Runnin' Bulldogs Fall Just Short At Wake Forest Sunday, 67-59
December 18, 2011 | Men's Basketball
WINSTON-SALEM - Gardner-Webb held a 33-30 at halftime Sunday afternoon at Wake Forest, but the Demon Deacons staged a second-half rally and held on for a 67-59 win in a game that featured 13 lead changes.
The Runnin' Bulldogs (6-7) had their three-game win streak snapped, despite a game-high and career-high 24 points from guard Tashan Newsome. Gardner-Webb used an 8-0 edge at the free throw line and a solid effort on the glass to lead at intermission, with Jason Dawson's three-pointer at the buzzer breaking a 30-30 tie.
Wake Forest (7-4) used a 14-4 run to surge in front early in the second half, as Gardner-Webb missed seven of its first nine shots and turned the basketball over six times in the first five minutes of the final stanza - allowing the Deacons to go up 44-37 on a dunk by Ty Walker with 12:51 to play.
Gardner-Webb trimmed the lead to five with just over 10 minutes to play, but saw Wake Forest score six in a row for its largest lead of the game. Newsome then put the 'Dogs on his back, scoring six of the team's next eight points in an 8-0 run that cut Wake Forest's lead to 56-53 on a driving layup with 3:53 to play - forcing a timeout by the hosts.
GWU got the stop it needed initially on the ensuing possession, but Walker - a 7-footer and former McDonald's All-America center playing just his second game of the season - tipped in a missed shot by Tony Chennault to give the Deacons a 58-53 lead.
Gardner-Webb was unable to get any closer, as Wake Forest scored its next nine points at the free throw line - and the 'Dogs missed five of its final seven shots from long range in the last two minutes.
Newsome was the only Runnin' Bulldog with more than six points, hitting 10-of-21 shots and pulling down nine rebounds in 29 minutes. Mike Byron and Max Landis each scored six and Jason Dawson had five for Gardner-Webb - which shot just 36.8 percent for the game and made only 6-of-23 chances from beyond the three-point arc.
Wake Forest shot 49.1 percent for the game, getting solid accuracy from leading scorers Travis McKie (15 points) and C.J. Harris (18 points). Walker came off the bench to post 12 points and nine rebounds and freshman Chase Fischer added 11 points to pace the Deacons.
The Runnin' Bulldogs will stay on the road for their next game, trekking to Greenville, N.C., to face East Carolina at 7:00 pm on Thursday, December 22 in Minges Coliseum. That game will air live on WGWG-FM (88.3 / wgwg.org).
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