Wingate, N.C.----Wingate University junior forward Neico Robinson (Easley, S.C.) poured in a career-high 24 points Saturday afternoon, leading the Bulldogs to a 77-72 victory over visiting Mount Olive in NCAA Division II men's basketball action in Cuddy Arena. Wingate improves to 7-6 overall, while the Trojans fall to 7-5 on the year.

Robinson scored 16 of his 24 points in the first half, adding eight rebounds on the day while hitting four-of-six shots from three-point range. Graduate student point guard Kerigan Farley (Hickory, N.C.) had 14 points, eight assists, six rebounds and three steals, while senior guard Zeriq Lolar (Orlando, Fla.) had 13 points, three assists and three steals. Junior guard Marco Haskins (Fredericksburg, Va.) contributed nine points and five boards, while junior forward Devarious Christian (Charlotte, N.C.) had eight points, 13 rebounds and three blocks, tying his rebounding career high.

"Most important, after the break I thought it was a good way to come back and get the second half of the season started," head coach Brian Good says. "Mount Olive's pressure made things really difficult for us, but as the game went on, I thought we handled things really well."

Cameron Robinson had 14 points and three assists for Mount Olive, while Tyler Thomas also contributed 14 points. Dominique Tham had 13 points, eight rebounds, three blocks and three steals, while Jamaal Matin had 10 points and five boards.

Buckets from Haskins and Robinson gave Wingate a 15-10 lead six minutes into the first half, but a three from Thomas tied it. Mount Olive rode a 16-5 run take a 31-24 lead on a Matin triple at the 5:56 mark. Robinson answered with a three, while a Quantra Taylor (Indian Land, S.C.) dunk and two free throws from Chiamaka Browne (Syracuse, N.Y.) tied it at 31 in the final two minutes. Robinson's three in the final minute gave the Trojans a 36-33 halftime advantage.

Wingate scored the first eight points of the second half, taking a 41-36 lead on a Haskins bucket two minutes into the second half. Robinson's triple got the Trojans back within a point, but a Taylor dunk, followed by threes from Robinson and Lolar pushed the Bulldog advantage back to seven at the 14:46 mark. A triple from Emarius Logan (Columbia, S.C.) gave Wingate a 59-49 lead at the midway point.

The Trojans used a 12-2 run, tying the game at 61 on a Thomas layup at the 7:09 mark. Lolar buried a triple to give Wingate a three-point lead with 4:43 remaining, while Farley's layup made it 68-63 with 3:26 to go. Tham got Mount Olive within three with a minute left, while Matin's bucket with 22 seconds remaining made it a two-point game. Farley knocked down two free throws with 19 seconds to go, while two Christian free throws made it 75-69 with 10 seconds to go.

The Bulldogs shot 44.3 percent from the field, hitting nine-of-17 shots from three-point range (52.9 percent). Mount Olive shot 48.3 percent from the field, connecting on eight-of-12 shots from beyond the arc (66.7 percent). Wingate held a 41-27 rebounding advantage, with a 19-11 edge in second-chance points. The Bulldogs converted 14 Mount Olive turnovers into 18 points.

Wingate is back in action Wednesday, traveling to Queens to face the second-ranked Royals at 8 p.m.