BOILING SPRINGS --- Tyrell Nelson (Charlotte, N.C.) paced four Gardner-Webb players in double figures with his fifth double-double of the season, as the Runnin' Bulldogs erased a 17-point second half deficit to edge Winthrop, 65-64, on a last-second three-point play by Jerome Hill (Adel, Ga.) in Big South Conference play on Saturday evening.
Gardner-Webb (11-6, 3-1 Big South) shot 35.6 percent from the floor on the night, including an even 50 percent in the second half, while Winthrop (7-8, 2-2 Big South) knocked down 45.5 percent of its attempts from the field and held the Runnin' Bulldogs to just 21 points in the opening 20 minutes. The Runnin' Bulldogs won the battle on the glass by a 38-33 margin, including a 12-7 advantage on the offensive boards, while converting 12-of-14 at the free throw line.
Tyler Strange (Leominster, Mass.) led the way for Gardner-Webb with a game-high 17 points, knocking down 5-of-10 from behind the arc while dishing out six assists. Nelson added a double-double with 14 points and a game-high 14 rebounds, as Hill and Jarvis Davis (Columbus, S.C.) chipped in 12 and 10 points, respectively. Dylan Poston (Myrtle Beach, S.C.) buried 3-of-5 from downtown on the night for nine points.
Keon Johnson and Keon Moore paced the Eagles with 15 points each, as Andre Smith added 11 points on 3-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc. Xavier Cooks, Joseph Lopez and Jarad Scott each pulled down five boards for Winthrop while Duby Okeke blocked a game-high four shots.
Winthrop led for nearly the entire game, registering just under 36 minutes of lead time after opening a 32-18 advantage in the first half on the heels of an 8-2 run, which was capped by a Johnson jumper with 6:02 to go. The Eagles would close the half with a 5-3 spurt to take a 37-21 lead into the break.
Gardner-Webb came out with a purpose in the second half, cutting the margin to 41-31 with a 10-4 run that was capped by a Strange lay-in at the 16:28 mark. The Runnin' Bulldogs kept pushing, trimming the advantage to two at 46-44 following a deep trey by Strange with 12:43 to play.
The Eagles quickly answered with a 5-0 spurt, stretching the margin back to seven at 51-44 before the Runnin' Bulldogs countered once again, this time cutting the lead to 58-56 on a fast break alley oop from Strange to Nelson with 6:53 left on the clock.
Strange answered the call again moments later, knocking down a clutch three with 1:43 to play to knot the score at 62-62 and cap a 38-25 second half push. Winthrop snatched the advantage back just under a minute later, claiming a 64-62 edge on a pair of Johnson freebies with 44 ticks to play.
Hill and the Runnin' Bulldogs responded with less than 20 seconds left, as the junior forward took the inlet pass by Strange, drove to the hoop for the finish and drew the foul to head to the line with a chance to give Gardner-Webb the lead. He would do just that, converting the three-point play on the ensuing free throw to put GWU up 65-64 with 16 seconds left.
Winthrop got a good look at the buzzer but Moore's shot did not fall as Gardner-Webb completed the comeback and edged the Eagles, 65-64, for its third Big South win of the season.
Gardner-Webb returns to the court on Wednesday, January 14 when the Runnin' Bulldogs host High Point in Big South play at 7:00 pm in Paul Porter Arena.
