WINGATE, N.C. – After being down by as much as 17 points over the course of the game, the Newberry Wolves (5-9, 1-6 SAC) stormed back to level the game in the second half, but ultimately couldn't quite keep pace with the Wingate Bulldogs (10-6, 6-2 SAC), losing by a score of 83-77.
 
The Wolves fell behind in the first half after slow starts from their typical sources of offense, with Marshall Lange, Luke Gibson, and Angelo Sales Jr. combining to score just six points in the opening frame. Freshmen Marquis Collins (9p) and Nilous Hodge Jr. (6p) helped pick up the slack, but the Wolves found themselves trailing 44-37 heading into the break.
 
With their top scorers out of rhythm, the Wolves shot a dismal 34.2 percent from the floor in the first half, as well as 3-18 from the three-point line. The Bulldogs offense, led by Emarius Logan, saw a much greater efficiency with a 51.6 shooting percentage in the first half.
 
The halftime adjustments proved to be successful, however, with the Wolves defense bringing that Bulldogs mark down to 40 percent from the floor including just 2-15 from beyond the arc. Newberry was slightly better than Wingate in the second half offensively, posting a 42.4 shooting percentage.
 
Lange and Sales Jr. rose up to lead the way for the Newberry comeback, but a balanced scoring effort was the key to getting the Wolves back into the game.
 
The Wolves were able to slowly chip away at the deficit, eventually tying the game on the heels of a 14-2 run, but were never able to pull in front of the Bulldogs with Logan and Frankie Johnson adding the nail in the coffin in the form of clutch free throws.
 
Newberry was able to outscore Wingate 40-39 in the second half, but it was too little too late as the home team successfully held off the visiting Wolves for the victory.

Newberry's Sales Jr. (12p), Lange (10p), and Josiah Coatie (10p) led the way for the Wolves offensively.
 
The Bulldogs narrowly outrebounded the Wolves by a margin of 44-43, and the turnovers were nearly identical, but the first-half deficit just proved too large to overcome.
 
The Wolves will head to Tennessee this weekend for a pair of conference games, the first taking place in Jefferson City against the Carson-Newman Eagles. That game will be on Saturday, January 19 at 4:00 pm.