THE GAME
Gardner-Webb will look to even the season series vs. Longwood on Saturday, hosting the Lancers at 3:00 pm in a rematch of a January 6 road defeat (79-73). The Runnin' Bulldogs are also hosting their annual Lettermen's Day in Paul Porter Arena. The game will stream live on the Big South Network (Fabian Fuentes).


GARDNER-WEBB QUICK LOOK
•   Gardner-Webb fell to 2-10 in true road games this season with its 65-60 hearbreaker at UNC Asheville on Wednesday 
    night. The 'Dogs trailed 61-60 with less than a minute to go, but could not pull ahead. Six of Gardner-Webb's road 
    losses have come in guarantee/buy games. All four of GWU's Big South losses have come on the road.

•   Forward DJ Laster has posted a career-best scoring night twice in the last three games. He scored 22 points vs. 
    Presbyterian on January 18 and topped that with 25 markers at UNC Asheville on January 24. The Pensacola, Fla.,
    junior had just one 20-point outing prior to this season. He is averaging 14.6 points per game so far, also a career-high
    number.

•   After battling the flu early on in Big South play, Laster has come alive to average 17.0 points in Gardner-Webb's last
    five games. He came off the bench twice during that span, and is shooting 56.9 percent from the floor since January 12
    vs. Radford.

•   Guard David Efianayi is one of the Big South's leading scorers, slashing his way to 17.3 points per game –a career-high average – so far this season. The            
    Orlando, Fla., junior is one of the league's most effective free throw shooters, connecting at a 78.6 percent clip and ranking second in the league in made chances     
    (92). He is only eight shy of topping the 100 made free throw mark for the second season in a row.

•  Guard Liam O'Reilly has knocked in at least seven 3-point shots three times already in 2017-2018. He made 8-of-10 
    vs. Warren Wilson, drained 7-of-11 against Liberty and knocked home 7-of-12 this past Sunday at Charleston 
    Southern. O'Reilly's previous career-best for a single game was five.

•  Center L'Hassane Niangane is averaging 10.5 rebounds per game over his last two home games, including a career-
    best 12 caroms in a start vs. Radford (1/12). He had nine boards and three blocks in the High Point win (1/9).

•  Sophomore Patrick Zeck leads the squad in rebounding vs. Big South Conference opponents (6.1 rpg) and has been 
    effective defensively with 1.1 blocks per game. Zeck's free throws with 14.9 seconds left vs. Radford effectively
    sealed the game on January 12, and his steal on the ensuing possession put it out of reach.

• Gardner-Webb has gone 8-0 at home so far this season and has won 10 in a row in Paul Porter Arena since last 
    season. Gardner-Webb's last home loss came on February 9, 2017 in a double overtime loss to Liberty (92-87). 
    That ties for longest home win streak under current head coach Tim Craft, which was a 10-game stretch from 
    February 8, 2014 through January 14, 2016.

•  Gardner-Webb's last four opponents in Paul Porter Arena have combined to make only 15 three-point baskets (3.8 
    per game). GWU is averaging 80.1 points per game at home this season, compared to just 64.7 ppg on the road. GWU
    is also shooting at a 49.9 percent clip at home, while also averaging 13.8 made free throws per game in Paul Porter 
    Arena. David Efianayi (50.6%), DJ Laster (54.1%) and Liam O'Reilly (48.9%) are each shooting a much higher 
    perecntage at home this season. Nate Johnson is averaging 9.0 ppg off the bench at home in 2017-2018 as well.

•  GWU is +10.8 on the backboards on average this season when playing in Paul Porter Arena.