--- The Wingate University men's basketball team used a pair of
11-0 runs in the second half to propel the Bulldogs to a 77-67
South Atlantic Conference win over visiting Tusculum College
Saturday afternoon at Cuddy Arena.
The Bulldogs (10-4, 7-3 SAC) got a 22-point performance from Ryan
Daye, while the Pioneers (1-15, 0-10 SAC) shot 37 percent from the
free throw line, including 3-of-12 in the second half (25%). Both
teams shot an identical 26-for-60 from the floor (43.3%), but it
was on the boards and at the charity stripe where the game was
decided.
Wingate out-rebounded the Pioneers by a 48-31 margin, including
16-9 on the offensive glass resulting into 16 second-chance points.
WU shot 19-of-25 at the line (76%), including 13-of-15 in the first
half (86.7%).
TC senior guard Addison Flynn accounted for 14 points, including 11
markers in the second half, finishing the game with four
3-pointers. Darius Carter and Jalen Walker contributed 13 points
each, while Keith Jumper finished with 10 points, seven rebounds,
two assists, two blocked shots and a pair of steals. Carter also
matched a career-best with five steals.
Wingate's Deion Turman, the league's top rebounder (10.4 rpg),
added to his league leading tally with 13 boards, while also
posting 16 points for his SAC-best ninth double-double of the
year.
The first half was a back-and-forth affair that saw five ties and
seven lead changes.
TC took a 23-20 lead at the 7:00 mark of the first half following a
pair of Walker free throws. Wingate answered with a 14-5 spurt
before the Bulldogs led 35-32 at halftime.
WU opened the second period with its first 11-0 run over a span of
4:50 to take a 43-32 lead. Wingate shot 4-of-8 from the floor,
while Tusculum missed its first six shots of the half.
Trailing 52-39 with 13 minutes remaining, the Pioneers fought back
with eight unanswered points to trim the deficit at 52-47 following
a jumper by Neal Spinks with 10:41 to go.
Wingate responded with another 11-0 run, sparked by a pair of Isiah
Cureton three-pointers and a trey from Daye as the Bulldogs took
its largest lead of the game at 63-47 with 9:05 left on the
clock.
Trailing 70-55 with under six minutes remaining, TC battled back
again with a 10-0 run as Flynn buried back-to-back three-pointers,
Carter camp up with a pair of steals and a key layup to trim the
Wingate lead to five (70-65) with 2:28 left.
Daye stopped the run with a layup, but Walker answered with a
bucket as TC trailed 72-67 with 1:20 remaining.
But that would be as close as the visitors would come as Wingate
ended the contest with a 7-2 run while Pioneers missed its final
three shots.
Flynn recorded the 100th three-pointer of his Tusculum career,
giving him 101 treys over the past two seasons. Spinks finished the
game with nine points, while shooting a perfect 4-of-4 from the
floor.
Redshirt freshman Chase Mounce tallied eight points and a team-high
eight rebounds.
Wingate outscored Tusculum in the paint 38-26, while the Pioneers
held a 15-8 edge in points off turnovers.
Tusculum returns home Wednesday night to host arch-rival
Carson-Newman University for an 8 p.m. contest at Pioneer
Arena.
