HICKORY, N.C.-- The Lenoir-Rhyne men's basketball team dropped a 20-point decision to Wingate in the SAC Opener on Saturday afternoon in the Shu. The Bears were held scoreless for a stretch of 5:37 from the end of the first half through the start of the second half as the Bulldogs scored 15 unanswered and didn't look back.

GAME INFORMATION:
Final: Wingate 89, Lenoir-Rhyne 69
Records: Lenoir-Rhyne (4-3, 0-1 SAC), Wingate (3-3, 1-0 SAC)
Location: Hickory, N.C. | Shuford Arena

STATS OF THE GAME:
- Andreas Wilson came off the bench to score 25 points for the Bulldogs and went 6-of-9 from long range. 15 of those 25 were scored in the first half as he went 4-for-5.
- Wingate closed the first half on a 7-0 run to take a 42-33 advantage going into the break. The Bears went just 1-of-8 to close out the first half and didn't score for the final 2:35 of the opening half.
- The Bulldogs kept the run going to start the second half, scoring the first eight points to extend the run to 15-0. With Wingate up 50-33, Salle Wilson ended the run with a bucket in the paint to end a 5:37 scoring drought. 
- Back-to-back threes from Wilson and Nas Tyson cut Wingate's lead to 58-48 with 12:33 to go but Wilson's three capped a 12-5 spurt that pushed the lead back to 70-53. 
- Jarren Cottingham had 19 points and was 7-of-9 from the field adn hit all three of his 3-point attempts. In total, five players scored in double figures for Wingate.
- Nas Tyson had 21 for LR and was 9-of-13 from the field. T.J. Nesmith added 15 points and nine boards. 
 
BEYOND THE BOX SCORE: 
- Wilson enjoys playing in the Shu as he went off for 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting in 2021. 
- LR hit just 5-of-23 from long range, shooting 23.8 percent. 
- Jalen Johnson and L.J. McCoy combined for just six points. 
- LR was outrebounded for the fifth time this season.
- The two teams combined for just 16 turnovers in the game.

UP NEXT:  LR will return to action with at home against Newberry next Wednesday (12/14) at 7:30 p.m.