Runnin' Bulldogs Muscle Past Winthrop, 62-60, Saturday
December 04, 2011 | Men's Basketball
BOILING SPRINGS - Tashan Newsome's jumper with 30.2 seconds left gave Gardner-Webb the lead and a pair of Winthrop shots in the final four seconds were off the mark as the Runnin' Bulldogs took a 62-60 win over the Eagles.
Jason Dawson led Gardner-Webb (4-6, 1-1 Big South) with 16 points, Kevin Hartley had 11 and Newsome scored nine. The Runnin' Bulldogs led 31-25 at halftime, and won a tough-as-nails game that featured nine ties and 10 lead changes - with six lead changes coming in the second half.
Gardner-Webb led by as many as nine points midway through the first half, and by six points with just over five minutes left in the game. It was Newsome's second game-winning shot in the last three games, and gave the 'Dogs a 61-60 lead.
Andre Jones led Winthrop with 25 points, making 10-of-14 field goals and 4-of-6 from long range. His final shot, a leaning three-point attempt from the right corner, was off the mark with 0.4 seconds remaining - but the rebound went out of bounds off a Gardner-Webb defender.
Winthrop's inbounds pass was picked off by Stefon Johnson to end the game.
"We needed that one, and what a tough, gutsy effort it was for our guys," said GWU head coach Chris Holtmann. "[Andre] Jones was absolutely terrific for Winthrop tonight. Conference games are always tough, and hard fought, and this one was no different. Hats off to several of our guys for making some key plays down the stretch - rebounds, steals, defensive pressure, shots. We have been in some close ones so far, and it feels great to pull this one out in front of our crowd."
Both teams shot 43.1 percent for the game, but Gardner-Webb outscored the Eagles (2-6, 1-1 Big South) by nine at the free throw line and held a slight edge (36-32) on the glass. Hartley led a bench effort that produced 27 points for the Runnin' Bulldogs, with Max Landis adding eight points and Tyler Strange scoring six. Strange's rebound of a Reggie Middleton miss with 11.4 seconds left in the game capped another solid defensive stop for Gardner-Webb. Strange stepped up and made one of two free throws to give GWU its final points of the night.
Jones scored 15 of his points in the second half, including a jumper with 1:35 left that tied the game, 59-59, and a long three with 56.3 seconds left that gave Winthrop a 60-59 lead.
In addition to Jones' scoring effectiveness, Winthrop got 10 points from Middleton and six points, 14 rebounds from George Valentine. Gideon Gamble came off the bench to score eight points, including two big three-point splashes in three attempts.
The win snapped a five-game losing streak for Gardner-Webb against Winthrop, with the Eagles taking a 60-57 win on a last-second shot last February 3 in Boiling Springs.
NOTES: Gardner-Webb has been tied or held the lead in eight of its 10 games this season to date ... Winthrop made just 3-of-9 free throw attempts (33.3 percent), shooting better on the night from three-point range (7-of-17, 41.2 percent).
| Box Score (PDF) |
