Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs trimmed a 12-point deficit to two in the final minutes Wednesday night, but #21 Queens University closed the game on a 10-4 run en route to an 80-72 victory in South Atlantic Conference men's basketball action in Cuddy Arena. Queens improves to 9-2 overall and 6-2 in the SAC, while the Bulldogs fall to 8-3 overall and 5-3 in league play.

KEY STATS

- Queens shot 49 percent from the field; Wingate shot 44 percent
- The Royals hit nine-of-23 threes; the Bulldogs were eight-for-22 from deep
- The 'Dogs held a 34-32 rebounding advantage and 11-5 edge in second-chance points
- The Royals scored 22 points off 14 Wingate turnovers
- The 'Dogs went 16-for-19 at the free throw line; Queens was 15-for-23
- QU held a slim 32-28 advantage in points in the paint
- The Royals shot 56 percent in the second half, hitting five-of-nine threes
- Queens had 19 assists on 28 field goals

KEY BULLDOGS

- Sean Elmore had 19 points, hitting five-of-eight threes
- Jarren Cottingham had 18 points, eight rebounds and four assists
- Destin Clark contributed 11 points, four boards and three assists
- Vontrez Roberts added 10 points, going six-for-six at the line
- Donell Nixon contributed seven points and three rebounds

FIRST HALF

- Wingate raced out to a 14-4 lead less than seven minutes in
- Roberts had four points in the early spurt; Cottingham and Nixon each hit a three
- A Jay'Den Turner dunk cut the lead to three at the 12:13 mark
- Elmore's triple with 11:45 remaining put the 'Dogs on top 17-11
- Threes from AJ McKee and Trey Hubbard gave the Royals a 21-19 advantage
- Elmore answered with a three, while an Elmore jumper at the 6:58 mark made it 26-23
- Queens used an 11-0 run, taking a 34-26 lead with 39 seconds left
- Clark's three-point play pulled Wingate within five heading to halftime

SECOND HALF

- A Jamari Smith tripe gave the Royals a 39-31 lead less than two minutes in
- Quantra Taylor's layup cut the lead to seven, but a Josh Dilling three made it 51-39 at the 13:57 mark
- Cottingham's free throws cut it to 10, but a Smith jumper put QU back on top by 12 with 11:43 to go
- A Clark layup and Elmore triple pulled Wingate within seven at the midway point
- Smith's three-point play a minute later put the Royals back on top by 10
- An Elmore triple with eight minutes left pulled the 'Dogs back within seven
- Elmore buried another three, while a Cottingham triple made it 67-62 at the 6:37 mark
- Layups from Clark and Cottingham made it a two-point game with 3:25 left
- Kenny Dye's steal and layup, along with two Smith free throws put Queens on top by six
- Mike Fowler added two free throws with 39 seconds left to make it 76-68
- Clark's tip-in and Cottingham's layup pulled the 'Dogs within six in the final seconds
- Quan McCluney's free throws with five seconds left made the final margin 80-72

UP NEXT

- Wingate is on the road Saturday, traveling to Mars Hill for a 4 p.m. tip