BREVARD, N.C. - Junior Stevie Williams (High Points, N.C.) finished with a team-high 22 points as the Brevard College Tornados (2-22, 0-18 SAC) fell by a final of 86-71 to the Wingate University Bulldogs (16-8, 13-5 SAC), Saturday in South Atlantic Conference action.
In addition to Williams, 22-point performance, three other Tornados finished with double-digit point totals, as junior Shelby Parris (Burlington, N.J.) finished with 15 on 6-11 shooting from the floor. Senior Omar El Diraoui (Beirut, Lebanon) added 12 points and a team-high four assists, while freshman Levi Lamb (Atlanta, Ga.) contributed 10 points on 5-10 shooting. Junior D.J. Bostick finished with five points, three assists, two blocks and two steals, capping off a solid afternoon for the blue and white.
Wingate's Zeriq Lolar finished with 23 points on 6-9 shooting from behind the three-point arc, while teammates Keith Griffin and Isiah Cureton each recorded double-doubles. Cureton added 18 points and 13 rebounds, while Griffin collected 13 points and 13 rebounds.
The Bulldogs would come out on a 5-0 run to begin the game, on a jumper by Mike Baez and a three-point basket from Lolar. A Williams layup with 17:16 remaining in the first half put the Tornados on the board, but Lolar connected for his second three of the Bulldogs next possession to extend the lead to 8-2.
Brevard would cut the Wingate lead to five points at 27-22 with 8:21 remaining on a three-pointer from Williams, however, Anthanee Doyle netted a three of his own for the Bulldogs to put help put Wingate back up 32-22.
Wingate would take a 44-32 lead into the half, as the Bulldogs outscored Brevard 12-10 in the final minutes of the first half.
Coming out of the break, Brevard would chip away at the Bulldogs lead, cutting the deficit to seven points with 14:51 remaining as El Diraoui capitalized in the paint on two BC layups.
However, Wingate would extend their lead to as many as 17-points with 7:48 remaining as the Tornados managed to cut the deficit to 11 points on several occasions on layups by Williams and a three-pointer from El Diraoui.
The Bulldogs would however, close out the final two minutes of play on a 6-2 run to take the 86-71 final decision.
Brevard will close out the final portion of their schedule with three road contests at Anderson, Carson-Newman and Newberry, while wrapping up their home schedule Feb. 18 against Catawba.
