Wingate, N.C.----Brooks Bentley connected with Evan McCray for a 75-yard touchdown with 50 seconds left in the fourth quarter, giving the Wingate University Bulldogs a thrilling 34-30 victory over seventh-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne University in South Atlantic Conference football action. Wingate improves to 6-3 overall and 5-2 in the SAC, while the Bears fall to 8-1 overall and 6-1 in league play. Lenoir-Rhyne was one of 11 remaining NCAA Division II teams without a loss entering Saturday's contest.

KEY STATS

- Lenoir-Rhyne had 262 passing yards and 221 rushing yards for 483 total yards
- Wingate had 335 passing yards and 104 rushing yards, posting 439 yards of offense
- The Bears held a 24-21 advantage in first downs
- LR had the lone turnover on the day, an interception on a desperation play at the end of the game
- The Bulldogs held the ball for just over 32 minutes on the day
- Wingate was seven-for-13 on third down; LR went one-for-nine

KEY BULLDOGS

- Bentley was 24-for-37 for 335 yards and three TDs, adding 37 rush yards and a score
- McCray had four receptions for 97 yards and a touchdown
- Tremel Jones added three catches for 72 yards and a score
- Carlos Estronza had five grabs for 56 yards
- Kyron Thomas had a 40-yard catch to go along with 70 kick return yards
- Corey Siemer had 47 yards on 11 carries
- Matt Flanders added a two-yard touchdown reception
- Tre Morrison led the way with 10 tackles
- Jaheim Mullen also had 10 stops, including a tackle for loss
- Dontorian Best had nine tackles with 0.5 TFLs
- Dequan Mosley had six tackles and an interception
- Darius Randolph added a TFL, pass break-up and QB hurry
- Caleb Bonesteel hit all four PATs, adding field goals of 21 and 39 yards

FIRST QUARTER

- Wingate forced a three-and-out to start the game, then went 52 yards in 12 plays to get on the board
- Bentley hit McCray for 11 yards to get it to the LR 27
- Another McCray grab got Wingate down to the 15
- Siemer's seven-yard run got the 'Dogs down to the two
- Bentley hit Flanders for the two-yard strike to get Wingate on the board
- The Bears answered with a six-play, 80-yard drive
- Dwayne McGee's 50-yard run got it inside the WU 10
- Jalen Ferguson hit John Goodwin for a nine-yard TD to make it 7-7 with 4:19 to go

SECOND QUARTER

- The Bulldogs used a nine-play, 36-yard drive spanning the first and second quarter to regain the lead
- Bonesteel connected on a 39-yard field goal to start the second quarter, making it 10-7
- Lenoir-Rhyne went 72 yards in five plays to regain the lead
- Ferguson hit Malik Simmons from 19 yards out to make it 14-10 with 9:10 remaining
- The 'Dogs used a four-play, 69-yard drive late in the half to go back on top
- Matt Pack started the drive with a 16-yard run
- Bentley hit Jones for a 47-yard touchdown to make it 17-14 at the 2:18 mark

THIRD QUARTER

- Wingate got the ball to start the second half and went 71 yards in 15 plays
- Bentley hit Trevor Grant for 11 yards on third-and-seven to get WU into LR territory
- Two 14-yard completions to Estronza got the 'Dogs inside the 20
- Bonesteel connected on a 21-yard field goal to give Wingate a 20-14 lead
- LR had the immediate answer, with McGee's 63-yard TD run tying it at 20 a minute later

FOURTH QUARTER

- The Bears regained the lead at the 9:14 mark with a Jake Brown 20-yard field goal
- The 'Dogs responded with a six-play, 75-yard drive
- Bentley hit Thomas for 40 yards on third and five to get Wingate to the LR 30
- Bentley ran it in from 26 yards out to make it 27-23 with 6:13 remaining
- The Bears responded with a 15-play, 70-yard scoring drive in over five minutes
- Ferguson hit Songa Yates from four yards out to give LR a 30-27 lead with 1:01 to go
- The Bulldogs wasted no time re-taking the lead
- On the first play of the drive, Bentley found McCray on the left side line
- He made a leaping catch, then beat two defenders to go 75 yards and put WU on top 34-30
- The Bears were able to get the ball to the Wingate 25 with four seconds left
- Ferguson's desperation heave was picked off by Mosley in the end zone to cap the win

UP NEXT

- Wingate is back in action Saturday, traveling to Newberry for a 1 p.m. start