Men's Basketball | 3/11/2016 11:09:00 AM

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Harrogate, Tenn.----The Wingate University Bulldogs are the number three seed in the NCAA Southeast Regional Tournament, which begins Saturday afternoon. Wingate will face sixth-seeded Montevallo Saturday at 12 p.m. The Bulldogs enter the NCAA Tournament at 22-9 overall after going 16-6 in the conference. Montevallo is 19-9 overall after going 14-5 in the Peach Belt. Every game in the Southeast Regional will take place at Tex Tuner Arena on the campus of Lincoln Memorial University.

"Besides getting the number one seed and being the host, seeds are somewhat irrelevant at this point," head coach Brian Good says. "There are eight very good teams in Harrogate this weekend. Montevallo is big and athletic. We will need to play with the same effort and enthusiasm that got us to this point." 

The Bulldogs are making their 10th appearance NCAA Division II tournament and first since the 2012-13 season. It is the first at-large bid since the 2007-08 season. The 'Dogs earned automatic bids in 2012 and 2013 thanks to SAC Tournament championships. The Bulldogs are 7-9 all-time in the NCAA Tournament.

Wingate won the NCAA Southeast regional in 2007 to earn a trip to the Elite Eight. The Bulldogs defeated second-seeded USC Aiken in the opening round of the 2012 NCAA Tournament, advancing to the regional semifinals. Wingate returned to the regional semifinals in 2013 when the fourth-seeded Bulldogs defeated fifth-seeded Limestone. Wingate has won at least one NCAA Tournament game in each of its last four appearances.

Wingate's at-large bid was earned thanks to piling up 20 wins in the regular season to go along with a pair of SAC Tournament victories. The Bulldogs faced eight top-25 teams during the season, picking up four victories, with three losses coming to Lincoln Memorial, currently the top-ranked team in the nation. Wingate piled up a program-record 16 SAC wins in the 2015-16 season, while winning 20 in the regular season for the first time since the 2007-08 season. The Bulldogs are receiving votes in the most recent NABC top 25 poll. Wingate's 16 conference wins came in a league that has four of the eight teams in the Southeast Regional, including tournament host and current top-ranked team Lincoln Memorial.

The Bulldogs lead the SAC and rank ninth nationally with 5.1 blocked shots per game, while also leading the league in scoring defense. Wingate is second in the conference in field goal percentage defense and defensive rebounding, while ranking third in rebounding margin. The stout Bulldog defense has been tested recently. In three SAC Tournament games, Wingate faced a top-five offense every contest. The Bulldogs downed Carson-Newman, the national leader in field goal percentage in the quarterfinals, while defeating the fourth-best field goal percentage offense in the semifinals when the 'Dogs took down Queens. Wingate faced the third most efficient offense in the championship game against top-ranked LMU.

Second team All-SAC selection Isiah Cureton (Waxhaw, N.C.) leads Wingate's balanced attack with 14.3 points per game, shooting 45.7 percent from the field and 83.8 percent at the free throw line. He also leads the team in rebounds and steals, ranking second in blocks and third in assists. All-SAC Freshman Team selection Mike Baez (Huntersville, N.C.) scores 13.2 points per contest, ranking second on the team in rebounds (6.0 rpg.) and threes (55). Cureton and Baez both earned All-SAC Tournament honors last weekend. Baez led the 'Dogs with 18.7 points per game during the SAC Tournament, including a career-high 25 points in the quarterfinals.

Junior guard Anthanee Doyle (Holly Springs, N.C.) has knocked down a team-best 64 triples on the season, averaging 10.2 points per contest. Senior guard Xavier Griffin (Marshville, N.C.) averages 8.9 points and a team-best 3.0 assists per game. Sophomore Zeriq Lolar (Orlando, Fla.) scores 7.5 points per contest, connecting on 37 threes while junior Josh Dominguez (Matthews, N.C.) shoots 53.5 percent from the field and 45.1 percent from three-point range, collecting 6.8 points per game. Junior center Keith Griffin (Concord, N.C.) is second in the SAC with 2.0 blocks per game, averaging 6.6 points and 6.0 rebounds per contest. He blocked 11 shots in the three SAC Tournament contests.

Montevallo is no stranger to postseason play. The Falcons are making their seventh consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance and their 11th appearance in the past 13 years. Montevallo won at least a share of the PBC West Division title for the fifth straight year.

First team All-PBC selection Terrell Lipkins finished fourth in the conference with 21.7 points per game. The University of Charleston transfer was also ninth in the league with 4.3 assists per game. He knocked down 85 threes on the season, shooting 43.4 percent shooting from beyond the arc. Second team All-PBC honoree Bryant Orange was 11th in the conference with 16.5 points per game. The Ferris State transfer was also ninth in the league in free throws made while ranking third with 59 steals, adding 3.9 assists per contest.

The winner of the Wingate-Montevallo contest will face the winner of the King vs. Lenoir-Rhyne game. That regional semifinal contest will take place Sunday at 5 p.m. The regional title game is slated for Tuesday at 7 p.m.