Gaffney, S.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs had five players score in double figures Saturday afternoon, rolling to an 82-66 victory over Belmont Abbey College on day two of the Tip-Off Challenge hosted by Limestone College. Wingate improves to 1-1 on the year, while the Crusaders fall to 1-1 overall.

Junior forward Devarious Christian (Charlotte, N.C.) had a career-high 16 points to lead the Wingate attack, adding five rebounds. Junior guard Marco Haskins (Fredericksburg, Va.) had 13 points on five-of-eight shooting, while junior Neico Robinson (Easley, S.C.) also had 13 points, going five-for-seven from the field and three-for-three from beyond the arc. Senior guard Zeriq Lolar (Orlando, Fla.) contributed 12 points on four-of-seven shooting, while redshirt senior guard Kerigan Farley (Hickory, N.C.) had 11 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Sophomore guard Charlie Hovasse (Colorado Springs, Colo.) chipped in with eight points, while junior guard Emarius Logan (Columbia, S.C.) handed out seven assists.

DeQuan Abrom had 32 points and seven rebounds to lead the Belmont Abbey offense, going 14-for-19 from the field. Jacob Wilson added 13 points and six assists, while Deion Lane contributed nine points.
A John Bowen layup gave Belmont Abbey a 15-5 lead seven minutes into the opening half, but a Lolar three, back-to-back Robinson buckets and a Hovasse triple got the 'Dogs within one at the midway point of the half. Threes from Hovasse and Robinson gave Wingate a 21-20 advantage at the 7:48 mark, while a Logan layup put the Bulldogs on top by four.

Wilson's triple got the Crusaders within a point, but buckets from Quantra Taylor (Indian Trail, S.C.) and Christian made it 28-23. Belmont Abbey trimmed the lead to three with three minutes left in the half, but buckets from Christian and Haskins stretched the lead back to five, while Robinson's triple in the final seconds made it 39-32 at halftime.

Wingate reeled off a 12-2 run early in the second half to extend the lead to 15, with triples from Haskins and Christian capping the flurry that made it 51-36. Haskins drilled another three at the 14:51 mark to put the 'Dogs on top by 16, but a layup from Abrom trimmed the advantage to 12 with 13:27 left. A Hovasse jumper at the midway point of the second half gave the Bulldogs a 61-46 lead.

Abrom's three-point play got the Crusaders back within 12, but a Farley three and two Christian free throws gave Wingate a 17-point cushion with nine minutes remaining. Christian's layup at the 6:40 mark put the 'Dogs on top 71-53. Belmont Abbey scored the next nine points, cutting the lead to nine with four minutes remaining. A Taylor putback dunk and Haskins layup pushed the lead back to 13, while a Christian layup made it 77-62 with 1:48 remaining. The Crusaders got no closer than 13 the rest of the way.

Wingate shot 48.3 percent from the field, hitting 12-of-24 shots from three-point range (50 percent). Belmont Abbey shot 44 percent from the field, knocking down just three-of-20 shots from beyond the arc (15 percent). The Bulldogs held a 40-29 rebounding advantage and a 22-8 edge in second chance points. Wingate turned 15 Belmont Abbey turnovers into 19 points, while the Bulldog bench outscored the Abbey bench 32-4.

Wingate is back in action Wednesday, hosting UNC Pembroke at 7 p.m. in the home opener.