GWU Game Notes | Purdue Game Notes | Gameday Central
The Game
Gardner-Webb travels to Big Ten foe Purdue on Monday, December 22 at 6:00 pm Central Time. The game will air live on the Big Ten Network.
Series Notes
This marks the first meeting between Gardner-Webb and Purdue.
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.
Matt Painter is in his 10th season as the head coach at Purdue, carrying a 199-116 record with the Boilermakers into tonight's game. Painter sports a career record of 224-121 as a head coach after leading the Boilermakers to a 12-5 mark in the Big Ten last season.
Last Time Out
Dylan Poston (Myrtle Beach, S.C.) poured in a game-high 17 points, Tyrell Nelson (Charlotte, N.C.) added 15, and Gardner-Webb placed five players in double figures en route to a 91-71 win over Hiwassee College in non-conference play on Friday evening in Paul Porter Arena.
Gardner-Webb (7-5) shot 52.3 percent from the floor on the night, including a blistering 64.5 percent in the first half, while holding Hiwassee (2-15) to a 44.1 percent clip from the field. The Runnin' Bulldogs dominated the glass by a 46-31 margin, including a 15-11 advantage on the offensive boards, and outscored the Tigers 20-4 on the fast break.
Poston knocked down 5-of-7 from downtown and 2-of-2 at the charity stripe to lead all scorers with 17 points, as Nelson added 15 points, seven rebounds and a career-high five blocks. Jerome Hill (Adel, Ga.) chipped in his fifth double-double with 11 points and a game-high 10 rebounds, while Jarvis Davis (Columbia, S.C.) tallied 11 points.
Harold McBride (Bronx, N.Y.) posted 11 points, seven assists and six rebounds, as Isaiah Ivey (Georgetown, Ky.) added nine points with a 4-for-6 night from the floor. Tyler Strange (Leominster, Mass.) chipped in seven points, four assists and two steals.
Looking at Purdue
Purdue is off to an 8-4 start this season, entering tonight's game having lost its last two to Vanderbilt and No. 21 Notre Dame. The Boilermakers finished the EA Sports Maui Invitational in style after falling to Kansas State in the opener, defeating Missouri 82-65 before edging BYU, 87-85, in overtime.
Kendall Stephens leads the way for Purde at 11.5 points per game with Isaac Haas close behind at 11.4 per contest. The Boilermakers have three players averaging in double figures and six averaging at least seven points per game including Vince Edwards, who is averaging 10.6 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.
