Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs led by as many as 15 points Friday evening, picking up a 77-74 victory over Belmont Abbey College in NCAA Division II men's basketball action in Cuddy Arena on day one of the Kyle Honore Memorial Tip-Off Challenge. Wingate starts the season 1-0, while the Crusaders fall to 0-1.

KEY STATS

- Wingate shot 44 percent from the field, hitting 10-of-21 threes (48 percent)
- Belmont Abbey shot 40 percent from the field, going 13-for-28 from deep (46 percent)
- Each team had 37 rebounds; BAC held an 11-9 advantage in second-chance points
- The Bulldogs scored 18 points off 15 Belmont Abbey turnovers
- The 'Dogs had nine of the 16 steals on the day
- Wingate held the lead for over 37 minutes

KEY BULLDOGS

- Donell Nixon had 21 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals
- He went eight-for-14 from the field and three-for-five from three-point range
- Sean Elmore had 19 points, connecting on five-of-seven shots from beyond the arc
- Corbin Pack added 12 points, three rebounds, an assist and a steal
- Vontrez Roberts contributed 10 points and nine rebounds
- Josh Massey had nine points, seven rebounds, four blocks, three assists and a steal
- Kendall Taylor pulled down seven boards, adding two points, two steals and a block

FIRST HALF

- Wingate raced out to a 14-2 lead in the opening seven minutes
- Roberts scored the first three points, while Elmore capped it with a triple and two free throws
- A Kyle Frazier three pulled BAC within seven with 11 minutes to go
- A Jordan Miller layup and Aaron Hall dunk put the 'Dogs on top 18-7
- The Crusaders scored the next 12, taking a 19-18 lead on a Jaylen Jones steal and layup
- Buckets from Massey and Nixon gave Wingate a 22-19 advantage with 4:26 to go
- A Jacori Owens jumper tied it at 26, but two Nixon buckets and a Pack layup gave WU a five-point edge
- Pack buried a triple with eight seconds left to give the 'Dogs a 35-27 lead
- Wade Jackson knocked down a half court shot at the buzzer to cut the lead to five

SECOND HALF

- A Mason Taylor triple pulled Belmont Abbey two within three in the opening minutes
- A Kendall jumper and Elmore three put Wingate on top 45-37 at the 15:46 mark
- Nixon and Elmore drilled back-to-back triples to stretch the lead to 12 with 13:53 to go
- Two more Nixon threes made it 57-42 at the 11:50 mark
- BAC scored the next eight, cutting the lead to seven on a Jaiden Rivera three
- A Massey three-point play and Pack dunk put the 'Dogs back on top by 14 with 8:29 remaining
- Back-to-back Jackson triples cut the lead to five at 67-62 at the 4:21 mark
- Elmore knocked down a three with 3:15 to go to push the lead back to seven
- A Judah Sault layup with 1:35 remaining pulled the Crusaders within two
- The teams traded turnovers until a pair of Elmore free throws made it 75-71 with 11 seconds left
- Jackson buried another three to cut the lead to one with five seconds to go
- Nixon made both free throws with three seconds left
- The Crusaders desperation heave from three-quarters court was off the mark

UP NEXT

- Wingate is back in action Saturday, hosting Converse at 5 p.m.