Hartsville, S.C.----Wingate University redshirt junior guards Francis Sio and Jarren Cottingham combined for 45 points Wednesday night as the visiting Bulldogs rolled to a 76-61 victory at Coker University in South Atlantic Conference men's basketball action. Wingate improves to 7-5 overall and 7-5 in the SAC, while the Cobras fall to 4-6 overall and 4-6 in league play.

KEY STATS

- Wingate shot 53 percent from the field; Coker shot 42 percent
- The 'Dogs hit 10-of-23 threes (44 percent); the Cobras hit eight-of-24 from distance (33 percent)
- The Bulldogs held a 35-26 rebounding advantage with each team scoring three second-chance points
- The Cobras scored 17 points off 15 Wingate turnovers
- The 'Dogs were credited for 14 assists on 29 field goals while collecting five steals and two blocks
- Coker hit nine-of-14 free throws while Wingate went eight-for-11 at the line

KEY BULLDOGS

- Sio had 24 points on nine-of-16 shooting, hitting four triples while adding seven boards and two assists
- Cottingham had 21 points on seven-of-14 shooting, hitting four triples while adding four boards, three assists and two steals
- Kendrick Tucker contributed 10 points on four-of-five shooting, hitting both of his three-point tries
- Destin Clark added eight points and six rebounds off the bench on four-of-five shooting

NOTES

- Wingate moves to 17-5 all-time against the Cobras
- WU is 6-2 all-time at Coker
- The 'Dogs have won 13 of their last 14 against the Cobras and five of the last six at Coker
- Second highest field goal percentage of the season for the Bulldogs
- Two of Wingate's best three shooting games this season have come against Coker
- The plus nine rebounding advantage is the second-best of the season for Wingate
- Fifth game with at least 20 for Cottingham this season; eighth time over 15 points
- Cottingham has scored 20 or more points 19 times in his WU career
- Fourth time this season Sio has scored at least 20 points; eighth time with at least 15 points
- Has scored in double figures in 18 of his last 19 games
- Second time this season Sio and Cottingham have scored at least 20 in the same game
- Fifth time in the last two years the duo have both had at least 20 points in a game
- Fourth double-digit scoring effort of the season for Tucker
- Tucker has 30 points on 11-of-16 shooting against Coker this season, hitting seven-of-nine threes
- Career-high tying eight points for Clark; six rebounds are his second most

FIRST HALF

- Cottingham buried three triples in the first four minutes, while a Sio three made it 12-2 four minutes in
- Coker answered with a 16-0 run to take an 18-12 lead on a Seth Bennett triple at the 9:43 mark
- A three and a jumper from Sio pulled the 'Dogs back within one
- Another Bennett triple put the Cobras on top 23-19 with 7:15 to go
- The Bulldogs countered with a 12-0 run to take the lead for good
- Sio started the flurry with two straight triples, while Clark's layup made it 27-23
- Buckets from Tucker and Sio capped the spurt to put WU on top by eight with 2:22 to go
- The Bulldogs held the Cobras without a point for nearly five minutes
- Two Cottingham free throws with 26 seconds left put the 'Dogs on top 33-26 at halftime

SECOND HALF

- Tucker hit a three and a layup to start the second half, while Sio's bucket made it 40-33
- Jordan Jones pulled Coker within five with a layup at the 15:54 mark
- WU scored the next seven, getting a Tucker three along with a layup and two free throws from Sio
- A Jahnarious Snell three pulled Coker back within seven with 12:19 remaining
- The 'Dogs scored the next nine to stretch the advantage to 16 points
- Sio started the spurt with a jumper, while Cottingham's three at the 9:45 mark made it 56-40
- A Clark layup and Cottingham three-point play stretched the lead to 21 with 4:47 remaining
- Back-to-back Taylor Bell buckets made it 70-48 with under four minutes to go
- Coker got no closer than 15 the rest of the way

UP NEXT

- Wingate is at home Saturday, hosting Lincoln Memorial at 4:30 p.m.
- The 'Dogs are at Mars Hill the following Saturday before hosting Limestone Feb. 10