Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs ended 2021 in dramatic fashion, prevailing 90-86 in double overtime over visiting USC Aiken in NCAA Division II men's basketball action in Cuddy Arena Friday afternoon. Wingate improves to 10-3 overall, taking down USC Aiken for the second time this season. The Pacers fall to 7-4 overall, with half their losses this year coming against the 'Dogs.

KEY STATS

- Each team shot 43 percent from the field
- USC Aiken hit 10-of-25 threes; Wingate went eight-for-26 from deep
- The Pacers held a 49-42 rebounding advantage and 16-3 edge in second-chance points
- The Bulldogs scored 20 points off 20 Aiken turnovers
- Each team had 16 assists on the day
- The 'Dogs had 11 of the 15 steals in the contest
- No team led by more than eight points; the game had 11 ties and 13 lead changes
- Aiken led for just under 26 minutes; Wingate led for 17 minutes
- WU was 24-for-33 at the free throw line; USCA was 14-for-21 at the stripe

KEY BULLDOGS

- Jarren Cottingham had 21 points, three rebounds, three assists and a steal
- He went eight-for-13 from the field and two-for-three from beyond the arc
- Rashaard Pringle had 17 points on six-of-nine shooting, adding four boards and two steals
- Sean Elmore contributed 14 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals
- Donell Nixon had 12 points, six assists, three rebounds and three steals
- Andreas Wilson added 10 points and four rebounds, with a block and a steal
- Quantra Taylor had five points and a team-best 10 rebounds
- Vontrez Roberts added seven points, three rebounds and three assists

FIRST HALF

- An Elmore three and Cottingham layup gave Wingate a 13-9 lead five minutes in
- A Cottingham triple pushed the advantage to five
- A Caleb Furr triple at the 12:27 mark tied it at 18
- Buckets from Nixon and Destin Clark put the 'Dogs back on top by four
- A Preston Parks layup with 8:43 left put the Pacers on top 26-24
- Mason McMurray's layup at the 5:47 mark gave USCA an eight-point advantage
- Wilson hit five free throws and a triple in a two-minute span to pull the 'Dogs within two at 36-34
- Parks put Aiken back on top by four with a pair of free throws
- Cottingham's three in the final minute made it a one-point game at halftime

SECOND HALF

- USCA scored the first seven points of the second half, taking a 45-37 lead on a Jalen McCoy bucket
- A Taylor layup and Pringle dunk cut the lead to four
- David Strother's three-point play gave the Pacers a 48-41 lead at the 16:49 mark
- Wingate answered with a big 12-0 run to regain the lead
- A Taylor dunk started the spurt, while Nixon's triple pulled the Bulldogs within a point
- Nixon followed with a steal, then setup Elmore in the corner for a three to give WU the lead
- Nixon's triple at the 13:39 mark capped the spurt, giving Wingate a 53-48 lead
- Threes from Parks and Strother tied it at 57 with 11:51 left
- Two Parks free throws gave the Pacers a four-point lead at the midway point
- Cottingham's layup tied it at 61, but Strother's triple put USCA back on top by three
- Two Roberts free throws got Wingate back within one with seven minutes left
- A Pringle jumper and Pringle layup put the Bulldogs on top 69-68 with 4:39 to go
- A Horn three put USCA back on top, but Cottingham answered with a bucket to give Wingate the lead
- Pringle's triple with 51 seconds left gave the 'Dogs a 75-73 advantage
- Two Horn free throws with 22 seconds remaining tied it at 75
- Wingate had a chance in the final seconds, but an Elmore triple was just off the mark

FIRST OVERTIME

- Buckets from McCoy and Strother gave the Pacers a 79-75 lead 30 seconds into overtime
- A Roberts layup cut the lead to two, but two Parks free throws put USCA on top 81-77
- Elmore answered with a jumper to pull Wingate back within two with two minutes left
- Pringle knocked down two huge free throws with 1:07 left to tie it
- Neither team could score in the final minute, sending it to a second overtime

SECOND OVERTIME

- A Cottingham layup and free throw gave Wingate an 84-81 lead with 3:31 left
- Horn's triple at the 2:19 mark tied it at 84
- Elmore put the 'Dogs back on top by two with a pair of free throws at the 1:56 mark
- Wingate could not add on to its lead, but two Demetrious Nixon misses at the line with 10 seconds left gave WU the ball with the lead
- Elmore buried two free throws with eight seconds left to make it 88-84
- Horn's layup with three seconds left cut the lead to two
- Cottingham knocked down two free throws to secure the victory

UP NEXT

- Wingate is back in action Sunday, traveling to UVA Wise for a 4 p.m. start
- That kicks off a four-game SAC road trip, with trips to Tusculum, Coker and Anderson
- The next home game is Jan. 19, when the 'Dogs host Lenoir-Rhyne