WINGATE, N.C. (Dec. 31) – Despite a game-high 26 points from freshman
Chase Dawson, the University of Mount Olive men's basketball team was unable to overcome an early first-half deficit in a 107-90 loss at Wingate in non-conference play on Tuesday afternoon.
With the loss, the Trojans fall to 5-9 overall and will enter 2025 with 14 Conference Carolinas games remaining on the schedule. The two sides have met the last three seasons with Wingate securing victories in all those contests, including an 87-82 double-overtime win in 2023. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs improve to 5-5 this season behind a 4-1 mark at home.
Dawson registered his seventh 20-point performance of the season after scoring 26 points on 9-of-13 shooting while converting four-of-five from three-point range. Additionally, he recorded two rebounds, two assists, one block, and one steal in 29 minutes. Dawson continues to pace the Trojans with 19.3 points per game while posting a .503 field-goal percentage.
Redshirt sophomore
Lureon Walker contributed 19 points on 5-of-12 attempts and made a perfect eight-of-eight from the free-throw line. He added three rebounds, three assists, and three steals in 26 minutes. Freshman
Matt Kirby totaled 13 points, two rebounds, two assists, and three steals in 20 minutes off the bench. Junior
Shawn Wilson totaled 10 points, three rebounds, and two assists in 17 minutes.
Wingate built an early 12-9 lead in the opening six-plus minutes of the contest before mounting a 14-0 run on six-of-eight shooting to extend its advantage to 26-9. The Bulldogs continued to maintain their lead late in the first half after the sides traded points down the stretch with six UMO players scoring, 43-27. The Trojans scored seven of the final 12 points in the last two minutes to trail 48-34 at the break.
In the second half, Wingate stretched the lead to 68-48 with 14:18 to go after converting 8-of-10 from the field. The Bulldogs managed to extend the advantage to 84-55 with 9:13 left but Mount Olive responded by making nine-straight baskets, including four three-pointers to trim the deficit to 101-79 with 3:41 remaining in the game. The Trojans finished the game with an 11-6 run to suffer a 107-90 loss on the road.
UMO shot at a 44.8 clip (30-of-67) from the floor while going 20-of-23 (87.0 percent) from the free-throw line. Meanwhile, Wingate finished the game shooting 60.9 percent (42-of-69) and converted 8-of-19 (42.1 percent) from three-point range. The Bulldogs held a 39-30 rebounding advantage with 58 points in the paint, while the Trojans scored 35 points off the bench.
Wingate featured five players with double-digit points, lead by senior Kendall Taylor who delivered a triple-double after tallying 23 points, 16 rebounds, 11 assists, three steals, and two blocks in 32 minutes.
Mount Olive returns to Kornegay Arena on Saturday, Jan. 4, to face Lees-McRae at 4 p.m. in Conference Carolinas action.
