WINGATE, N.C. – Returning to game action for the first time in a week, the Newberry College men's basketball team put up a tough fight against South Atlantic Conference-leading Wingate but lost 85-77 on Wednesday night in Cuddy Arena.
James Lovorn played 39 minutes and poured in a team-high 25 points to lead Newberry (5-15, 4-11 SAC). He made a crisp 57.1% of his shots (8 of 14), nailed three 3-pointers and dished out six assists.
Bobby Taylor had a career night for the Wolves, scoring 18 points on an impressive 7-of-10 shooting with four made 3s.
Devario Sheppard added 15 points thanks in large part to going 9 of 10 from the charity stripe.
The game was tight in the early going and was tied three times over the first eight minutes and change – at eight, 13 and 15 points.
Wingate (19-5, 14-2) went on an 11-2 run over a three-minute stretch to get some space at 26-17 with 8:34 to play in the opening half. That lead grew to 31-19 before the Wolves scored six straight points to bring it within six.
Back-to-back Taylor 3s and a fastbreak lay-in from
Drake Downs evened the game back up at 37 with 2:27 to go in the half as part of an 8-0 Newberry run; the halftime score read 41-40 Wingate.
The Bulldogs outscored the Wolves 10-3 over the first five minutes of the closing half to push their lead to eight. It got to 11 points, 56-45, with 13:52 remaining in the game and reached a game-high 14 a couple minutes later.
Lovorn's trifecta with 9:42 left brought Newberry within 65-56 but the Bulldogs restored their 14-point lead by the 8:30 mark, 72-58. The Wolves didn't go away quietly, however, and went on a 12-2 run over three minutes to make it 74-70 with just over five minutes to go. Lovorn and Taylor each scored five points during the stretch and Sheppard made a pair of free throws.
Wingate outpaced the Wolves 11-7 the rest of the way for the final margin.
As a team, Newberry assisted on 17 of its 26 makes from the floor (65.4%) and made 16 of 18 foul shots (88.9%).
The Wolves return to Eleazer Arena this Saturday (Feb. 17) for the first of three home games in a row. Tipoff against UVA Wise is scheduled for 4 p.m.
