BOILING SPRINGS --- Tyrell Nelson (Charlotte, N.C.) recorded his sixth double-double of the season with season- and game-highs of 27 points and 16 rebounds to lead Gardner-Webb to a come-from-behind 71-68 win over Campbell in Big South Conference play on Wednesday evening.
With the victory, Gardner-Webb (9-8, 4-1 Big South) pushes its win streak to four and moves to within half a game of first play in the conference standings behind High Point and UNC Asheville – both tied at 4-0.
The Runnin' Bulldogs shot 41.5 percent from the floor on the night, including a 46.9 percent clip in the second half, as Campbell (8-7, 2-3 Big South) knocked down 47.9 percent of its attempts in the contest. Gardner-Webb won the battle on the glass by a 47-27 margin, including a 22-4 advantage on the offensive boards that GWU turned into 22 second-chance points.
Nelson led all players with 27 points and 16 rebounds, connecting on 10-of-12 from the floor and 7-of-12 at the free throw line to post his sixth double-double of the season. Adonis Burbage (Orlando, Fla.) added nine points, as freshman Laquincy Rideau (West Palm Beach, Fla.) chipped in eight points and two steals. Brandon Miller (Orlando, Fla.) tallied six points and seven boards.
Troy Harper paced four Camels in double figures with 16 points while converting 7-of-7 at the free throw line. Shane Whitfield and D.J. Mason added 15 and 10 points, respectively, as Whitfield pulled down a team-high seven boards.
Gardner-Webb got off to a strong start in the first half, taking an early 9-2 lead on a McBride jumper before Campbell answered with a 10-0 run to claim a 12-9 advantage at the 13:38 mark. It remained a one-possession game for much of the next 10 minutes, with the Runnin' Bulldogs opening a 24-19 margin on an Isaiah Ivey (Georgetown, Ky.) jumper with 5:44 left in the period.
The Camels quickly countered with an 11-5 run, taking a 30-29 lead on a pair of Chris Clemons free throws before Burbage beat the buzzer with a three to send Gardner-Webb into the break with a 32-30 advantage.
It stayed a one-possession battle for the balance of the night, with five ties and 14 lead changes in the second half alone – 10 and 28 in total for the game. Nelson dominated the game for much of the second half, recording a double-double in the final 20 minutes alone with 17 points and 11 boards in the period.
The junior forward put the Runnin' Bulldogs up three, 50-47, with 10:04 to play before Campbell responded, stringing together a 19-12 run to take a 66-62 lead with 2:28 to play when Mason converted the front end of a two-shot foul.
McBride answered for Gardner-Webb six seconds later, knocking down a transition three to cut the lead to 66-65 with 2:22 left on the clock. Harper countered with a pair of free throws at the 1:29 mark, putting Campbell back on top by three, 68-65.
Nelson came through in the clutch moments later, cutting the margin to 68-67 with a lay-in before throwing down a vicious put-back slam with 1:13 to play to give Gardner-Webb the lead, 69-68.
Both teams missed opportunities on their next possessions, with Gardner-Webb committing a shot clock violation with 23.1 ticks left before Rideau and Nelson forced a walk by Clemons with 10 seconds to go. McBride took the ensuing inbound and was quickly fouled, sending the senior to the line with 8.9 seconds left.
The Bronx, N.Y. native made both, putting Gardner-Webb ahead 71-68 and icing the win as Harper's last-second three-pointer hit front iron as time expired.
Garnder-Webb returns to the court on Saturday when the Runnin' Bulldogs host Radford in Big South play at 4:30 pm in Paul Porter Arena.
