Greeneville, Tenn.----Wingate University guard Jarren Cottingham poured in a season-high 23 points Saturday afternoon, leading the Bulldogs to a 79-72 victory at Tusculum University in South Atlantic Conference men's basketball action. Wingate improves to 11-5 overall and 6-1 in the SAC, while the Pioneers fall to 9-6 overall and 5-3 in league play.

KEY STATS

- Tusculum shot 51 percent from the field; Wingate shot 43 percent
- The 'Dogs hit nine-of-19 threes, while the Pioneers were three-for-16 from deep
- The Bulldogs held a 35-32 rebounding advantage and 11-10 edge in second-chance points
- Wingate scored 18 points off 14 Tusculum turnovers
- WU went 16-for-22 from the free throw line; TU was 13-for-17

KEY BULLDOGS

- Cottingham went eight-for-15 from the field and four-for-six from deep, adding four boards and two assists
- Vontrez Roberts had 14 points and four rebounds
- Destin Clark added 13 points, nine boards and three assists
- Donell Nixon contributed 11 points, six rebounds and two assists
- Sasha Letino had nine points on three-of-five shooting
- Sean Elmore added seven points, two boards and two steals

FIRST HALF

- A Nixon three and Cottingham layup gave Wingate a 17-13 lead at the 11:36 mark
- A Connor Jordan bucket with 6:26 to go put Tusculum on top 23-20
- Cottingham's triple a minute later tied it at 25
- The Pioneers took a 29-25 advantage on a Joshua Scott layup
- WU scored the next seven, getting a Cottingham triple and Clark layup to go on top 32-29
- Cottingham buried a three in the final minute to give the 'Dogs a 35-31 halftime lead

SECOND HALF

- A Nixon triple and two Roberts free throws gave Wingate a 47-38 lead four minutes in
- Jacob Hobbs cut the lead to six with a three at the 13:04 mark
- Back-to-back Roberts buckets gave the 'Dogs a 10-point advantage
- Tusculum used an 11-0 run to take a 59-58 lead on a KJ Crump three with 8:14 remaining
- WU scored the next 10, getting a Cottingham three-point play and Elmore triple to take a 68-59 advantage
- An Inady Legiste layup with 3:50 to go cut the lead to three
- Justin Mitchell's layup with 2:14 remaining tied it at 70
- Cottingham's layup put WU back on top with 1:51 to go
- Nixon followed with a big corner three with 53 seconds left, making it 75-70
- Cottingham and Clark went four-for-four at the line in the final 21 seconds to preserve the win

UP NEXT

- Wingate is back in action Wednesday, hosting Catawba at 7:30 p.m.