BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Redshirt-junior Gabrielle Caponegro scored a career-high 20 points, leading a quartet of Runnin' Bulldogs in double digits as Gardner-Webb defeated UNC Asheville, 85-55, in Big South Conference action on Tuesday evening inside Paul Porter Arena.
 
Gardner-Webb (16-11, 11-7 Big South) shot at a blistering 54.1 percent on the night, making 33-of-61 attempts from the floor, while holding UNC Asheville (15-12, 9-9 Big South) to 42.9 percent (18-of-42) for the contest.
 
The Runnin' Bulldogs got off to a hot start, opening the game on 15-4 run, capped by a Jhessyka Wiliams layup with 4:45 to go in the first period.  GWU made ten of its 16 attempts in the quarter, building a 27-10 lead.
 
UNC Asheville battled back in the second period, closing the frame on a 9-4 run to pull back within single digits at 39-31 at halftime.
 
Gardner-Webb opened up the third period on a hot streak with a 12-0 run, building a 20-point lead at 51-31 after three-point basket by Morgan Pointer with 6:17 on the clock, and GWU would take a 23-point lead at 65-42 into the final period.
 
The GWU offense remained firing on all cylinders in the fourth period, making 7-of-13 attempts in the period while the defense stymied the visiting Bulldogs, holding them to a 3-of-10 outing in the final quarter.
 
Gardner-Webb expanded its lead to 30 points, opening the period with a 7-0 run, after a pair of free throws by Lauren Bevis with 6:18 on the clock.  The Runnin' Bulldogs would lead by as many as 34 points with 2:05 to go after a Williams layup, and would go on to take a 30-point win at 85-55, Gardner-Webb's largest win margin of the season.
 
Caponegro led all scorers with 20 points, setting a new career high on a 10-of-14 outing.  She also pulled down seven rebounds and totaled three blocks.  Willams added 17 points on 8-of-14 shooting, while Savannah Plentovich totaled 16 points with seven rebounds and Pointer added 10 points from the bench.
 
UNC Asheville was led offensively by Evonna McGill with 13 points.
 
Gardner-Webb takes on USC Upstate on Saturday, February 29 at 2:00 pm in Spartanburg, S.C.