Men's Basketball | 12/15/2015 2:45:00 PM

Harrogate, Tenn.----The Wingate University Bulldogs continue their challenging 2015-16 schedule, traveling to Lincoln Memorial University to face the 13th-ranked Railsplitters at 8 p.m. This will be Wingate's third top-20 opponent of the season. The Bulldogs are 6-1 overall and 2-1 in the SAC, while LMU is 8-1 overall and 4-0 in the conference. Wingate is 2-0 against ranked teams this season. The Wingate Sports Network will provide an audio broadcast of Wednesday's game, while Lincoln Memorial will provide live video and live stats.

The Bulldogs have had a week off after last Tuesday's 89-86 win over Newberry in Cuddy Arena. Wingate pushed its winning streak to three by hanging on against the Wolves, getting 17 points, seven assists and five rebounds from senior guard Xavier Griffin (Marshville, N.C.). Junior guard Anthanee Doyle (Holly Springs, N.C.) also had 17 points, knocking down three-of-six shots from beyond the arc. Sophomore guard Zeriq Lolar (Orlando, Fla.) contributed 14 points, six assists and five boards, while freshman Mike Baez (Huntersville, N.C.) had 13 points and 13 rebounds.

Wingate's current three-game winning streak got started with a 66-54 victory over No. 20 UNC Pembroke. Baez had 18 points and five boards to lead the Bulldogs, while Griffin added 12 points, four rebounds and three assists. Wingate notched a 77-65 win at Mars Hill on Dec. 5, getting 20 points and 10 rebounds from junior Isiah Cureton (Waxhaw, N.C.), who hit four-of-six shots from three-point range. Griffin added 14 points, while Baez contributed 13 points, 13 rebounds and four assists.

The Bulldogs have the league's second-best defense, holding opponents to 72.1 points per game. Wingate is holding the opposition to a league-low 39.5 percent shooting from the field. The Bulldogs and Railsplitters are the only two SAC teams holding opponents to under 40 percent shooting from the field this year. Wingate is third in the conference in three-point field goal percentage defense (31.7 percent), while ranking second in rebounding margin, trailing only Lincoln Memorial.

Wingate's balanced attack has six players scoring over 7.5 points per game, led by Cureton's 18.2 points per contest. He ranks ninth in the league in scoring, adding 6.2 rebounds per game while leading the team in steals, ranking second in blocks and assists. Baez averages 14.9 points per game, knocking down a team-best 14 triples while shooting 38.9 percent from beyond the arc. He leads the team and is fourth in the SAC with 8.1 rebounds per game. The freshman is second in the SAC and 23rd nationally with four double-doubles.

Griffin contributes 13.3 points per contest, ranking third in the league with 3.7 assists per game and 11th in free throw percentage (80.4 percent). Doyle averages 10.6 points per game and is tied for the team lead with 10 steals. Sophomore Lee McCall (Indian Land, S.C.) averages 7.9 points and 4.6 rebounds per game, ranking fifth in the SAC with 1.4 blocks per contest.

Lincoln Memorial won both meetings against the Bulldogs last year, including a 76-70 win in Harrogate. The Railsplitters have won three consecutive regular season SAC titles and hosted the NCAA Southeast Regional Tournament last year. LMU has won five straight against the Bulldogs. Wingate's last win came in the 2013 SAC Tournament championship game. The Bulldogs also defeated the Railsplitters in the 2012 SAC Tournament semifinals en route to a SAC title. Wingate's last regular season win over Lincoln Memorial came in January of 2010. LMU has won 11 straight regular season meetings in the series, with four of those games being decided by less than five points. The Bulldogs have not won in Harrogate since a 99-70 victory in the 2007-08 season.

Lincoln Memorial's lone loss of the year came in the season-opener against King, who is currently ranked 14th in the NABC top 25. LMU has picked up league wins over Carson-Newman, Lenoir-Rhyne, Coker and Brevard. The victory over Lenoir-Rhyne came four overtimes and is the only loss of the season for the Bears. Three Railsplitters had at least 20 points, led by Dorian Pinson's 29 points and 20 rebounds.

Gerel Simmons leads LMU with 17.8 points per game, shooting 41.7 percent from three-point range. Three Railsplitters have knocked down at least 15 triples this year, including Jalen Steele, who averages 14.9 points per game and shoots 40 percent from beyond the arc. Luquon Choice shoots 40.7 percent from three-point range, averaging 13.2 points per contest. Pinson contributes 10.8 points and 7.8 boards per game, shooting 54.5 percent from the field. LMU is second in the SAC, scoring 96.0 points per game, while ranking third in field goal percentage (49.7 percent).

Wingate's week also includes a trip to Brevard at Saturday for a 4 p.m. tip. After that, the Bulldogs return home on New Year's Eve, hosting Augusta University at 2 p.m.

WINGATE UNIVERSITY
 
Wingate University, consistently ranked as a top 10 "best value" in the South by U.S. News & World Report, serves more than 3,100 students on three campuses in Wingate, Charlotte and Hendersonville, N.C. Founded in 1896, the University offers 35 undergraduate majors, 37 minors and career concentrations, numerous pre-professional programs, master's degrees in business, accounting, education, physician assistant studies and sport management and doctorates in pharmacy, physical therapy and education.
 
With a 15 to 1 student/teacher ratio, Wingate students gain the tools and support needed to excel in academics and apply that learning toward an extraordinary career and life. To view current news, video and story ideas, visit www.youtube.com/wingateuniversity. 
 
In addition to a robust intramural athletics program, Wingate student athletes compete in 22 NCAA Division II sports. The University has won the South Atlantic Conference Echols Athletic Excellence Award for the past nine years. For more information, go to www.wingate.edu.
 
Wingate is first among NCAA Division II Academic All-America®-producing colleges in the 2000's with 82 selections. Among North Carolina's colleges and universities, Wingate's 82 Academic All-America® honorees are number one during this millennium. Wingate's 91 lifetime Academic All-America® picks are tops among all SAC schools. For more information on WU athletics, go to www.wingatebulldogs.com.