Wingate, GCSU Notch Wins In Final Day Of Holiday Classic

SAVANNAH, Ga. - Wingate University held host Armstrong Atlantic State scoreless over the last 3:36 to pick up a 66-63 men's college basketball victory in the final game of the 2009 Hampton Inn & Suites Holiday Classic on Wednesday evening at Alumni Arena.

The Bulldogs (8-4) finished the classic as the only undefeated team, earning a 2-0 mark with the three-point win over the Pirates (5-5). GCSU (7-2) rebounded from a loss to the Bulldogs on Tuesday with an 88-45 win over Voorhees (1-10) in the day's first game.

Armstrong Atlantic took a six-point lead into halftime, 39-33, thanks to two three-pointers by freshman David Pruett in the final minute, but Wingate quickly erased that halftime deficit by starting the second half on a 13-6 run. The lead would change hands 11 times in the second half and also feature seven ties, the last tie coming on a Gabriel Robinson basket with 3:36 that knotted the score at 63-63.

Larry Staley's offensive rebound and bucket with 2:19 remaining put the Bulldogs back up, and Wingate would watch the Pirates miss their last four free throws and last four shots from the floor down the stretch. 

Sophomore Chris Vanlandingham led all scorers for the Pirates with 21 points, while Robinson chipped in 13. Wingate was led by the duo of Odell Turner and Paidrick Matilus, who each notched 12 points for the Bulldogs. Wingate out-rebounded the Pirates, 42-35, including owning a 15-8 advantage on the offensive glass.

The first game of the day saw GCSU open the game on a 31-2 run and cruise to the 43-point win over Voorhees. The Bobcats shot 50 percent from the floor (30-of-60) and hit 16-of-36 shots from beyond the arc (44.4 percent) in the victory, while Voorhees shot just 30.4 percent from the floor (17-of-56).

Jake Rios came off the bench for GCSU to hit for a game-high 24 points on 9-of-16 shooting from the floor, including 6-of-12 three-pointers. Graham Martin added 17 points as well for the Bobcats. Voorhees was led by Larry Bacon's 15 points.

The host Pirates return to action on Saturday, January 2, with a Peach Belt Conference contest at Flagler at 3:30 p.m.