GAME PREVIEW: Gardner-Webb Hosts Middle Georgia Monday
December 27, 2015 | Men's Basketball
Game Notes | Live stats | Video
The Lead - Top Storylines for Monday's Game
1. The Matchup
Gardner-Webb and Middle Georgia meet for the first time Monday night. The Knights - a member of the NAIA Southern States Athletic Conference - enter the game with a 4-1 overall record and a 2-0 mark in SSAC play. Gardner-Webb is 5-8 overall on the season following a heartbreaking one-point loss to VMI in Paul Porter Arena last Monday.
2. Last Time Out - VMI 76, Gardner-Webb 75
VMI held on for a narrow 76-75 victory over Gardner-Webb last Monday, weathering a late second-half push as GWU converted just 13-of-26 attempts at the free throw line in the final 20 minutes. The Keydets knocked down 43.8 percent of their attempts from the floor, including a 48.3 percent clip in the second half, as Tyrell Nelson led the Runnin' Bulldogs with 14 points and a game-high 15 rebounds to account for his fifth double-double of the season.
3. Nelson Inching Closer
Junior Tyrell Nelson is closing in on a significant personal milestone, entering Monday's matchup against Middle Georgia needing 45 points to reach the 1,000-point plateau for his career. The 6-foot-7, 235-pound forward has scored 183 points so far this season, and now stands at 955 in 80 career games as a Runnin' Bulldog. He currently ranks sixth in the program's Division I era.
4. Senior Leadership
The Runnin' Bulldog starting five has featured at least three seniors in every 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 13 outings. Adonis Burbage has provided a significant scoring spark off the bench in each of the last 10 games, averaging 9.6 points per contest while knocking down 44.9 percent of his attempts from three-point range.
5. Taking a Look At Middle Georgia
Middle Georgia is off to a 4-1 start to the season, including a 2-0 mark in Southern States Athletic Conference play. The Knights are averaging 78.6 points per game and shooting 42.6 percent from the floor. Kieston Standfield leads the Knights in both scoring and rebounding, nearly averaging a double-double at 18.4 points and 9.4 rebounds per contest. Ryan Wilkins is close behind in scoring at 17.4 points per game, while Brandon Ingleton is averaging 9.4 points per contest.
