Men's Basketball | 2/3/2016 9:44:00 PM

Box Score

Newberry, S.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs shot just 35 percent from the field Wednesday night, falling 84-76 at Newberry College in South Atlantic Conference men's basketball action. Newberry improves to 13-8 overall and 8-7 in the SAC. Wingate sees its eight-game winning streak come to an end, falling to 15-5 overall and 11-3 in the conference. The 'Dogs had also won nine consecutive league contests.

Xavier Holmes had 16 points and eight rebounds to lead the Newberry attack. Mitch Riggs added 12 points and four boards, while Brandon Taylor had 11 points. Gerald Evans and James Ashby contributed 10 points apiece for the Wolves.

Five Bulldogs scored in double figures, led by junior Isiah Cureton (Waxhaw, N.C.), who had 12 points and 11 rebounds. Classmate Josh Dominguez (Matthews, N.C.) also had 12 points, while sophomore Zeriq Lolar (Orlando, Fla.) and freshman Mike Baez (Huntersville, N.C.) contributed 11 points apiece. Senior Xavier Griffin (Marshville, N.C.) added 10 points for the Bulldogs.

A Mason Spease layup gave Newberry a 14-9 lead six minutes into the opening half. Wingate scored the next seven points, regaining the lead on a three-point play from Baez. A Taylor triple put the Wolves on top by four at the midway point of the half, while a three from Ashby stretched the lead to nine. Another Baez three-point play got the 'Dogs back within five late in the half, but a Riggs three and Evans layup made it 43-31 in the closing seconds. Junior guard Anthanee Doyle (Holly Springs, N.C.) drained a three with six seconds left to cut the halftime deficit to nine.

Newberry used a 22-7 run in the second half, taking a 67-41 lead on an Evans layup at the 11:15 mark. Wingate scored the next 10 points, trimming the lead to 16 on a Dominguez triple and two Cureton free throws with 9:19 remaining. Two Taylor free throws put the Wolves back on top by 20 with 7:24 to go. A Doyle three and Griffin layup got Wingate within 11 at the 2:28 mark. Griffin knocked down a three with 33 seconds left to make it 81-74, but that would be as close as the Bulldogs would get.   

Newberry shot 47 percent from the field, hitting eight-of-20 shots from three-point range (40 percent). The Bulldogs shot 35 percent from the field, while going eight-for-31 from beyond the arc (26 percent). Wingate held a 42-36 rebounding advantage, with an 11-4 edge in second-chance points. Newberry converted 19 Wingate turnovers into 16 points. The Wolves went 30-of-40 at the free throw line on the night (75 percent).

The Bulldogs are back in action Saturday, hosting fifth-ranked Lincoln Memorial at 4 p.m.