Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs had eight players score 10 points or more Monday night while holding visiting Mars Hill University to a season-low 57 points in an 88-57 victory in South Atlantic Conference men's basketball action in Cuddy arena. Wingate improves to 16-6 overall and 12-4 in the SAC, while the Lions fall to 9-13 overall and 5-11 in the conference.

Junior forward Josh Dominguez (Matthews, N.C.) had 11 points and six boards, while sophomore Devarious Christian (Charlotte, N.C.) added a career-high 11 points to go along with two rebounds and two blocks. Sophomore Lee McCall (Indian Land, S.C.) had 10 points and a career-high 14 rebounds, adding a pair of blocks. Senior Xavier Griffin (Marshville, N.C.), junior Isiah Cureton (Waxhaw, N.C.), sophomore Zeriq Lolar (Orlando, Fla.) and freshman Mike Baez (Huntersville, N.C.) contributed 10 points apiece for the Bulldogs.

Jalen Witherspoon had 12 points to lead the Mars Hill attack. Justin Yeargin added nine points and four assists, while Surmon Neal and Tyree Griffin contributed seven points apiece.

Wingate held Mars Hill without a field goal in the first 13 minutes of the opening half, jumping out to a 25-2 lead while the Lions missed their first 19 field goal attempts. A Dominguez three, followed by a Baez dunk made it 19-1, while another Baez dunk, followed by a McCall tip-in made it 25-2. A Lolar bucket and Baez three put the 'Dogs on top by 27 with 5:35 remaining. A Witherspoon layup, along with a Kevin Haynes layup got the Lions within 21 at halftime.

A Yeargin bucket in the opening minutes of the second half got Mars Hill within 17. Wingate answered with a 12-5 run, taking a 51-27 lead on a Lolar triple with 16:14 remaining. A Witherspoon triple got the Lions within 18 at the 13:58 mark, but buckets from Griffin and McCall stretched the lead back to 22. Buckets from McCall, Cureton and Christian gave the Bulldogs a 68-40 lead with 9:16 to go.

Two buckets from Christian put the 'Dogs on top by 31 at the 7:09 mark. A Dominguez putback with 3:02 remaining gave Wingate an 81-47 advantage. The lead would not go below 28 the rest of the way.

The Bulldogs shot 52.9 percent from the field, hitting six-of-18 shots from three-point range (33.3 percent). Mars Hill shot 28.1 percent from the field, including 16 percent shooting in the opening half. The Lions hit seven-of-21 shots from beyond the arc (33.3 percent). Wingate dominated the boards, out-rebounding MHU 52-33. The 'Dogs outscored the Lions 48-16 in the paint, holding a 15-4 edge in second-chance points. The Wingate bench doubled up the Mars Hill bench 46-23 on the night.

The Bulldogs are back in action Wednesday, traveling to Charlotte to face No. 13 Queens at 8 p.m. It will be the sixth game against a ranked opponent for the Wingate this season. The Bulldogs are 3-2 against top-20 teams this season.