Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs were within two points against second-ranked Queens University six minutes into the second half, but the Royals countered with a 19-2 run en route to an 88-71 victory in South Atlantic Conference men's basketball action Wednesday night in Cuddy Arena. Queens improves to 22-1 overall and 14-1 in the SAC, while the Bulldogs fall to 12-11 overall and 9-6 in league play.
Todd Withers led five Royals in double figures with 19 points, going eight-for-12 from the field.
Jalin Alexander,
Mike Davis and
Shaun Willett contributed 14 points each, while
Lewis Diankulu had 10 points, four assists, three rebounds and three blocks.
Ike Agusi handed out 11 assists, adding four points, four rebounds and two steals.
Junior guard
Marco Haskins (Fredericksburg, Va.) led all scorers with 21 points, hitting four-of-eight shots from three-point range. Redshirt freshman
Quantra Taylor (Indian Land, S.C.) notched his first career double-double with 11 points and 10 boards, while senior guard
Zeriq Lolar (Orlando, Fla.) had 10 points.
A
Daniel Carr three and Willett layup put the Royals on top 16-8 five minutes into the opening half, but a jumper from
Emarius Logan (Columbia, S.C.) and Lolar free throw got the 'Dogs within four at the midway point of the half. Threes from Davis and Alexander pushed the lead back to nine, while a Diankulu layup made it 39-26 with less than two minutes to go in the half. A Lolar three and two Logan free throws got the Bulldogs back within eight, helping Wingate cut the halftime deficit to eight at 41-33.
A Diankulu layup gave Queens a 10-point lead early in the second half, but a Haskins three-point play and layup cut the lead in half, while a Haskins triple got Wingate within four at the 14:48 mark. A Taylor dunk made it a two-point game at 49-47 with 13:39 remaining. Queens scored 19 of the next 21 points, knocking down five triples in the flurry to take a 68-49 advantage at the 9:15 mark. An Agusi bucket gave the Royals their largest lead of the night at 82-57 with six minutes remaining.
Queens shot 56.3 percent from the field, hitting 13-of-28 shots from three-point range (46.4 percent). Wingate shot 40 percent from the field, connecting on eight-of-20 shots from beyond the arc (40 percent). Wingate held a 35-32 rebounding advantage, holding a 14-11 edge in second-chance points. Queens outscored the Bulldogs 44-24 in the paint, converting 16 turnovers into 19 points.
It gets no easier for the Bulldogs, who welcome top-ranked Lincoln Memorial to Cuddy Arena Saturday at 4 p.m.
