GAME PREVIEW: Runnin' Bulldogs Set To Host Toccoa Falls In Home Opener Thursday
November 18, 2015 | Men's Basketball
Game Notes | Live Stats | Video
The Lead - Top Storylines For Thursday's Game
1. A New Season, A Clean Slate
Gardner-Webb will look to build on its third consecutive winning season after posting a 20-15 overall record last year, and earning its second postseason bid in three years with a berth in the Collegiate Basketball Invitational. The Runnin' Bulldogs return four of their top seven scorers and two of their top five rebounders from last season, and with six promising newcomers in the fold as well, Gardner-Webb is poised to make a push for the Big South Championship this coming spring.
2. Senior Leadership
The Runnin' Bulldogs will have a bevy of veteran presence on the court this season, bringing five players back for their senior campaigns - all of whom are expected to log significant minutes. Harold McBride, Adonis Burbage, Isaiah Ivey, Dylan Poston and Herve Aholode each saw plenty of game time last season, with four of the five averaging at least 13 minutes per game as the group combined for just under 25 points per game.
3. Craft Era Hits Year Three
Tim Craft enters his third season at the helm of the Gardner-Webb men's basketball program, having led the Runnin' Bulldogs to 38 wins over the past two years. A former assistant with the Runnin' Bulldogs in the mid-2000's, Crafted guided Gardner-Webb to a 20-15 mark last season, including a berth in the Big South semifinals as a No. 7 seed and a trip to the Collegiate Basketball Invitational.
4. Last Time Out - #17 Vanderbilt 98, GWU 62
The #17 Vanderbilt Commodores rode a hot hand from behind the arc on Monday night en route to a 98-62 win over Gardner-Webb, knocking down 11-of-23 from three-point range while converting 19 GWU turnovers into 35 points. Tyrell Nelson led the Runnin' Bulldogs with 16 points on 6-of-11 shooting, as Harold McBride added 10 points. Dylan Poston knocked down three first-half three-pointers to account for nine points. Newcomers Laquincy Rideau and David Efianayi each contributed eight points off the bench.
5. Taking a Look at Toccoa Falls
Toccoa Falls is off to a 2-4 start to the season after posting a pair of early wins over Warren Wilson College and Welch College. The Screamin' Eagles recently dropped a 123-99 contest to Olgethorpe University and face Big South Conference foe Presbyterian College Wednesday night in an exhibition. Toccoa Falls is led by seniors Carlos Hamlett, Donovan Smith and Cam Williams.
