BUIES CREEK, N.C. – The Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs took the lead 16 seconds into the game and never looked back, leading for 39:44 of 40 minutes. The 'Dogs defeated the Campbell Fighting Camels, 52-38, in the team's Big South Conference opener on Tuesday night for their third straight win..
 
Gardner-Webb (7-6, 1-0 Big South) jumper out to a 6-0 lead thanks to a Ky'Asia Stanford jumper and four straight points from Gabrielle Caponegro. 
 
Campbell (9-4, 1-1 Big South) did not get on the board until after the media timeout in the first period but was able to end the quarter on a 7-3 run, cutting Gardner-Webb's advantage to a single basket after a 10 minutes of play.
 
After Gardner-Webb once again built a multi-possession lead, The Fighting Camels got within three points in the second quarter twice, but each time Runnin' Bulldogs answered. 
 
Leading 16-13, Gardner-Webb extended its lead to nine points, 26-17, at the half. Caponegro and Neydja Petithomme spearheaded the Runnin' Bulldogs' 10-4 run over the final 4:07 of the quarter with four points apiece. 
 
The story was the same in the third quarter. This time Campbell came out on fire and quickly made it a four-point game less than three minutes into the quarter, but Gardner-Webb did not crumble. Once again, the Runnin' Bulldogs answered Fighting Camels with a run of their own and took its first double-digit lead with 4:53 to go in the quarter.
 
The two teams struggled to score over the remainder of the period, combining for just three points as GWU held a 36-25 advantage heading into the final quarter.
 
The Fighting Camels would get no closer than eight points in the fourth quarter. Although the home team made it a 41-33 contest, the Runnin' Bulldogs once again had an answer as Morgan Pointer, Petithome and Stanford all contributed points during a 7-0 run, giving GWU its largest lead of the game.
 
The 'Dogs would go on to win by 14 points, 52-38, in its first Big South contest of the season.
 
Stanford and Caponegro each scored 13 points for the Runnin' Bulldogs. Petithomme contributed nine points, while Pointer added eight and pulled down a team-best six rebounds. Twins Savannah and Carley Plentovich combined for just seven points but became the fifth pair of Big South Conference sisters to have a combined 1,000 career points.
 
Campbell was led by Taya Bolden's 10 points. Campbell shot just 27.3 percent, with Gardner-Webb managing a slightly better 35.2 percent from the field. The Fighting Camels went to the free throw line an impressive 26 times but made only 12 attempts, while the Runnin' Bulldogs were 11-of-16 at the charity stripe. Campbell won the rebounding battle, 42-33.
 
The Runnin' Bulldogs will look to win their fourth straight game begin the year 2-0 in Big South play when in-state rival UNC Asheville comes to Paul Porter Arena on Thursday, January 10. Tipoff is set for 6 p.m.