Wingate, N.C.----Wingate University senior center Keith Griffin (Concord, N.C.) piled up 21 points, six rebounds and six blocked shots Saturday afternoon, leading the Bulldogs to a 94-73 victory over Mars Hill University in South Atlantic Conference men's basketball action in Cuddy Arena. Wingate wins its eighth straight, improving to 11-7 overall and 8-4 in the SAC. Mars Hill falls to 4-14 overall and 2-10 in the conference.

Griffin went nine-for-12 from the field, collecting all six blocks in the second half to lead the Wingate attack. Senior guard Anthanee Doyle (Holly Springs, N.C.) added 17 points, hitting five-of-nine shots from three-point range. Senior forward Isiah Cureton (Waxhaw, N.C.) had 11 points and 11 rebounds, while sophomore guard Mike Baez (Orlando, Fla.) contributed 11 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals. Junior guard Zeriq Lolar (Orlando, Fla.) added 10 points, five boards and four assists.

Valentin Bauer had 10 points and five rebounds to lead the Mars Hill attack. Collin Hartman added nine points and four rebounds, while Maklye Wilkerson, Indiana Rotondo and Brandon Watkins added eight points each, while Bennett Wilson had four points and five assists for the Lions.

A Wilkerson jumper gave Mars Hill an early 11-7 lead, but a Doyle three and Griffin bucket gave Wingate the advantage. Doyle added a triple to push the lead to four, but two Charles Moore free throws got the Lions within two. Buckets from Cureton, Baez and Griffin gave Wingate an eight point lead, while a Griffin dunk made it 29-19 with 8:37 to go in the half. A Doyle three and two Griffin free throws pushed the lead to 14, while a Baez three-point play and Camari Wilkerson (Glen Burnie, Md.) triple­­ gave the Bulldogs a 51-32 halftime lead.

A Rotondo bucket got Mars Hill within 12 early in the second half, but a Griffin bucket and Cureton three put Wingate on top by 19. Josh Dominguez (Matthews, N.C.) buried a triple with 11:22 to go to extend the lead to 22, while a pair of free throws from Zeriq Lolar (Orlando, Fla.) made it 88-64 with 3:07 remaining. A Cureton bucket in the final minutes pushed the lead to 25, while Mars Hill would get no closer than 21 the rest of the way.

Wingate shot a season-high 56.1 percent from the field on the night, hitting 11-of-24 shots from three-point range (45.8 percent). The Bulldogs handed out a season-high 22 assists on 32 made field goals. Mars Hill shot 44.3 percent from the field, hitting 31.3 percent from beyond the arc (five-for-16). Wingate held a 35-32 rebounding advantage, while holding a 32-28 edge in points in the paint.

The Bulldogs are back in action Wednesday, traveling to Lenoir-Rhyne for an 8 p.m. start. Wingate is back at home next Saturday, hosting Tusculum at 4 p.m.