Box Score Wingate, N.C.----Playing in Cuddy Arena for the first time this season, the Wingate University Bulldogs erased a 15-point deficit en route to an 80-79 victory over Coker University in South Atlantic Conference men's basketball action. Wingate improves to 5-3 overall and 2-0 in the SAC, while the Cobras fall to 5-5 overall and 0-2 in league play.

KEY STATS

- Coker shot 54 percent from the field; Wingate shot 46 percent on the day
- The 'Dogs hit eight-of-20 threes while the Cobras connected on six-of-21 shots from deep
- The Bulldogs held a 36-23 advantage in rebounds and a 17-3 edge in second-chance points
- Coker scored 17 points off 12 Wingate turnovers; Wingate scored 13 points off 11 CU turnovers
- WU hit 22-of-29 free throws while Coker was 15-for-17 at the free throw line

KEY BULLDOGS

- Sean Elmore had 20 points on the day, hitting six-of-eight shots from deep
- Donell Nixon added 14 points and four assists, hitting two-of-three shots from beyond the arc
- Jarren Cottingham contributed 14 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals
- Destin Clark had 13 points, eight rebounds and two assists
- Josh Massey added eight points, with Vontrez Roberts adding seven points and four boards

FIRST HALF

- A layup and two free throws from Mahmoud Bangura gave Coker a 13-5 lead
- Cottingham's layup cut the lead to four with 14:48 to go
- A Demar Anderson bucket put the Cobras on top by 10 at the 12:40 mark
- An Elmore triple pulled the Bulldogs within seven at 21-14
- Coker took a 32-18 lead on a Jamie Muldowney layup at the 5:29 mark
- A Preston Crips triple with 1:54 to go pushed the Coker advantage to 15
- Buckets from Massey and Cottingham cut the lead to 11
- Jordan Jones buried a three with 43 seconds left to put the Cobras on top 43-29
- Nixon's triple with 26 seconds left cut the halftime deficit to 11

SECOND HALF

- A Bangura layup put Coker on top 51-36 with 16:48 to go
- Wingate scored 12 of the next 13 to cut the lead to four
- Elmore knocked down a pair of threes in the spurt
- An Anderson jumper pushed the Coker lead back to nine with 12 minutes left
- Elmore's triple pulled the 'Dogs to within four at the midway point
- Another Elmore three at the 9:17 mark tied it at 60
- Jones buried a triple with 7:26 to go to give the Cobras a 68-64 lead
- Anderson's three-point play pushed the lead to five for Coker
- A Clark bucket and Nixon triple pulled the Bulldogs within three with 4:20 remaining
- Elmore buried a triple with three minutes left to give Wingate a 75-74 lead
- A Tate Mulkey three put the Cobras on top by one with two minutes left
- Free throws from Elmore and Clark gave the 'Dogs a 78-77 edge with 1:35 to go
- A Jones jumper with 1:05 left gave the Cobras a 79-78 lead
- An Elmore steal with under 30 seconds left gave the ball back to Wingate
- Cottingham was fouled and buried both free throws to give the Bulldogs an 80-79 lead
- Clark grabbed the rebound off a desperation Coker attempt to secure the win

UP NEXT

- Wingate is back on the road Wednesday to face Anderson at 7:30 p.m.
- The Bulldogs are at Catawba Saturday at 4 p.m.