Wingate, N.C.----Senior forward Rashaard Pringle blocked LMU's Alex Dahling's game-tying layup attempt in the closing seconds, giving Wingate University a thrilling 75-71 victory over 17th-ranked Lincoln Memorial University in South Atlantic Conference men's basketball action. Wingate improves to 3-1 overall and 1-1 the SAC, while the Railsplitters fall to 3-1 and 1-1 in league play. The Bulldogs defeat LMU in the regular season for the first time since 2009, snapping a 22-game regular season game losing streak to the Railsplitters.
 
KEY STATS
 
- Lincoln Memorial shot 39 percent from the field; Wingate shot 35 percent
- The Railsplitters were 13-of-37 from deep (35 percent), while Wingate was eight-of-30 (27 percent)
- The Bulldogs held a 47-43 rebounding advantage, which led to an 18-6 edge in second-chance points
- WU scored 22 points off 17 LMU turnovers
- The 'Dogs held a 26-22 advantage in points in the paint
- Wingate assisted 15 times on 26 made field goals
- Each team shot 71 percent from the foul line; WU was 15-for-21, while LMU went 10-for-14
- The Bulldogs never trailed; the game was tied three times
 
KEY BULLDOGS
 
- Jarren Cottingham led the 'Dogs with 21 points, five rebounds and two assists
- He was three-for-seven from three-point range
- Sean Elmore recorded 15 points, four rebounds and two steals
- Pringle tallied 11 points and six boards
- Destin Clark added seven points and six rebounds
- Donell Nixon contributed seven points, nine rebounds, six assists and five steals
 
FIRST HALF
 
- Cottingham and Andreas Wilson connected on threes to push Wingate on a 12-1 run to give WU a 21-10 lead
- LMU answered right back with a 9-2 run to cut the deficit to four
- Pringle's layup pushed the Wingate lead back to 34-25 with 6:17 remaining
- Elmore's triple gave the 'Dogs a 40-27 advantage, their largest of the game
- The three capped a 6-0 Bulldogs run with 3:15 left in the first half
- Clark's free throw stopped an 8-0 LMU run to give the Bulldogs a 43-37 halftime advantage
 
SECOND HALF
 
- Nixon's jumper pushed the lead back to double digits three and a half minutes into the second half
- A 9-2 Railsplitter blitz cut their deficit to three less than two minutes later
- Me'Kell Burries snapped a two-minute scoring drought from both sides with 11:30 remaining
- Burries' triple cut the LMU deficit to a single point
- Back-to-back and-ones from Clark and Nixon gave the 'Dogs some breathing room with seven minutes left
- A Clark layup pushed the lead to eight
- Jordan Guest's and-one and a dunk from Jordan Waters capped a 7-0 LMU that made the score 67-66 with five minutes remaining
- Pringle's breakaway dunk at the 3:52 mark gave WU a five-point cushion
- Walters' layup tied the game at 71 with just over two minutes left
- Pringle's two free throws gave Wingate the two-point lead with 1:45 to go
- After several missed shots from both sides, Dahling drew in with 12 seconds to go, but was rejected by Pringle.
- Cottingham's free throws with nine second remaining sealed the four-point win
 
UP NEXT
 
- Wingate returns to Cuddy Arena on Tuesday, Nov. 23, as they host the Wolves of Newberry College at 6:30 p.m.