead to three, while back-to-back Keith Griffin buckets got the 'Dogs to within one at 20-19 at the 6:05 mark. A bucket from junior forward
Herbert Harrison (Marietta, Ga.) put Wingate on top with a minute remaining, but a layup and two free throws from Morgan put the Royals on top by three. Freshman guard
Zeriq Lolar (Orlando, Fla.) drained a triple with 16 seconds left to tie it, while a Cureton jumper right before the buzzer gave Wingate a 29-27 halftime lead.
A Morgan layup tied the game three minutes into the second half, while a Jackson triple put Queens on top 41-38 at the 14:48 mark. A Xavier Griffin three-point play tied it, but the Royals responded with a 7-0 run, taking a 48-41 lead on a Morgan three-point play and two
Trey Ervin free throws with 12:17 to go. Xavier Griffin hit two free throws to trim the lead to five, but a
Jared Hendryx layup put Queens back on top by seven with 10:14 to go.
A dunk from freshman forward
Lee McCall (Indian Land, S.C.), followed by a Xavier Griffin layup cut the lead to three, while two Cureton free throws tied it at 52 at the 5:39 mark. Two Lewis free throws, followed by a Jackson dunk put Queens on top 56-52 with five minutes remaining, but Wingate would close the game on a 13-4 run. A McCall layup, followed by a layup from senior guard
Ryan Daye (Burlington, N.C.) tied it with 3:44 remaining, while the Bulldogs took the lead on two Xavier Griffin free throws. Xavier Griffin then found Keith Griffin for a layup on the next possession to make it 60-56.
A jumper from Jackson got the Royals to within one at 61-60 with 1:14 to go. Queens got the ball back with a chance to take the lead, but A Cureton block and Cureton rebound helped the 'Dogs stay on top. Keith Griffin was then fouled, making the first free throw. He missed the second, but Xavier Griffin was there for the rebound, getting fouled and making both free throws to give Wingate a 64-60 lead. McCall added one more free throw for the final margin.
The Bulldogs shot 50 percent from the field on the night, going two-for-10 from three-point range (20 percent). Queens shot 38.2 percent from the field, hitting four-of-18 shots from beyond the arc (22.2 percent). Wingate held a 36-35 rebounding advantage, outscoring the Royals 38-14 in the paint. The Bulldogs converted 16 Queens turnovers into 17 points. Wingate is now 5-0 on the year when holding opponents below 40 percent shooting from the field.
The Bulldogs are back in action Saturday, hosting Tusculum at 4 p.m. The 'Dogs won 80-59 at Tusculum earlier this season in Tennessee.
