GWU Tops Brevard, 62-52, Tuesday Night In Men's Exhibition Tilt
November 11, 2008 | Men's Basketball
BOILING SPRINGS – Aaron Linn scored 18 points, and Grayson
Flittner added 16 to pace Gardner-Webb's 62-52 exhibition win over
Division II Brevard (N.C.) College Tuesday night.
Gardner-Webb will open the 2008-09 regular season on Friday night
at Virginia Tech (8:00 pm ET).
Tuesday's matchup was a stark contrast in styles, with GWU seeking
to get out and run – and Brevard content to play a sluggish
style of basketball based on slow-down offensive sets. The Bulldogs
did wind up with 15 fast-break points in the game, but could never
get on track offensively with the pace slowed to a near grind for
much of the game.
Gardner-Webb opened up a 15-point lead with 5:30 left in the first
half, and led 36-27 at the break, as Flittner scored 10 of his
points in the opening 20 minutes on 3-of-5 shooting from long
distance. The second half saw Brevard slow the pace further, and
Gardner-Webb grew frustrated with limited looks on the offensive
end.
The Runnin' Bulldogs shot just 27.6 percent in the final half
(8-of-29) and gave up too many easy looks off the offensive glass
to a Brevard squad that finished 4-24 a season ago. Linn came
through at the free throw stripe, however, connecting on 10-of-12
chances to help GWU pull out its ninth win in nine exhibition games
as a Division I member.
Gardner-Webb finished the game just 20-of-59 from the floor (33.9
percent) and an uncharacteristic 26.1 percent (6-of-23) from long
distance – including an 0-for-10 mark from that range in the
second half. Flittner and Linn combined to make just 9-of-27 shots
on the night, but got help from reserve Jonathan Moore (eight
points) and rookie Joshua Henley (six points, eight rebounds).
Center Auryn MacMillan had seven points, 10 rebounds and eight
blocks in the game in a solid effort around the rim. Guard Anton
Silver had five points and eight rebounds off the bench for the
‘Dogs.
Brevard shot 34.5 percent in the game, and 4-of-15 from deep (26.7
percent). A total of 21 turnovers doomed the Tornados, as
Gardner-Webb managed a 23-11 edge in points off of miscues.
Jonathan Whitson scored 12 of his 16 points in the second half,
Joseph Chilton added 10 points and Andrew Freeman had 11 for
Brevard.
Gardner-Webb coughed up the ball 17 times (10 assists) in the
game.
Friday night's regular season tilt at Virginia Tech will air live
on WGWG-FM (88.3) with an expected tip between 8:00 and 8:30 –
or 30 minutes following the Hokies' 6:00 pm women's game against
UNC Greensboro.
| Box Score |
