Box score (PDF)
ASHEVILLE, N.C.- The Gardner-Webb women's basketball team set a new Big South Conference Tournament record with 12 blocks and had three players score in double-figures, but Presbyterian hit 16-of-17 from the line as the Blue Hose defeated GWU 58-51 on Friday afternoon in a quarterfinal matchup.
Gardner-Webb ends the season with an overall record of 19-12, while PC improves to 18-12 and advances to tomorrow's semifinal matchup, where they will face top-seeded UNC Asheville on 2:00 p.m.
The Runnin' Bulldogs broke the previous tournament record of 11 blocks which was done on two different occasions, the most recent in 2001.
Candace Brown led the way for the Runnin' Bulldogs with a game-high 21 points and also hauled in nine rebounds. Olivia Parker and Tierra Huntsman also had double-figure performances on the afternoon, as Parker recorded her 15th double-double of the season with 13 points, 12 rebounds and added six blocks, while Huntsman chipped in with 11 points and set a new single-game best with three blocks.
The Blue Hose had four players score in double-figures with Big South Freshman of the Year, Taylor Petty, leading the way with 14 points and was clutch from the free-throw line knocking down 8-of-9. Salina Virola came off the bench and scored 12 points, while Allie Wagner and Courtney Storey rounded out the double-digit performances for the Blue Hose, as Storey and Wagner each chipped in with 10.
Gardner-Webb jumped out to a quick 6-2 lead at the under-five media timeout, but PC came roaring back with a 13-2 run over the next four minutes to take a 15-8 lead with just under a minute left in the opening quarter. Brown ended the run with an old-fashioned three-point play to cut the defecit to four, heading into the second stanza.
Presbyterian played great defense in the second quarter limiting GWU to just 2-for-11 from the field, as the Blue Hose extended their lead to as much as 12 (29-17) at the 1:52 mark of the quarter, but Huntsman drilled with under two minutes remaining in the half and PC went into the halftime break holding a 30-20 advantage.
The Blue Hose continued to lead the entire third quarter, but the Runnin' Bulldogs cut the defecit to six, 38-32, on a three-pointer by Kiera Currie with 2:09 left. However, Presbyterian came right back and extended the lead to nine on a three-pointer by Virola and that was the score at the end of three quarters of play.
The Runnin' Bulldogs started the final quarter on an 8-0 run and cut the lead to three, on a jump shot by Brown, but the Blue Hose answered with two free-throws by Wagner. Huntsman and Brown each made two free-throws to cut the PC lead to 45-44, but PC responded with a 7-0 run over the next three minutes to extend its lead to 52-45.
Gardner-Webb continued to chip into the deficit and got with three, 52-49, on a layup by Parker with 29 seconds left, but Storey sealed the victory for the Blue Hose hitting four free-throws and adding a layup, sending Presbyterian to its first-ever semifinal appearance with a 58-51 victory.
