First Half
Early on, Catawba was able to knock down shots to hold an early lead but Wingate looked to attack the paint with their bigs and guards, eventually finding success midway through the first half. Catawba created a little separation with a balanced scoring attack, leading by as many as 10 points but Wingate battled back late. A couple of late buckets by Catawba helped secure a 4-point halftime lead 38-34. For Wingate, Jarren Cottingham led the way with 12 first-half points, while Devin Cooper, Larry McLeod, and Marcell Haskett all had 8 for Catawba.
Second Half
In the second half, Catawba came out strong once again, reclaiming their 10-point lead and eventually pushing their lead to as many as 20 points late in the second half. Wingate did narrow the margin late but it wasn’t enough, as Catawba shot 51 percent from the floor and went 22-for-27 from the free-throw line to help secure the 88-79 victory on Wednesday.
Stats:
Catawba: Devin Cooper 24pts/ Marcell Haskett 19pts/ Zaqwuan Matthews 14pts/
Larry McLeod 10pts
Wingate: Jarren Cottingham 20pts/ Jakob Dawkins 13pts, 6 rebs/ Vontrez Roberts
7pts, 8 rebs
Standouts:
Catawba
Senior G Devin Cooper: Cooper led the way scoring for Catawba, netting 24 points on 8-for-11 shooting. In the first half, he really attacked and showcased a tremendous feel for the game. With his frame, he played bully ball and finished through contact around the rim. Second half though, he showed off his range, knocking down multiple three’s.
Senior G Marcell Haskett: His ability to create space and have a quick-trigger jumper can be deadly and he showed it. Haskett has that quick pull-up and unlimited range, knocking down four 3-pointers. He finished his night with 19 points
Wingate
Soph G Jarren Cottingham: Cottingham helped get Catawba back into the game in the first half and simply went into attack mode to score 12 first half points. Time and time again, he attacked the paint and found small openings to score the ball.
Freshman F Vontrez Roberts: This young man played really well, especially manning the paint. Once he stepped on the floor, he was a rebounding machine and played with great energy, using his size to his advantage. He played a big role in keeping Catawba off the boards with their length.