Men's Basketball | 2/7/2017 6:57:00 PM

Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs look to bounce back from Saturday's setback at Lincoln Memorial, welcoming the sixth-ranked Queens University Royals to Cuddy Arena for an 8 p.m. tip. The Bulldogs will look for the season sweep over the Royals, whose lone loss of the year came at home against Wingate last month. The Bulldogs are 14-8 overall and 11-4 in the SAC, while the first-place Royals are 21-1 overall and 15-1 in league play.

Wingate is looking to bounce back after seeing its 11-game winning streak snapped Saturday at No. 21 Lincoln Memorial. The Bulldogs fell 97-87 despite a career-high 34 points from senior Josh Dominguez (Matthews, N.C.), who went eight-for-14 from the field, six-of-nine from three-point range and 12-for-14 at the free throw line. Sophomore Mike Baez (Orlando, Fla.) added 18 points and eight rebounds, while senior Isiah Cureton (Waxhaw, N.C.) contributed 10 points and six boards.

The highlight of Wingate's longest winning streak since the 2000-01 season came on Jan. 18, a 71-64 victory at Queens. Baez led five Bulldogs in double figures with 17 points, while Cureton piled up 12 points, 12 rebounds and five assists. The Wingate defense held the Royals to a season-low 64 points, 24 points below their season average and the only time all season they've been held below 70 points.

The Bulldogs have won three of the last four contests against the Royals, picking up a pair of wins last year which included 71-70 win victory in Cuddy Arena. Baez led the way with 16 points, while senior Anthanee Doyle (Holly Springs, N.C.) added 14 points. The 'Dogs downed the Royals 77-68 in the SAC Tournament semifinals, with Baez leading six Bulldogs in double figures with 16 points.

The Wingate offense averages 82.1 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, with Queens ranking first in scoring defense and second in field goal percentage defense. Wingate leads the league and ranks 12th nationally with 5.1 blocked shots per game. The Bulldogs rank ninth in the nation in defensive rebounding, while ranking second in the league in rebounding margin.

Wingate's balanced attack features six players averaging double figures, led by Baez's 16.1 points per game, ranking ninth in the SAC. He also averages 6.9 rebounds per game, knocking down 36 triples. Baez has scored in double figures in each of his last 19 games. Dominguez contributes 14.2 points per contest, shooting 49 percent from the field and 43 percent from three-point range. He is averaging 25 points per game over the last four contests, knocking down 15 threes on 54 percent shooting. Junior Zeriq Lolar (Orlando, Fla.) contributes 11.9 points per game, ranking second on the team with 50 assists while knocking down 33 threes.

Cureton averages 11.2 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, while senior Keith Griffin (Concord, N.C.) contributes 11.2 points, 7.1 rebounds and a league-best 2.6 blocks per contest. The Allstate NABC Good Works Team honoree ranks in the top 10 in the SAC in blocks, rebounding and field goal percentage. Doyle averages 10.9 points per game, handing out a team-best 51 assists while also leading the team with 43 triples and 24 steals. Wingate shoots a league-best 75.3 percent at the free throw line, with three Bulldogs ranking in the top 11 in the league in free throw shooting. Lolar (85.1 percent) leads the SAC, with Baez (80.7 percent) and Dominguez (78.4 percent) ranking eighth and 11th, respectively.

Queens has won its last five since the Wingate setback. The Royals rank third in the SAC and 19th in the nation in scoring offense (88.1 points per game), ranking 15th nationally in field goal percentage (50.3 percent) Jalin Alexander leads the Royals with 14.5 points per game, shooting 42 percent from three-point range. Daniel Camps adds 14.1 points per contest, shooting 66 percent from the field while adding 6.9 rebounds per game. Todd Withers contributes 14.0 points per game, shooting 41 percent from beyond the arc.

Wingate hits the road after Wednesday night's game, traveling to Brevard Saturday for a 4 p.m. start. The Bulldogs host Coker next Wednesday at 8 p.m.

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.