Mars Hill, N.C.----The Mars Hill University Lions closed the game on a 29-11 run Saturday evening, prevailing 93-79 over visiting Wingate University in South Atlantic Conference men's basketball action. Mars Hill improves to 11-13 overall and 9-9 in the SAC, while the Bulldogs fall to 10-14 overall and 6-12 in league play.

KEY STATS

- Mars Hill shot 53 percent from the field, hitting 14-of-29 threes (48 percent)
- Wingate shot 44 percent from the field, connecting on eight-of-26 triples (31 perecent)
- Each team had 40 rebounds; WU had a 16-10 edge in second-chance points
- The 'Dogs outscored the Lions 40-20 in the paint
- Mars Hill had just eight turnovers; Wingate turned it over just nine times
- The Lions had seven of the nine blocked shots in the game

KEY BULLDOGS

- Jarren Cottingham had 15 points, three rebounds, two assists and two steals
- Jakob Dawkins added 12 points and eight boards
- Francis Sio contributed 12 points on five-of-10 shooting
- Miguel Priest and Vontrez Roberts each had 11 points, combining for 10 rebounds
- Frankie Johnson added nine points, six rebounds and three assists

FIRST HALF

- A Nassyr Daniel layup gave Mars Hill a 13-6 lead five minutes in
- Buckets from Dawkins and Sio got the 'Dogs within two at the midway point
- Kendrick Tucker's three at the 8:35 mark got WU within one at 23-22
- Matthew Powell's three stretched the Mars Hill lead to eight with 6:36 remaining
- Dawkins buried a three to pull Wingate within three with five minutes left
- Daniel put Mars Hill on top 42-33 with 1:41 left
- A Sio three and Cottingham three-point play got the 'Dogs within three heading to hafltime

SECOND HALF

- Two Cottingham free throws gave Wingate a 51-50 lead three minutes into the second half
- Dawkins knocked down a three to put the Bulldogs on top 61-58 at the 11:52 mark
- Jamal Bryant put MHU on top with a three, but a Priest triple with 8:49 left put WU on top by two
- Mars Hill would answer with the huge game-ending run, starting with a dunk and jumper from Daniel to take the lead
- Jamal Bryant's dunk with 5:31 left gave the Lions a 77-68 lead
- Austin Gilyard buried a three at the 3:49 mark to give MHU a 12-point advantage
- The lead remained in double figures the rest of the way

UP NEXT

- Wingate is back in action Wednesday, hosting Newberry at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN3