GAME PREVIEW: Gardner-Webb Set To Battle Army-West Point Saturday
November 27, 2015 | Men's Basketball
Game Notes | Live Stats | Video
The Lead - Top Storylines for Saturday's Game
1. The Matchup
Gardner-Webb enters Saturday's game with a 2-4 mark against one of the toughest early-season schedules in the nation. The Runnin' Bulldogs picked up their second win of the campaign with a 77-68 triumph over Southeastern Louisiana on Friday night. Army has won four of its first six games, including an 81-60 thrashing of Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Friday.
2. Senior Leadership
The Runnin' Bulldog starting five has featured at least four seniors in all but one game this season, with Harold McBride, Dylan Poston, Isaiah Ivey and Herve Aholode playing a big role in getting Gardner-Webb going in each of the team's first five outings. Adonis Burbage has provided a significant scoring spark off the bench in each of the last three games, averaging a team-leading 12.3 points per game in that span.
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 77, Southeastern Louisiana 68
Gardner-Webb squeaked out a 77-68 win over Southeastern Louisiana on Friday night behind a career performance from senior Isaiah Ivey, who connected on 7-of-10 from the floor and 5-of-6 from behind the arc for a game-high 21 points. Tyrell Nelson added 11 points and five boards, while Harold McBride scored 10 points and recorded game-highs of seven assists and four steals. David Efianayi tallied six critical points in the final moments with a nifty lay-in and four clutch free throws to seal the victory.
5. Taking a Look At Army
Army enters Saturday's game with a 4-2 overall record after knocking off Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Friday night behind a 14-point, 12-rebound double-double from Kevin Ferguson. Kennedy Edwards added 17 points and nine boards, while Kyle Wilson poured in 15 points with a 5-for-11 night from three-point range. Tanner Plomb and Wilson are currently tied for the team-lead in scoring with 19.8 points per game. Plomb leads the Black Knights in rebounding with an average of 9.0 boards per contest.
