GAME PREVIEW: Gardner-Webb Hosts NCCAA Hiwassee Friday Night
December 18, 2014 | Men's Basketball
GWU Game Notes | Gameday Central
The Game
Gardner-Webb hosts Hiwassee College in a non-conference matchup at 7:00 pm on December 19 in Paul Porter Arena. The game will air live on the Big South Network.
Series Notes
This marks the second meeting between Gardner-Webb and Hiwassee. The Runnin' Bulldogs defeated the Tigers, 90-54, last season on December 21, 2013 in Paul Porter Arena.
The Coaches
Gardner-Webb's Tim Craft is in his second season with the Runnin' Bulldogs, leading GWU to an 18-15 record last winter while being named a finalist for the Joe B. Hall Award.
Will Raby is in his first season at Hiwassee following several years as an assistant under Hall of Fame coach Hugh Watson. Raby has led the Tigers to a 2-13 record so far this season entering Thursday night's matchup at NCAA Division II Mars Hill University.
Last Time Out
Jacksonville University outscored Gardner-Webb by a 36-22 margin in the second half, while knocking down 12-of-21 from the floor to rally for a 68-65 win in non-conference play on Wednesday evening in Veterans Memorial Arena.
Jacksonville (3-9) shot an even 50 percent for the game, including a 57.1 percent clip in the second half, while holding Gardner-Webb (6-5) to a mark of 35.3 percent in the final 20 minutes. The Runnin' Bulldogs knocked down 66.7 percent of their attempts from the field in the first half as Jacksonville won the battle on the glass by a 26-24 margin, including a 5-1 advantage on the offensive boards.
Jerome Hill (Adel, Ga.) led the way for Gardner-Webb with 14 points on 5-of-11 shooting while adding seven rebounds. Dylan Poston (Myrtle Beach, S.C.) chipped in 12 points with a 4-for-5 night from downtown as Jarvis Davis (Columbia, S.C.) tallied eight points.
Tyrell Nelson (Charlotte, N.C.), Tyler Strange (Leominster, Mass.) and Adonis Burbage (Orlando, Fla.) each scored seven points. Strange dished out five assists as Davis and Harold McBride (Bronx, N.Y.) both added four.
Looking at Hiwassee
Hiwassee is off to a 2-13 start this season heading into Thursday's matchup at NCAA II Mars Hill. Will Raby is in his first year at the helm after serving as an assistant under Hall of Fame coach Hugh Watson. In three games against NCAA Division I opponents this season, the Tigers have averaged 51 points per game while shooting 33.7 percent from the floor and 66.7 percent at the free throw line.
In those three contests, Kaseem Davidson and Joel Bailey each lead the way with 7.3 points per game, while Aarrio Johnson is averaging 7.0 points and 5.5 rebounds per contest.
