Charlotte, N.C.----The Queens University Royals used a 16-2 run spanning both halves Wednesday night, overcoming a hot start by visiting Wingate University to pick up an 86-73 victory in South Atlantic Conference men's basketball action. Queens improves to 21-6 overall and 16-5 in the SAC, while the Bulldogs fall to 12-15 overall and 8-13 in league play.

KEY STATS

- Queens shot 54 percent from the field, hitting nine-of-21 threes (43 percent)
- Wingate shot 37 percent from the field, connecting on 12-of-30 from beyond the arc (40 percent)
- The Royals held a 37-35 rebounding advantage; WU had a 14-7 edge in second-chance points
- Each team turned it over 11 times; The 'Dogs scored 13 points of the Queens turnovers
- The Royals held a 40-18 advantage in points in the paint
- Queens was 13-for-18 at the free throw line; Wingate went 19-for-30 at the line
- Each team had three blocked shots; the Royals had seven of the 12 steals on the night

KEY BULLDOGS

- Jarren Cottingham had 22 points, hitting six-of-eight threes while adding three boards and two assists
- Francis Sio added 18 points and three rebounds
- Jakob Dawkins and Miguel Priest added nine points apiece, combining for eight rebounds
- Quantra Taylor contributed eight points, nine rebounds and a blocked shot
- Frankie Johnson added five points, six rebounds and six assists

FIRST HALF

- Wingate jumped out to a 16-6 lead five minutes in, getting three quick triples from Cottingham
- Sio buried a three at the 13:45 mark to put the Bulldogs on top by 11
- A Gavin Rains layup got the Royals within four at the midway point of the half
- Dawkins knocked down a three with eight minutes left to give WU a 27-21 advantage
- Jamari Smith got Queens within two, but a Cottingham three at the 4:30 mark made it 34-29
- Kenny Dye's three at the 2:40 mark put Queens on top 39-37
- Sio answered with a jumper to tie it, but the Royals scored the last five points of the frame to lead 44-39 at halftime

SECOND HALF

- A Van Turner three and Daniel Carr jumper put Queens on top 52-39 less than two minutes in
- Dawkins hit a three to pull Wingate within 11, but a Dye triple made it 64-47 with 14:18 to go
- A Junathean Cunningham jumper put the Royals on top by 20 at the 11:19 mark
- The 'Dogs answered with an 8-0 run, getting five Cottingham points and a Sio triple
- Jermaine Patterson's bucket at the 7:06 mark pushed the Queens advantage back to 19
- Taylor's dunk got Wingate within 14, but a Turner three made it 81-62 with five minutes left
- Dawkins hit a three in the final minute to pull the 'Dogs within 12; they would get no closer

UP NEXT

- Wingate wraps up the regular season Saturday, hosting Tusculum at 4 p.m.
- The Bulldogs will honor their two seniors prior to tipoff