Men's Basketball | 2/28/2017 4:06:00 PM

Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs are the number three seed in this week's South Atlantic Conference men's basketball tournament, which gets underway Wednesday night in Cuddy Arena. Wingate hosts sixth-seeded Catawba at 8 p.m. on ESPN3. The 'Dogs enter the postseason after winning 16 of their final 18 regular season games, posting a 19-9 overall record with a 16-6 mark in SAC play. Catawba is 18-10 overall after going 12-10 in conference play.

Wingate advanced to the SAC Tournament championship game last year, defeating Carson-Newman and Queens before falling to Lincoln Memorial in the title game. The Bulldogs would go onto the NCAA regional semifinals. Wingate won back-to-back SAC Tournament championships in 2012 and 2013, advancing to the NCAA regional semifinals both years. The Bulldogs have five SAC Tournament titles all-time, tied for the most in league history.

The Bulldogs closed out the regular season with an 84-73 victory at Anderson Saturday, led by senior Isiah Cureton's (Waxhaw, N.C.) 25 points, nine rebounds and three blocks, going nine-for-13 from the field. Sophomore Mike Baez (Orlando, Fla.) added 18 points and nine boards, while seniors Anthanee Doyle (Holly Springs, N.C.) and Keith Griffin (Concord, N.C.) contributed 12 and 11 points, respectively. The Bulldogs shot 53.6 percent from the field while hitting six-of-nine shots from beyond the arc (66.7 percent).

Wingate and Catawba met twice during the regular season, with each team winning on their home court. The Bulldogs won 97-82 in Cuddy Arena in January, getting a career-high 30 points from Baez, who went eight-for-11 from the field and 11-for-11 at the free throw line. Doyle knocked down five triples, scoring 18 points, while Cureton contributed 14 points and 10 boards. Zeriq Lolar (Orlando, Fla.) had 12 points, six assists and five rebounds for the Bulldogs, who shot 48.3 percent from the field while holding Catawba to 36.5 percent shooting from the field and just one-of-12 shooting from three-point range. Wingate also knocked down 28-of-30 shots at the free throw line.

The Bulldogs and Indians met a week ago in Salisbury, with Catawba prevailing 89-57. The 'Dogs were held to a season low in points, while also being out-rebounded by a season-high 21 boards. Jerrin Morrison had 24 points to lead the Indians, while Jameel Taylor added 15 points. Catawba shot 52.4 percent from the field, the second-highest Wingate has allowed all season. Doyle led the Bulldogs with 16 points. The Bulldogs have won 12 of their last 14 against the Indians.

The Wingate offense averages 82.4 points per game, the highest since the 2007-08 season. The Bulldogs rank third in the SAC in scoring defense and field goal percentage defense. Wingate leads the league and ranks eighth nationally with 5.4 blocked shots per game. The Bulldogs rank 10th in the nation in defensive rebounding, while ranking second in the league in rebounding margin.

Wingate shoots a league-best 75.6 percent at the free throw line, with three Bulldogs ranking in the top six in the league in free throw shooting. Lolar (83.0 percent) ranks third in the SAC, with Josh Dominguez (Matthews, N.C.) (81.4 percent) and Baez (81.3 percent) ranking fourth and sixth, respectively.

Wingate's balanced attack features six players averaging over 10 points per game, led by Baez's 15.9 points per game, ranking eighth in the SAC. He also averages 6.8 rebounds per game, good for 12th in the league while knocking down 39 triples. Dominguez contributes 14.4 points per contest, ranking 13th in the SAC while shooting 47 percent from the field and 43 percent from three-point range. He leads the team with 64 assists while ranking third with 48 triples. Cureton contributes 12.4 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, ranking third in the league in rebounding while adding over a block and a steal per contest.

Lolar contributes 12.1 points per game, ranking third on the team with 57 assists while knocking down 49 threes on 40 percent shooting. Griffin contributes 10.6 points, 7.0 rebounds and a league-best 2.7 blocks per game. The Allstate NABC Good Works Team honoree ranks in the top 10 in the SAC in blocks, rebounding and field goal percentage, ranking 10th nationally in blocked shots. He has eight games this year with at least five blocked shots. Doyle averages 10.4 points per game, handing out 63 assists while leading the team with 29 steals and 54 triples.

After Catawba's win over Wingate a week ago, the Indians closed out the regular season with a 92-81 setback against Lincoln Memorial. The Indians have three players averaging at least 15 points per game, led by Taylor's 17.4 points per contest, shooting 51 percent from the field while adding 6.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game. Morrison contributes 15.6 points and 7.0 rebounds per game, while KJ Arrington adds 15.3 points per game on 46 percent shooting from the field.

The winner of Wednesday night's game advances to Saturday's SAC Tournament semifinals, facing the winner of the Tusculum vs. Queens contest. Saturday's semifinal game will get underway at 8 p.m. in Timmons Arena in Greenville, S.C. The championship contest will take place Sunday at 4 p.m. in Greenville.

WINGATE UNIVERSITY
 
Wingate University, consistently ranked as a top 10 "best value" in the South by U.S. News & World Report, serves more than 3,200 students on three campuses in Wingate, Charlotte and Hendersonville, N.C. Founded in 1896, the University offers 35 undergraduate majors, 35 minors, 12 career concentrations, nine pre-professional programs, master's degrees in accounting, business, education, physician assistant studies and sport management and doctorates in education, pharmacy and physical therapy.
 
With a 14 to 1 student/teacher ratio, Wingate students gain the tools and support needed to excel in academics and apply that learning toward an extraordinary career and life. To view current news, video and story ideas, visit www.youtube.com/wingateuniversity. 
 
In addition to a robust intramural athletics program, Wingate student athletes compete in 22 NCAA Division II sports. The University has won the South Atlantic Conference Echols Athletic Excellence Award for the past 10 years. For more information, go to www.wingate.edu.
 
Wingate is first among NCAA Division II Academic All-America®-producing colleges in the 2000's with 88 selections. Among North Carolina's colleges and universities, Wingate is number one in this millennium with 88 Academic All-America® honorees. Wingate is tops among all SAC schools with 97 lifetime Academic All-America® picks. For more information on WU athletics, go to www.wingatebulldogs.com.