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BOILING SPRINGS, N.C.- Olivia Parker's seventh double-double of the season with 16 points and 11 rebounds led the Gardner-Webb women's basketball team to a 64-51 victory over Bluefield College in the final non-conference game of the season Saturday afternoon in Paul Porter Arena.
Parker's third field goal of the afternoon at the 3:34 mark of the first period gave the senior forward 1,000 points for her career, becoming the 20th player in GWU women's basketball history to achieve the feat.
Morgan Ackermann came off the bench for the Runnin' Bulldogs and knocked down 3-of-5 shots from behind the three-point arc as Gardner-Webb had a solid day from behind the three-point line knocking down 5-of-15 for a 33.3% clip and limited the Rams to just one make on six attempts for the game.
Candace Brown hit six of her eight free-throw attempts for the game as Gardner-Webb as a team knocked down 15-of-20 and did a great job of not fouling the Rams, limiting the visitors to just 10 free-throws.
Brown scored 12 points, grabbed three boards and dished out an assist in 31 minutes of action, while Maryah Mazyck paced the Rams attack with 12 points, seven boards, two assists, and two steals.
Consecutive layups by Parker and Quinn gave Gardner-Webb a quick 4-0 lead, but the Rams answered with a 7-0 run to take a three-point lead three minutes into the first quarter. The Rams shot 45.5% in the first quarter (5-11) and continued to hold the lead for the remainder of the first 10 minutes.
Brown's jumper with 8:05 in the first half tied the game at 13 for the home side and Gardner-Webb would not trail for the rest of the quarter, as it outscored Bluefield 21-8 in the second quarter and headed into the break leading 32-21.
Mazyck's jumper just under halfway through the third period cut the GWU lead to single digits, 36-27, but the Runnin' Bulldogs pushed the lead back up to double-digits on a layup by Hill and the Dogs led 43-32 heading into the final stanza.
Kierra Bell-Linnear had five points in the final quarter and Bluefield shot 50.0% from the field and would cut the defecit to 52-45 with 4:15 left, but Gardner-Webb went on an 8-2 run over the next 2:03 to put the game away.
Gardner-Webb shot just 37.5% in the final quarter but hit 8-of-11 from the free-throw line for the 64-51 victory in the final non-conference game of the season.
The Runnin' Bullodogs have a quick turnaround for their next game when they welcome Coastal Carolina to Paul Porter Arena, Saturday at 2:00 p.m.
