HIGH POINT – Gardner-Webb made a trio of three-pointers to seize an overtime lead and held on for a 79-76 win at High Point Thursday night.
 
Nate Johnson heated up for a career-high 29 points, making eight three-pointers and five free throws, Jose Perez continued his improved play with 17 points, Jaheam Cornwall had 12 points and Eric Jamison, Jr., scored 10 points to go with nine rebounds in the win.
 
The Runnin' Bulldogs (7-11, 3-3 Big South) trailed by as many as 14 points in the second half and were behind 57-44 with 8:03 remaining in the game. Jose Perez and Nate Johnson connected on four-straight free throws to spark a 13-3 run that pulled Gardner-Webb within 60-57 on a Jaheam Cornwall jumper with 3:48 to go.
 
High Point (5-13, 2-5 Big South) answered with a three-pointer, but Kareem Reid and Eric Jamison, Jr., each converted close shots to pull Gardner-Webb within 64-61 at the 2:01 mark.
 
After Denny Slay II sank two free throws to put the Panthers up by two possessions, Cornwall snuck in for another layup with 1:12 to go for a 66-63 score. A defensive stop gave Gardner-Webb possession and, after a miss on the other end, Reid grabbed a critical offensive rebound with 29 seconds left and found Johnson for the game-tying three with 28.6 ticks on the clock.
 
High Point had a chance to win, but Gardner-Webb's defense forced a tough look from deep and the game went to overtime.
 
Neither team could connect early in the extra period, until Jose Perez broke the ice with a three-pointer from the left wing with 3:16 to play. High Point pulled within one point on a pair of free throws, but Cornwall got free for another three-pointer and a five 2-68 lead with 2:00 minutes left.
 
John-Michael Wright banked in a long three with 1:40 to play, but Cornwall answered again with his own long ball off an assist from Ludovic Dufeal with 1:09 on the clock. A turnover, steal and layup by Jamison pushed the Gardner-Webb lead to 77-71 and after Johnson drew a charge – Perez sank a pair of free throws with 44.2 seconds left for what appeared to be an insurmountable 79-71 margin.
 
Gardner-Webb had possession with 27 seconds left after rebounding another Panthers' miss, but a turnover led to a leaning three from Slay. Gardner-Webb left the door open with a pair of free throw misses with 12 seconds to go and Slay drove for a layup to cut the lead to 79-76 with 3.9 seconds to play.
 
The Panthers nearly pulled off a miracle, tying up the inbounds pass for a jump ball – and possession – but Slay's last-second try from deep was long and Gardner-Webb ran down the loose ball to end the game.
 
Gardner-Webb shot 48.1 percent for the game, heating up in key moments, and owned a 36-30 edge on the backboards against one of the Big South's top rebounding teams. GWU got inside for a +12 edge in paint scoring and made 11-of-28 from long range (39.3%).
 
GWU made 18-of-28 from the free throw line, with Perez (10-of-11) and Johnson (5-of-6) making 15 of those shots. Kareem Reid came off the bench to score five points, secure three offensive rebounds and block two more shots.
 
High Point took full advantage of 15 Gardner-Webb turnovers, owning a 26-7 edge in transition points. The Panthers shot 40.7 percent for the game (24-of-59), made 12 three-pointers and got 20 points off its bench.
 
John-Michael Wright scored a career-best 31 points, Slay had 12 and Eric Coleman, Jr., had 10 points in the loss.
 
Gardner-Webb will return home to host Charleston Southern Saturday afternoon at 4:30, part of another Big South Conference doubleheader in Paul Porter Arena.