Wingate, N.C.----The Converse University Valkyries 59 percent from the field and 56 percent from three-point range Saturday evening, prevailing 84-72 at Wingate University in NCAA Division II men's basketball action in Cuddy Arena. Converse moves to 2-0 on the year, while the 'Dogs fall to 1-1 on the season.
KEY STATS
- Converse shot 65 percent in the second half, while hitting 14-of-25 threes on the day
- Wingate shot 39 percent from the field, going eight-for-26 from deep (31 percent)
- The 'Dogs held a 36-32 rebounding advantage and 14-3 edge in second-chance points
- Wingate scored 12 points off nine Converse turnovers, collecting six steals
- Each team scored 26 points in the paint
- Converse had 21 assists on 31 made field goals
KEY BULLDOGS
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Donell Nixon had 20 points, five assists, four rebounds and three steals
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Josh Massey piled up 19 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks
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Kendall Taylor added 17 points, four boards, three assists and two steals
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Vontrez Roberts contributed six points and nine rebounds
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Sean Elmore had six points, three assists, two boards and a teal
FIRST HALF
- Wingate jumped out to a 17-7 lead six minutes in
- Taylor had six points in the flurry, with Massey adding five points
- Converse scored the next nine, cutting it to one on an Uzziah Dawkins layup
- Nixon's triple stretched the lead back to five at 23-18 with 8:52 to go
- The Valkyries scored the next 10, taking a 28-23 lead on a CJ Jamison triple
- A
Taylor Bell jumper and Massey three cut the lead to one with 4:19 to go
- A three-point play from Dawkins pushed the lead back to four
- Massey's bucket with 2:17 remaining tied it at 34
- An Edo Buffo triple in the final minute gave Converse a 37-34 halftime lead
SECOND HALF
- Massey's tip-in early in the second half cut the lead to two at 41-39
- Buffo capped a 7-0 run with a three to push the Converse lead to nine
- The Valkyries added an 11-0 run, with a Buffo triple making it 59-41 with 13:33 to go
- Wingate scored the next 10, getting five points each from Nixon and Taylor to cut it to eight
- Dawkins stretched the lead back to 11 with a jumper at the midway point
- Massey's dunk at the 8:36 mark pulled the Bulldogs within seven
- Elmore drained back-to-back triples to make it 66-63 at the 4:43 mark
- Dawkins answered with a three to push the lead back to six
- Free throws from Nixon and Taylor cut it back to four with two minutes left
- Jamison's three at the 1:26 mark made it 77-69
- Wingate got no closer the rest of the way
UP NEXT
- The Bulldogs are back in action Wednesday, traveling to Barton for a 7 p.m. start
