ATLANTA, Ga. – DJ Laster scored 20 of his game-high 25 points in the first half to lift Gardner-Webb to a 79-69 win over the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at McCamish Pavilion.
Gardner-Webb (8-5) won its sixth game in a row and remained unbeaten this December.
It marked Gardner-Webb's first win over an ACC foe since November 21, 2014 in the U.S. Virgin Islands vs. Clemson (72-70). The win is the first for the Runnin' Bulldogs over a Power 5 program since a 68-60 win at Nebraska on December 18, 2016.
"Proud of our team. Anytime you can win on the road against anybody… It's so hard to be able to come in and play a team like Georgia Tech in the ACC and to come through with a win," said head coach
Tim Craft. "I thought it was a really complete game by our team. I thought it was a total team effort.
"[There were] a lot of guys doing different things for our group. I thought late in the game the zone was able to buy us some time. They were getting into a rhythm in our man-to-man defense. Playing a little zone late helped burn a little clock and maybe got us a few more stops. I'm proud of our guys playing a game from start to finish."
Craft, in his sixth season in charge at Gardner-Webb, is just four wins away from his 100th victory at the school. He has now led the Runnin' Bulldogs to Power 5 wins over Clemson, Purdue, Nebraska and Georgia Tech.
Gardner-Webb led 45-38 at the half, closing the first 20 minutes on an 18-7 run to seize full control of the game. The Runnin' Bulldogs led by as many as eight points in the opening 20 minutes, surging ahead 21-13 in the early going after a hot start for both teams from long range.
Laster scored twice late before the halftime buzzer to quiet the home crowd. He hit 8-of-11 from the floor in the first half alone, finishing with his 20 points.
A three-pointer from
Nate Johnson pushed Gardner-Webb's lead to double figures with 16:34 left in the game, making the score 52-42, and the Runnin' Bulldogs would lead by as many as 13 points when
Jaheam Cornwall sank a trey with 15:36 left for a 55-42 edge.
Both teams hit a cold spell midway through the half, but Gardner-Webb's lead remained near or above the double figures mark. Georgia Tech (5-4) would get no closer than seven points the rest of the way, and each time the Yellow Jackets seemed poised to mount a significant challenge, Gardner-Webb answered.
Gardner-Webb shot a solid 52.5 percent for the game (31-of-59) and didn't need a barrage of three-pointers to spring the upset – making an efficient 6-of-15 (40.0 percent). The Runnin' Bulldogs were 11-of-15 at the charity stripe and stayed close on the backboards with the taller Yellow Jackets (34-33 disadvantage).
Laster finished 12-of-20 from the floor on the night, tying his career-high with 25 points. The Pensacola, Fla., senior added nine rebounds in 31 minutes of playing time.
Jose Perez finished with 12 points, four rebounds and a game-high eight assists, hitting open teammates often for clean looks in the first half. Efianayi also finished with 12 points and dished off five assists himself.
Cornwall added 10 clutch points off the bench, making 4-of-5 shots and his lone three-pointer in 19 minutes.
Georgia Tech was led by Texas transfer James Banks III, who finished with 22 points and 12 rebounds inside. Jose Alvarado added 19 points and Curtis Haywood II scored 12 for the Yellow Jackets – who shot 44.4 percent from the floor for the game (28-of-63) and just 26.1 percent for the game from three-point land (6-of-23).
Georgia Tech was 0-for-11 from deep in the decisive second half, as Gardner-Webb played heavy minutes of zone.
Gardner-Webb will return home for its final pre-Christmas game, hosting Brevard College at 4:30 pm Wednesday (December 19) in Paul Porter Arena. The game will stream live on ESPN+.
