Dominique Reed led the No. 6 ranked University of Mount Olive with 21 points and a double-double night as the Trojans beat Wingate University 75-63 Wednesday night in Mount Olive, N.C. for non-conference men's basketball. Three players for the Trojans had double-double nights and five scored in double figures.
Reed put Mount Olive (10-1) on the board first with a jumper off the feed from Mike Moore. The game from then on went back and forth as the game changed hands 14 times with neither team ahead by more than five. Wingate's (7-2) Bryan Rouse hit two free throws with two seconds before the half to tie the game at 34.
As the second half began the Bulldogs started to attack with a five point run to give them a 39-34 lead at the 17:23 mark. Mount Olive trailed by no more than seven for most of the second period before midway through the momentum changed.
With 10:23 on the clock JaQuan Blount picked the pocket of a Bulldog and had the break-away layup to give the lead back to Mount Olive 53-52. Blount started a six point run for the Trojans that was capped off with two free throws by Reed which gave Mount Olive its' largest lead of the game at that point, up seven 59-52.
Wingate brought the lead down to just two points with two made free throws by Xavier Griffin 60-58 with 7:01 left in the game, however the Trojans did not falter. Reed again lifted the Trojans up getting 7-of-9 points in a run that elapsed 2:03 off the clock and gave Mount Olive its' biggest lead of the contest at 11 69-58.
The Bulldogs were forced to foul with 1:44 left in the game. Mount Olive went 6-for-9 from the line to secure the win as the Trojans held for the final buzzer and took a good non-conference win against Wingate 75-63.
Reed had 14 boards to add to his season high 21 points. Dontrell Brite finished with 18 points. Kendall Hargrove added a double-double with 14 points and 12 boards. Blount rounded out the three Trojans with a double-double night posting 11 points and 10 rebounds. Jordan McCain was the final player to score in double digits as he had a 11 point night to finish off the top scorers for Mount Olive.
Ryan Daye led all scorers for Wingate with 19 points. Rouse finished the night with 12 points.
Mount Olive plays its final game before the new year on Saturday in Mount Olive, N.C. as they will host CIAA opponent Chowan University in a non-conference match-up. Tip-off is set for 4 p.m.