CONWAY, S.C. --- Coastal Carolina overcame a 33-30 halftime deficit with a 15-3 run to open the second half en route to a 78-71 come-from-behind win over Gardner-Webb in Big South Conference play on Saturday afternoon.
Coastal Carolina (16-9, 10-5 Big South) shot 44.8 percent from the floor in the contest, including a 55.6 percent clip in the second half, while holding Gardner-Webb (13-14, 8-7 Big South) to a field goal percentage of 37.7 percent in the contest. The Chanticleers won the battle on the glass by a 44-36 margin as the Runnin' Bulldogs converted 14 offensive boards into 18 second-chance points.
Tyrell Nelson (Charlotte, N.C.) paced four Runnin' Bulldogs in double figures with 14 points and four assists, as Adonis Burbage (Orlando, Fla.) and Harold McBride (Bronx, N.Y.) added 13 and 12 points, respectively. Dylan Poston (Myrtle Beach, S.C.) chipped in 11 points while Brandon Miller (Orlando, Fla.) tallied nine points and six boards.
Shivaughn Wiggins led all scorers with 30 points on 11-of-13 shooting, knocking down 5-of-6 from downtown as Elijah Wilson and Badou Diagne added 15 and 11 points, respectively. Tristan Curtis chipped in eight points and a game-high 13 boards. Jaylen Shaw dished out a contest-best six assists.
Coastal came out strong with a 7-2 spurt in the opening two minutes before Gardner-Webb responded with an 11-0 run, taking a 13-7 advantage when Miller elevated for a thunderous put-back slam at the 15:05 mark. After a Wiggins trey would cut the margin to 15-13, the Runnin' Bulldogs answered with a 12-7 stretch to claim a 24-18 advantage following a Burbage three-ball with 5:10 left on the clock.
Gardner-Webb pushed the margin to 31-22 moments later, opening its largest lead of the half on a jumper by Burbage in the lane at the 3:37 mark. Coastal would counter with an 8-0 run over the next three minutes, cutting the advantage to just one at 31-30 after Freeman converted both ends of a two-shot foul.
McBride answered right back for the Runnin' Bulldogs as time expired, getting the roll on a fall-away jumper to send Gardner-Webb into the braek with a 33-30 lead.
Coastal continued to dictate the tempo early in the second half, opening the period with a 15-3 run to snatch a 45-36 lead on a Wiggins jumper with 15:47 to play. Gardner-Webb would close to within four, 50-46, on an Ivey trey at the 11:53 mark before a 7-0 spurt by the Chants pushed the advantage back to double digits at 57-46 with 10:51 left.
The Runnin' Bulldogs fought back, closing the gap to 72-69 on a three-point play by Miller with 2:33 to go before a pair of Diagne free throws put Coastal ahead, 74-69. McBride would cut the lead to 74-71 with two free throws after drawing a three-shot foul, but Coastal responded with four clutch conversions at the stripe to complete the comeback win.
Gardner-Webb returns to the court on Thursday, February 18 when the Runnin' Bulldogs host Charleston Southern in Big South Conference play on their Blackout to Whiteout Night. Tip-off is slated for 7:00 pm on ESPNU from Paul Porter Arena.
