Dahlonega, Ga.----The top-seeded and 14th-ranked University of North Georgia Nighthawks used a big run late in the first half Saturday evening en route to an 89-80 victory over eighth-seeded Wingate University in the quarterfinals of the 2024 NCAA Southeast Regional men's basketball tournament. North Georgia improves to 26-6 overall, while the Bulldogs end their season at 22-9.

KEY STATS

- UNG shot 53 percent from the field, going eight-for-16 from three-point range (50 percent)
- Wingate shot 47 percent from the field, connecting on 10-of-22 from deep (46 percent)
- The Nighthawks held a 39-23 rebounding advantage and 16-11 edge in second-chance points
- North Georgia was 19-for-25 at the free throw line; Wingate went 14-for-15
- UNG scored 19 points off nine Wingate turnovers
- The WU bench outscored North Georgia's bench 25-19

KEY BULLDOGS

- Donell Nixon had 20 points, five assists and two steals, going seven-for-10 from the field and three-for-five from deep
- Kendall Taylor added 16 points, six rebounds, a block and a steal
- Josh Massey had 15 points, five boards, two assists and a steal
- Aaron Hall contributed 11 points and five rebounds
- Corbin Pack also scored 11 points, knocking down three triples

FIRST HALF

- Massey's jumper gave the 'Dogs a 9-8 lead five minutes in
- Frank Champion's three-point play gave North Georgia  four-point lead a minute later
- Nixon answered with a triple, but a Hunter Shedenhelm three gave UNG a 17-12 lead
- Two Pack triples and a Massey dunk gave the 'Dogs a 20-19 advantage
- Hall added a bucket to push the lead to three at the midway point
- Two Massey threes and a Nixon jumper capped Wingate's 18-6 run, putting the 'Dogs on top 30-23
- Colin Turner cut the lead to three with a bucket at the 6:46 mark, but a Taylor layup made it 32-27
- UNG closed out the half on an 18-2 run to take a 45-34 lead
- Cayden Charles started it with a bucket at the 5:12 mark; his three-point play with three seconds left closed out the half

SECOND HALF

- A Greg Billups layup three minutes in stretched the UNG lead to 16
- Buckets from Nixon and Hall trimmed the lead to 12 with 16 minutes left
- An AJ White jumper with 12:58 remaining gave the Nighthawks a 61-42 advantage
- Nixon answered with a four-point play, while Hall's jumper at the 9:45 mark cut it to 14
- Two Colin Turner free throws with nine minutes to go gave North Georgia  69-51 lead
- Triples from Pack and Jordan Miller pulled the 'Dogs back within 12 with eight minutes left
- Two Nixon free throws made it a 10-point game at 75-65 with 6:15 remaining
- Buckets from Nixon and Taylor pulled Wingate within eight with four minutes to go
- A White triple at the 3:28 mark gave UNG an 82-71 advantage
- Wingate got no closer than nine the rest of the way