GWU Will Open Season On National Television Monday At Texas Tech
November 12, 2006 | Men's Basketball
LUBBOCK, Texas - Gardner-Webb University's Runnin' Bulldogs open a tough regular season slate on Monday night at Texas Tech, battling Bob Knight's Red Raiders at 10 pm ET on ESPNU.
The game is part of the opening round of the 2006 CBE Classic. Akron and Arkansas-Little Rock will play the early game of the Lubbock Regional prior to the GWU-TTU contest.
Gardner-Webb (17-12 last season, 4th in the A-Sun) must replace six seniors and four starters from a team that enjoyed a fine November last season, beating Minnesota and East Carolina and taking North Carolina to the wire before losing 83-80.
The lone returning weapon from that squad is 6-foot-4, 220-pound senior forward Chris Gash (Lawndale, N.C. / Burns HS), who averaged 10 ppg in 25 starts and was arguably the team's most consistent offensive player in the closing week's of the season.
Gash, who scored 15 points in both of the Bulldogs' A-Sun Tournament games last March, will be joined by four new starters - likely sophomore guards Ricky McPhee (6.1 ppg) and Takayo Siddle (1.2 ppg) and newcomers Samba Fall (6-8, 215) and Jake Sims (6-5, 210) from the junior college ranks.
Freshman center Auryn MacMillan (6-8, 235), another great find for GWU from Australia, could also push his way into the lineup against Texas Tech (1-0).
The Red Raiders got 27 points from star guard Jarius Jackson in their season opening win over Sam Houston State on Saturday night, and will be one of the Big 12 Conference's most dangerous teams this season.
Opening tip for Monday's game is set for 10 pm ET, and will be broadcast live nationally. Mark Neely (Play-by-play) and Fran Fraschilla (color analysis) will provide the call for ESPNU.
The winners of Monday's first round games will play at 10 pm ET on Tuesday night on ESPNU. The losers will play in the consolation game at 7 pm ET (no television).
GWU has been competitive when playing major conference opponents for the first time in the regular season over the years. In fact, GWU has either led or been tied at the half in its first bout with a high major opponent in each of the past four seasons. GWU led Tennessee by 13 at the half in 2002-2003, before losing by two; led South Carolina at the half in 2003-2004 before falling in Columbia by seven; led East Carolina by 10 at home in 2004-2005 before rolling to a 90-60 win; and sat tied with defending national champion North Carolina in last season's opener before losing at the buzzer, 83-80.
