Wingate, N.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs remained perfect in league play Saturday afternoon, prevailing 87-78 against Tusculum University in South Atlantic Conference men's basketball action in Cuddy Arena. Wingate improves to 10-3 overall and 5-0 in the SAC, while the Pioneers fall to 4-8 overall and 2-4 in league play.

KEY STATS

- Wingate shot 50 percent from the field, going two-for-four from three-point range (50 percent)
- Tusculum shot 40 percent from the field, going eight-for-22 from deep (36 percent)
- The Pioneers held a 40-34 rebounding advantage; WU had a 17-15 edge in second-chance points
- The contest featured 52 fouls and 59 free throws
- Wingate went 31-for-38 at the line; Tusculum was 16-for-21
- The 'Dogs outscored the Pioneers 46-28 in the paint
- The Bulldogs scored 13 points off 16 TU turnovers, with an 18-4 edge in fast-break points

KEY BULLDOGS

- Donell Nixon had 18 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals, going 12-for-13 at the line
- Vontrez Roberts added 15 points and seven rebounds, going six-for-10 from the field
- Josh Massey had 12 points, a rebounds, an assist and a block
- Jaden Lingo had nine points, three boards and two steals, going three-for-five from the field
- Taylor Bell contributed eight points, three rebounds, an assist and a steal
- Aaron Hall had seven points and five boards; Corbin Pack added seven points on three-of-three shooting

FIRST HALF

- Nixon's layup three minutes in gave the Bulldogs an 8-3 lead
- A TJ Printup layup put the Pioneers on top 9-8 with 15 minutes to go
- Pack buried a triple at the 11:11 mark to give Wingate a 17-12 advantage
- KJ Crump's jumper at the midway point tied it at 17
- Pack's steal and dunk put the 'Dogs back on top by four
- Buckets from Bell and Roberts made it 29-21 with 4:26 to go
- A Josiah Morris triple cut the lead to five with a minute remaining
- Jordan Miller knocked down three free throws to make it 36-28
- Two Bryce Jackson free throws with 24 seconds left cut the halftime lead to six

SECOND HALF

- A Kendall Taylor layup put the 'Dogs on top 38-30
- A Jackson layup five minutes in pulled the Pioneers within three
- WU scored the next six, getting two Roberts buckets to take a 46-37 lead
- A Lingo triple and Bell layup helped the Bulldogs extend the lead to 13 with 12 minutes left
- Layups from Lingo and Hall made it 57-43 at the midway point
- A jumper and a dunk from Massey pushed the lead to 17 with 7:41 to go
- Pack's layup a minute later put the 'Dogs on top 68-49
- Two Nixon free throws with six minutes remaining pushed the lead to 20
- A Connor Jordan three-point play cut the lead to 12 with 2:14 remaining
- Massey's layup made it 81-67
- Jordan's triple with 92 seconds left pulled Tusculum to within 10
- Free throws from Bell and Nixon pushed the lead back to 14 with a minute left
- The Pioneers got no closer than nine the rest of the way

UP NEXT

- Wingate is back in action Wednesday, hosting Catawba at 7:30 p.m.
- The contest features the only two teams without a loss in league play, with both teams at 5-0
- The 'Dogs wrap up a three-game home stand next Saturday at 4 p.m. against Mars Hill