GWU Game Notes | Gameday Central
The Game
Seventh-seeded Gardner-Webb takes on third-seeded and host Coastal Carolina in the semifinal round of the VisitMyrtleBeach.com Big South Conference Championships on Saturday, March 7 at The HTC Center. The game will tip off at 2:00 pm on ESPN3.
Series Notes
This marks the 17th all-time meeting between Gardner-Webb and Coastal Carolina. Gardner-Webb swept the regular season series with the Chanticleers, including an 82-67 win in The HTC Center on January 17.
The Coaches
Gardner-Webb's Tim Craft is in his second year with the Runnin' Bulldogs, leading GWU to a 20-13 record this season, including noteworthy victories over Clemson and Purdue.
Cliff Ellis is in his 40th season as a head coach, including the last eight at Coastal Carolina, where he has compiled a 156-97 record to date. Ellis owns a 768-435 career record.
Last Time Out
Junior Harold McBride (Bronx, N.Y.) poured in a career-high 24 points off the bench, Tyrell Nelson (Charlotte, N.C.) added 17 points, and Jerome Hill (Adel, Ga.) recorded his Big South Conference-leading 17th double-double of the season, as seventh-seeded Gardner-Webb rallied from a 13-point first half deficit for a thrilling 72-71 overtime win over second-seeded High Point in the quarterfinals of the Big South Championships on Friday evening in The HTC Center.
With the win, Gardner-Webb (20-13) advances to Saturday's semifinal round to take on the winner of third-seeded Coastal Carolina and sixth-seeded UNC Asheville. Gardner-Webb shot 40.6 percent from the floor on the night, including a 47.8 percent clip in the second half, while outscoring High Point (22-9) in the paint, 38-30.
High Point connected on 41.0 percent of its attempts from the field in the contest, including an 11-for-23 effort in the first half, while winning the battle on the glass by a 42-36 margin.
McBride led the way for Gardner-Webb with a career-high 24 points, connecting on 8-of-13 from the floor and 5-of-9 at the free throw line, while also recording four steals. Hill added his 17th double-double of the season with 19 points and a game-high 14 rebounds, as Nelson chipped in 17 points with an 8-for-9 effort from the floor. Tyler Strange (Leominster, Mass.) recorded game-highs of five assists and five steals.
Looking at Coastal Carolina
Coastal Carolina earned a first round bye in this week's VisitMyrtleBeach.com Big South Conference Championships, finishing the regular season in a three-way tie for third alongside Radford and Winthrop with identical 12-6 records in league play.
The Chanticleers advanced to the semifinals with a 74-57 victory over sixth-seeded UNC Asheville on Friday evening behind a 29-point performance from Elijah Wilson off the bench. Coastal is led by Josh Cameron and Warren Gillis, who are each averaging 13.0 points per game this season. Wilson and Shivaughn Wiggins are close behind at 10.7 and 10.4 points per game, respectively, while Badou Diagne leads the team in rebounding at 7.6 boards per contest.
