Runnin' Bulldogs Fall at Davidson 67-46 in Non-Conference Action
November 22, 2011 | Women's Basketball
Davidson, N.C. - The Gardner-Webb women's basketball team got a career-high 12 points from freshman KiKi Smith and 10 points from sophomore guard Jasmine Dale, yet led only once in the Runnin' Bulldogs 67-46 road loss to Davidson in John M. Belk Arena on Monday night in Davidson, N.C.
The loss drops Gardner-Webb to 0-4 on the year, while the Wildcats improve to 2-2 on the year.
Gardner-Webb's Dale knocked down a three-pointer from the left wing to put the Runnin' Bulldogs on top 3-2 less than a minute into the contest, only to have the offense disappear over the next five minutes of play as Davidson pulled out to 16-3 lead with 14:22 to play in the first half.
Out of a GWU 30-second timeout, the Runnin' Bulldogs fell behind 21-3 before a driving left-handed runner in the middle of the lane by Smith dropped to end the scoring drought at 7:11 second and put the score at 21-5 in favor of the Wildcats with 11:25 to go before the halftime break.
After back-to-back free throws by Smith, a put -back basket by sophomore Catrina Green and two straight free throws by Dale, the Runnin' Bulldogs used an 8-0 run to cut the Davidson lead to 10 at 21-11 at the 10:19 mark of the opening half.
Again Gardner-Webb cut the Davidson lead to 10, as a steal and fast-break layup by senior guard Brianna Dillard put the score at 25-15 with 7:23 on the clock.
A Chaylia Coleman layup at the 4:47 mark would again put the Runnin' Bulldogs within 10 at 29-19, which would be as close as GWU would get in the first half as the Wildcats finished the half out on an 8-2 run to take a 37-21 lead into the halftime break.
The Runnin' Bulldogs were 8-of-28 (29 percent) from the floor in the first 20 minutes of play, while the Wildcats were 13-of-21 (62 percent) overall from the field and held a 9-4 advantage in points from the charity stripe.
Both teams' came out sluggish in the start of the second half, as the two combined for only six points over the first five minutes of play, as Davidson remained on top 41-23 with 15 minutes to go in the contest.
Over the next five minutes of play, three-pointers from Dale and Eliana Scanlon would be all the offense the Runnin' Bulldogs could find, as Davidson used a 12-6 run to take a 53-29 lead with 10:03 to play in regulation.
Over the next four minutes of play, the Runnin' Bulldogs got baskets from freshman Mayhana Dunovant and Dillard to play the Wildcats even and put the score at 57-33 heading into the under eight media timeout with 6:54 to play.
The Runnin' Bulldogs refused to quit, as a layup by freshman Chariah Harris, a three-pointer by Dunovant and a two-point jump shot by Scanlon capped off a 7-1 run by GWU to cut the Davidson lead to 18 at 58-40 with 5:26 on the clock.
However, the lead was too much for the young Runnin' Bulldogs' squad, as Davidson held on for the 67-46 win.
Gardner-Webb shot 32.7 percent (17-of-51) from the floor, while Davidson shot 48.1 percent (26-of-54) from the field. The Runnin' Bulldogs again were haunted by turnovers, as GWU committed 23 errors, five more than Wildcats.
Smith and Dale led the way with 12 and 10 points, respectively, while Green pulled down a team-high eight rebounds in the loss.
Davidson had five players in double-figures led by Aleksandravicius' 12 points and nine rebounds and Katrin Chiemeka's 12 points, eight boards and four assists.
GWU starts the season at 0-4 for the first time since 2005-06.
Gardner-Webb (0-4) will head into international territory for their next two contests, as the Runnin' Bulldogs will take on No. 7 Duke and either No. 4 Notre Dame or Southern California in back-to-back days on November 25th & 26th as part of the 2011 Junkanoo Jam in Freeport, Bahamas.
Davidson (2-2) will head north to take on the Princeton Tigers at 1 p.m. on November 25th.
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| Box Score: Davidson 67, Gardner-Webb 46 |
