Last Second Shot Falls Short As Gardner-Webb Falls, 84-79, At Tulane
December 08, 2007 | Men's Basketball
NEW ORLEANS, La. – Gardner-Webb's Grayson Flittner saw his
game-tying attempt from deep miss with 4.0 seconds left and Tulane
hit two more free throws to take an 84-79 win.
The Green Wave (5-3) held on to a game that it never quite grasped
control of, despite holding a 46-31 edge on the glass and hitting
five more free throws (28) than the visiting Runnin' Bulldogs (5-6)
attempted. Tulane's 21-10 edge in second-chance points was also
notable, with 19 offensive rebounds by the hosts proving too much
for Gardner-Webb to overcome in the end.
Flittner scored 18 points, Thomas Sanders finished with a game-high
22 points (eight rebounds) and Takayo Siddle came off the bench to
knock down 18 to pace Gardner-Webb. Aaron Linn added nine points
for GWU, but the Runnin' Bulldogs got little production after those
four – with the remainder of the six players who saw action
netting only 12 points combined.
The game started with a first half that saw six ties and eight lead
changes, with Tulane coming away up 41-40 at intermission based
primarily on a sizeable edge at the free throw line and the
offensive glass – as the Green Wave out-rebounded the Bulldogs
26-13 and had 11 offensive boards.
GWU shot a solid 48 percent from the field in the first half
(6-of-15 from three), but made just 4-of-10 at the charity stripe
(40.0) percent – compared to Tulane's 14-of-22 effort on free
throws.
The host Green Wave posted an early 10-5 lead after hitting three
of their first five shots and getting four free throws from center
Robert Louisme heading into the first media timeout.
An Aaron Linn trey cut the lead to 10-8 with 14:55 to play in the
half and, after a Tulane layup, Takayo Siddle trimmed the lead to
just one, 12-11, on a corner jumper at the 13:25 mark. Grayson
Flittner gave Gardner-Webb its second lead on an 18-foot jumper
with 12:43 to play in the half – but Tulane responded with a
5-0 run after a pair of Gardner-Webb turnovers to take an 18-13
advantage, when Eric Vianney converted a fastbreak layup into a
three-point play.
Gardner-Webb was at a major disadvantage again at the free throw
line, as Tulane opened up a 39-33 lead with 1:22 to play in the
half after Louisme hit his eighth and ninth free throws of the
half.
Thomas Sanders cut the Tulane lead to 41-37 with 33.0 seconds left
on a short jumper, but missed a chance at a three-point play at the
charity stripe. Tulane held for the last shot, but turned over that
opportunity, and Takayo Siddle regained some momentum for GWU by
draining a 22-footer at the buzzer – cutting the Bulldogs'
halftime deficit to just one point.
Flittner trey gave GWU a 43-41 lead early in the second half, but
Tulane hit the boards for six points and regained control with a
49-44 lead at the 16:54 mark.
Linn converted a nice turnaround jumper to pull the ‘Dogs back
within two points, 49-47, with 15:35 to play, and Gardner-Webb
started to hit the offensive glass with more success – but
combined to missed three point-blank follow chances in the paint on
two consecutive trips.
Tulane started to work inside for easy buckets, while Gardner-Webb
went cool from the floor in the second half's early going. The
‘Dogs missed nine of their first 12 shots, and trailed by six,
60-54, with 11:44 left.
A long three by Flittner cut the Green Wave lead to 60-57 moments
later, but both teams would find scoring tough over the next three
minutes – as a pair of shot clock malfunctions stopped up the
game's flow.
Tulane would make the scoreboard change first. A pair of Matt
Wheaton free throws with 8:01 left pushed Tulane's lead to 62-57,
and Gardner-Webb turned it over on a baseline drive by Sanders that
also gave the 6-foot-4 forward his third personal foul with 7:45
remaining.
Tulane's Kevin Sims then answered the turnover with a long three,
putting the Green Wave on top 65-57 with 7:37 left – and put
the Green Wave on top by 11 points, 70-59, with another three at
the 6:02 mark.
Gardner-Webb went on a 6-0 run over the next 1:30, with Siddle
cutting the lead to 70-65 with a three-pointer with 5:04 to play.
After a defensive stop, Gardner-Webb had a chance to trim the lead
further in transition, but Siddle let fly a 20-foot shot that
missed badly, and Tulane dashed the other way – with a pair of
Sims' free throws pushing the lead to 72-65 at the 4:25 mark.
Gardner-Webb missed a pair of chances to pull closer, as the shots
began to rattle out, and Tulane stretched its lead back to nine
points, 78-69, with two follow shots and two more free throws by
Sims with just over three minutes in the game.
Gardner-Webb had one more run in its tank, however, going on an 8-1
run over the next 1:36 to pull within 81-79 on Siddle's three with
39 seconds left. Sanders had scored the first five points in the
run on three free throws and a layup.
It appeared there was a 2.8 second differential between the game
clock and score clock, but the arena's shot clock malfunctioned for
the third time in the second half on Tulane's possession that
followed Siddle's shot.
Uncertain of the time remaining, Gardner-Webb was forced to foul
with 17 seconds remaining. Sims connected on the first free throw,
but missed the second – leaving the Bulldogs only three points
behind.
A timeout at halfcourt allowed the ‘Dogs to set up a play with
11.2 seconds left, but Flittner's attempt from the right wing was
wide – and Tulane had escaped.
Matt Wheaton made both free throws after his rebound for the final
margin.
Gardner-Webb will break for exams, returning to action on Saturday,
Dec. 15 at Charleston Southern (7:30 pm ET tip).
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