FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - 12-23-00

Men's Basketball: No. 6 Wingate 83, Armstrong Atlantic State 73

SAVANNAH, Ga. – No. 6-ranked Wingate opened the second half with a 23-7 run, erasing a seven-point halftime deficit and cruising to an 83-73 men's college basketball victory over host Armstrong Atlantic State on Saturday evening.

The Bulldogs (12-0) remained perfect on the season by hitting a sizzling 65 percent of their shots after intermission, including six-of-seven three-pointers, to foil the upset bid of the Pirates. Senior Robert Campbell led AASU (7-5) with 20 points while senior Tavares Brown chipped in 15 points. Wingate got a career-high 20 points from Keenan Dunn, who hit six-of-seven three-pointers including all three of his second-half treys, and 22 from Djuan Hankins.

The Pirates opened the game by scoring the first eight points and stretched the lead to 11 points, 39-27, with 2:04 remaining in the first half. AASU took a 40-33 lead into halftime and junior David Koncul hit the first shot of the second half to give the Pirates a nine-point lead, but Wingate erased the deficit within four minutes as Njogou Bah's jumper tied the score at 47-all with 15:24 left in the game. The Pirates climbed back to within two points, 61-59, with 7:30 remaining but the Bulldogs went on another 16-8 run to close out the game.

AASU returns to action on Saturday, December 30 at 3:00 p.m. against Valdosta State, while Wingate's next contest will be January 6, 2001 in the Bulldog's South Atlantic Conference opener at Carson-Newman at 8:00 p.m.

- Pirates -