Thursday, December 13
BOILING SPRINGS, NC
5:00 PM
Gardner-Webb University
vs
Kennesaw State
Photo by: © Tim Cowie | GWUPhotos.com
Gardner-Webb Faces Tall Task In Kennesaw State Thursday Afternoon At 5:00
December 12, 2018 | Men's Basketball
BOILING SPRINGS – Gardner-Webb gets back to action after a short break for final exams on Thursday, hosting Kennesaw State for a non-conference men's basketball contest at 5:00 pm.
The Runnin' Bulldogs (6-5) have won four in a row heading into Thursday's matchup and will face a tall task – literally – when taking on the Owls of the Atlantic Sun Conference.
Kennesaw State (1-8) starts four players that stand 6-foot-7 or taller, including Kosta Jankovic (6-8, 210, Sr.), Bryson Lockley (6-8, 218, R-Jr.), Ugo Obineke (6-8, 195, Fr.) and Isaac Mbuyamba (6-7, 235, Jr.).
The Owls' leading scorer, redshirt junior Tyler Hooker (6-0, 150), averages 18.2 points per game and poured in a season-high 30 points vs. Belmont in late November. KSU has lost eight in a row, but the record is a bit misleading, with a respectable showing at No. 12 Kansas State (56-41) and a three-point loss at Missouri (55-52) among those results.
Gardner-Webb has gotten balanced scoring all season, with David Efianayi (16.8 ppg) and Jose Perez (16.5 ppg) alternating as leading scorers on most nights. Nate Johnson (11.7 ppg), DJ Laster (11.3 ppg) and Eric Jamison, Jr. (8.3 ppg) have also had a hot hand scoring the basketball at times this season – as GWU is averaging 82.3 points per game as a team.
During its current win streak – which features two Division I wins and a pair of non-Division I victories – the Runnin' Bulldogs have lived up to their moniker. Gardner-Webb is averaging 94.5 points over the last four games while shooting 51.2 percent from the floor, scoring 49.5 points per game in the paint and 25.8 points off of opponent turnovers.
Sharing the basketball, and protecting it, have been consistent themes throughout the season – but particularly of late – with 87 assists and just 33 miscues combined over the past four outings.
In addition to its core seven, which includes the five listed above as well as the point guard tandem of Christian Turner and Jaheam Cornwall, Gardner-Webb has gotten solid minutes from 6-foot-8 forward Ludovic Dufeal (6.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 2.0 bpg) and 6-foot-4 wing Jaylen Alston (4.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg) – two freshmen with high ceilings.
Veterans Justin Jenkins and Brandon Miller have also come off the bench with strong minutes of late, with the 6-foot-6, 250-pound Miller providing a sturdy presence in the paint on both ends of the court.
Thursday's game will stream live on ESPN+, with Fabian Fuentes and Brendan Boylan on the call. All December 2018 graduates and their families will receive free admission to the game in honor of the upcoming graduation festivities on campus. For more information on the game, call Gardner-Webb athletics at (704) 406-4340.
The Runnin' Bulldogs (6-5) have won four in a row heading into Thursday's matchup and will face a tall task – literally – when taking on the Owls of the Atlantic Sun Conference.
Kennesaw State (1-8) starts four players that stand 6-foot-7 or taller, including Kosta Jankovic (6-8, 210, Sr.), Bryson Lockley (6-8, 218, R-Jr.), Ugo Obineke (6-8, 195, Fr.) and Isaac Mbuyamba (6-7, 235, Jr.).
The Owls' leading scorer, redshirt junior Tyler Hooker (6-0, 150), averages 18.2 points per game and poured in a season-high 30 points vs. Belmont in late November. KSU has lost eight in a row, but the record is a bit misleading, with a respectable showing at No. 12 Kansas State (56-41) and a three-point loss at Missouri (55-52) among those results.
Gardner-Webb has gotten balanced scoring all season, with David Efianayi (16.8 ppg) and Jose Perez (16.5 ppg) alternating as leading scorers on most nights. Nate Johnson (11.7 ppg), DJ Laster (11.3 ppg) and Eric Jamison, Jr. (8.3 ppg) have also had a hot hand scoring the basketball at times this season – as GWU is averaging 82.3 points per game as a team.
During its current win streak – which features two Division I wins and a pair of non-Division I victories – the Runnin' Bulldogs have lived up to their moniker. Gardner-Webb is averaging 94.5 points over the last four games while shooting 51.2 percent from the floor, scoring 49.5 points per game in the paint and 25.8 points off of opponent turnovers.
Sharing the basketball, and protecting it, have been consistent themes throughout the season – but particularly of late – with 87 assists and just 33 miscues combined over the past four outings.
In addition to its core seven, which includes the five listed above as well as the point guard tandem of Christian Turner and Jaheam Cornwall, Gardner-Webb has gotten solid minutes from 6-foot-8 forward Ludovic Dufeal (6.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 2.0 bpg) and 6-foot-4 wing Jaylen Alston (4.3 ppg, 5.0 rpg) – two freshmen with high ceilings.
Veterans Justin Jenkins and Brandon Miller have also come off the bench with strong minutes of late, with the 6-foot-6, 250-pound Miller providing a sturdy presence in the paint on both ends of the court.
Thursday's game will stream live on ESPN+, with Fabian Fuentes and Brendan Boylan on the call. All December 2018 graduates and their families will receive free admission to the game in honor of the upcoming graduation festivities on campus. For more information on the game, call Gardner-Webb athletics at (704) 406-4340.
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