Wingate, N.C.----Wingate University sophomore center Keith Griffin (Concord, N.C.) had 16 points and 10 rebounds Wednesday night, leading the Bulldogs to a 65-54 victory over visiting Catawba College in South Atlantic Conference men's basketball action in Cuddy Arena. Wingate wins its third straight, improving to 10-7 overall and 7-4 in the SAC. The Bulldogs move into a tie for second place in the league standings. Catawba falls to 7-9 overall and 5-6 in the conference.

Griffin went eight-for-15 from the field Wednesday night, adding three blocks while registering his third double-double of the season. Junior guard Xavier Griffin (Marshville, N.C.) added 10 points, four assists and three rebounds, while redshirt sophomore forward Terrill Hilliard (Rocky Mount, N.C.) contributed 10 points and five boards for the Bulldogs. Senior guard Ryan Daye (Burlington, N.C.) and sophomore forward Josh Dominguez (Matthews, N.C.) registered nine points apiece.

Jerrin Morrison had 14 points to lead the Catawba attack, going two-for-three from three-point range. KJ Arrington added 12 points and six rebounds, while Julian Sampah and Troy Warren contributed eight points each for the Indians.

Catawba jumped out to a 7-2 lead on a Sampah layup two minutes in. Wingate answered with a 13-2 run to take a six-point lead. Xavier Griffin had six points in the stretch, while a Daye layup capped it. A layup from Keith Griffin made it 19-11 at the midway point. A Reggie Perkins triple and Morrison jumper cut the lead to three at the five-minute mark. A Hilliard layup pushed the lead back to five, but a Morrison triple tied it with 1:35 left in the half. Keith Griffin scored the final four points of the half, including a bucket at the buzzer to make it 29-25.

A Daye three and Keith Griffin layup made it 36-27 at the 17:34 mark. A Morrison jumper cut the lead to five, but Wingate scored the next six points to stretch the advantage to double figures. Keith Griffin started it with a layup, while Dominguez drained four free throws. A layup and two free throws from Arrington got the Indians within seven at the 9:45 mark. Buckets from freshman Zeriq Lolar (Orlando, Fla.) and junior Herbert Harrison (Marietta, Ga.) made it 53-41 with 7:57 to go.

Catawba would cut into the lead again, getting a Morrison three with 5:08 left to make it 56-50. Daye answered with a pair of free throws, while a three from Lolar made it 61-50. A Keith Griffin layup and Xavier Griffin free throw made it 64-52 with 1:20 remaining.

The Bulldogs shot 40 percent from the field, hitting three-of-12 shots from three-point range (25 percent). Catawba shot just 34.5 percent from the field, the second-lowest percentage a Wingate opponent has shot this season. The Indians were four-for-16 from beyond the arc (25 percent). Wingate held a 44-33 rebounding edge, and a 38-18 edge in points in the paint. The Bulldogs also had an 18-8 edge in second chance points.

The Bulldogs are back in action Saturday, traveling to Brevard for a 4 p.m. start. Wingate is at Coker next Wednesday at 8 p.m.