GAME PREVIEW: Runnin' Bulldogs Travel to Tennessee Sunday
November 21, 2015 | Men's Basketball
Game Notes | Live Stats | Video
The Lead - Top Storylines For Sunday'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 - GWU 125, Toccoa Falls 79
The Runnin' Bulldogs picked up their first win of the season in emphatic fashion on Thursday evening, blitzing Toccoa Falls for 125 points while knocking down 50-of-77 attempts from the floor. Six players scored in double-figures, led by an 18-and-10 double-double from Tyrell Nelson and a 17-point effort by David Efianayi. Laquincy Rideau dished out a game-high eight assists as the Runnin' Bulldogs outscored the Screamin' Eagles in the paint, 74-40.
5. Taking a Look at Tennessee
Tennessee recorded its second win of the young campaign on Thursday night, defeating Marshall 84-74 behind a 20-point night from Armani Moore. Kevin Punter and Robert Hubbs III each contributed 19 points as the Volunteers converted 25-of-30 at the line and held Marshall to a field goal percentage of 36.5 percent.
