Newberry, S.C.----Newberry College's Mason Spease knocked down a three with 11 seconds remaining, giving the Wolves a 101-98 victory over visiting Wingate University in South Atlantic Conference men's basketball action Wednesday night. The Wolves improve to 5-2 overall and 1-1 in the SAC, while the Bulldogs fall to 2-5 overall and 1-2 in the conference. Four of Wingate's losses this season have come by a combined 13 points.

Spease led the Newberry attack with 19 points, hitting five-of-eight shots from three-point range. Rob Valentine added 16 points on four-of-seven shooting from beyond the arc, while D.J. Copeland and Marshall Lange contributed 10 points each.

Sophomore guard Mike Baez (Orlando, Fla.) led the Bulldogs with career-highs of 26 points and 13 rebounds, scoring 19 points in the second half. Senior center Keith Griffin (Concord, N.C.) piled up career highs of 24 points and 15 boards, going 12-of-14 from the field, while junior guard Zeriq Lolar (Orlando, Fla.) had 20 points and a career-best 14 rebounds. Senior guard Anthanee Doyle (Holly Springs, N.C.) contributed 11 points for the Bulldogs.

Back-to-back threes from Doyle gave the Bulldogs a 13-5 lead four minutes into the opening half, while a Lolar bucket pushed the lead to nine. A Baez layup and Lolar triple gave the 'Dogs a 28-17 advantage midway through the half, while a Baez layup pushed the lead to 13. Newberry responded with a 13-2 run, cutting the lead to two on a Lange triple at the 7:24 mark.

A Devarious Christian (Charlotte, N.C.) layup put Wingate back on top by seven with 6:33 remaining, but A Valentine three got the Wolves within one at 37-36. James Stepp gave Newberry a 45-44 advantage with a three with 1:54 to go in the half, while two Gerald Evans free throws pushed the lead to three. A bucket from Josh Dominguez (Matthews, N.C.) got the Bulldogs to within a point at halftime.

A Valentine three helped the Wolves take a 58-52 lead three minutes into the second half, but a Griffin dunk got the 'Dogs back within two. Lolar got Wingate within a point at the 13:34 mark, but a Copeland jumper pushed the Newberry advantage back to five with 11:32 to go. Baez responded with a three, but Valentine's three-point play put the Wolves on top by nine midway through the second half. Valentine buried another triple to give Newberry a 79-67 advantage.

Wingate responded with a 13-1 run to tie it at 80. Doyle had five points in the spurt, while Lolar added a triple. A pair of Spease threes gave Newberry a 91-84 with 4:34 remaining, but a Griffin dunk and Dominguez three-point play cut the lead to one. Newberry extended the lead back to five, but buckets from Griffin and Baez made it 94-93 at the 2:39 mark. A Baez three-point play tied it at 96, but a Spease layup put the Wolves back on top. Baez tied it at 98 with a jumper with a minute remaining. Spease knocked down the game-winning three with 11 seconds remaining. Wingate had a chance to tie it, but a three-point attempt from Dominguez was off the mark.

Newberry shot 38 percent from the field, hitting 18-of-40 shots from three-point range (45 percent). The Bulldogs shot 48 percent from the field, going 11-of-34 from beyond the arc (32 percent). Wingate dominated the glass, holding a 58-34 rebounding advantage and 23-4 edge in second chance points. Wingate outscored Newberry 52-14 in the paint. The Wolves went to the free throw line 38 times on the night, going 31-of-38 while the Bulldogs went just seven-for-12. Newberry turned 23 Wingate turnovers into 30 points.

The Bulldogs are back in action Saturday, traveling to Mars Hill for a 4 p.m. start. It will mark Wingate's seventh game away from Cuddy Arena of the first eight to start the year.