Runnin' Bulldogs Cruise Past the Crusaders with 86-34 Home Win
November 13, 2012 | Women's Basketball
Boiling Springs, N.C. - The Gardner-Webb women's basketball team posted its highest margin of victory in its NCAA Division I history on Monday night, cruising past the Tennessee Temple Crusaders with an 86-34 home win in Paul Porter Arena.
Gardner-Webb improves to 2-0 to start the season for the first time since 2010-11, while Tennessee Temple falls to 0-4 on the year.
The 52 point win was the largest margin of victory for the Runnin' Bulldogs in its 13-year NCAA Division I history, surpassing the previous record of 48 points set in a 88-40 home win over Tennessee Temple back in 2010-11.
The Runnin' Bulldogs controlled the pace of the game from start to finish, outscoring Tennessee Temple 48-6 in points in the paint, 40-2 in bench points and 27-3 in second chance points.
Gardner-Webb, which forced the Crusaders into 33 turnovers for the game, also outscored Tennessee Temple 43-10 in points off turnovers and outrebounded the Crusaders 52-30 for the contest.
Junior center Catrina Green led the Runnin' Bulldogs with 15 points and 10 rebounds, her first double-double of the year, while freshman Olivia Parker poured in a career-high 11 points and hauled in eight rebounds in 19 minutes of play. Sophomore Jessica Heilig and junior guard Jasmine Dale each poured in 10 points apiece, while forwards Chariah Harris and Tabby Koerner posted six points and six rebounds apiece.
GWU freshman Alicia Quinn added seven points and five rebounds, while fellow newcomer Doreen Richardson chipped in seven points and three assists in the win.
For Tennessee Temple, Jessica Salera and Amber Charles posted 15 and 13 points, respectively, accounting for 28 of the 34 points for the Crusaders in the game.
The home team got off to a hot start on Monday night, as the Runnin' Bulldogs took a 9-0 lead on back-to-back free throws by Green at the 18:15 mark.
After the Crusaders cut the GWU lead to six at 12-6 on a three-pointer by Salera with 16:56 to go in the first half, the Runnin' Bulldogs used a 15-4 run over the next seven minutes to pull out in front by 17 at 27-10 on a lay up down low by Quinn.
Gardner-Webb would not take its foot off the gas pedal, finishing the first half out on a 14-4 clip to take a 27-point lead at 41-14 into the halftime break.
Playing a handful of freshmen and the entire bench for most of the second half, Gardner-Webb never let the Crusaders back into the contest, holding a 29-point lead or higher for the rest of the game.
A lay up by Parker at the 6:42 mark pushed the GWU lead to 40 at 72-32, as the home team continued to make good on its offensive chances pushing its lead to as much as 52 points as the final horn sounded.
GWU shot 43.8 percent (32-73) from the floor, while holding Tennessee Temple to 25 percent (12-48) shooting for the game.
Gardner-Webb (2-0) will turn around to host Montreat College on Wednesday night, November 14th, at 8 p.m. as part of a basketball doubleheader with the men's basketball team who will take on Lipscomb at 6 p.m.
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| Box Score: GWU 86, Tennessee Temple 34 |
