BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – A 6-0 run by Gardner-Webb over the final 2:16 of play led the Runnin' Bulldogs to a 70-67 win over Western Carolina on Thursday night inside of Paul Porter Arena.
 
Gardner-Webb (9-2) trailed Western Carolina (2-11) by three points with 2:20 remaining after a pair of free throws by Tess Harris set the score at 67-64, but the Runnin' Bulldogs would quickly tie the game on a deep three-point basket by Alexus Hill with 2:16 on the clock.
 
After a pair of missed free throws on the other end of the floor by Sherae Bonner, GWU would take the lead at 69-67 with 1:26 to go on a driving layup by Hill.  Hill would finish the evening with a game-high 23 points on a 9-of-16 performance.
 
The Catamounts would miss on four opportunities to tie the game over the next 1:02, until Hill would grab a defensive rebound with 14 seconds remaining.  A foul by Tembre Moates with 9.2 seconds on the clock would send Savannah Plentovich to the free throw line, where she would make one of two chances to give GWU a three-point edge.
 
WCU would look to send the game into overtime in the final seconds, yet Harris would miss a last second three-pointer attempt, giving Gardner-Webb the 70-67 victory.
 
The Runnin' Bulldogs had two additional double-digit scorers, as Carley Plentovich scored 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting off of the bench, and Tierra Huntsman poured in 14 points on 5-of-15 shooting.
 
Julia Brown led Western Carolina offensively, scoring 17 points on 7-of-9 shooting in 26 minutes of play off of the bench.
 
Gardner-Webb shot at a 43.3 percent clip for the evening, making 26-of-60 chances, while just making 3-of-12 attempts from long distance.  The Catamounts shot 42.1 percent on the evening, making 24-of-57 baskets, including 6-of-15 from long distance.
 
GWU would lead by as many as seven points with 51 seconds left in the opening period, but WCU would answer with a 28-6 run to build a game-high 15 point lead at 34-19 with 3:24 to go in the second period.  The Catamounts would make five three pointers during that stretch, and would make 6-of-7 attempts from long distance throughout the second period.
 
The Runnin' Bulldogs would answer with an 11-3 run, capped by a three-pointer by Nia Lee with 28 seconds remaining in the half to pull within seven points at 37-30 at halftime.
 
GWU would chip away at its deficit throughout the third period, tying the game at 47-47 after an old-fashioned three-point play by Huntsman with 2:46 on the clock, and both teams would trade baskets over the remainder of the period, with Moates would score on a last-second layup to give WCU a 55-53 lead at the end of the quarter.
 
Gardner-Webb returns to action this Saturday afternoon, closing out non-conference play against Converse College.  Tip-off is scheduled for 2:00 pm with live video on the Big South Network (www.bigsouthsports.com).