BOILING SPRINGS – Gardner-Webb dropped a slow-paced, old-fashioned 59-55 contest at home Friday night to High Point in Paul Porter Arena.

The loss snapped a three-game win streak for the Runnin' Bulldogs (6-10, 5-6 Big South) and marked the lowest scoring output since a 67-50 loss at Pittsburgh in the second game of the season.

High Point (5-9, 3-6 Big South) snapped a three-game skid in the series.

Jaheam Cornwall led the way for Gardner-Webb with 16 points, scoring eight in each half, but nobody else on the GWU stat sheet reached double digits. 

The game's pace was deliberate and High Point's defense bothered GWU early, with four turnovers in the first five possessions – with three unforced errors hampering a strong start. The Runnin' Bulldogs had seven turnovers in the first nine minutes, but High Point wasn't able to create much of a cushion.

A Cornwall trey with 12:23 to play in the half gave Gardner-Webb a 10-9 lead, but the Panthers used John-Michael Wright's next six points to fuel an 9-3 run for an 18-13 edge with 8:06 on the first half clock.

A 5-1 spurt by the 'Dogs was capped by another Cornwall three-pointer for a brief lead, but High Point answered again to go back in front. After Jacob Falko countered with a late three-pointer with 1:27 left in the half, Wright capped another Panthers' spurt with a three-pointer for a 31-25 lead at the break.

Gardner-Webb continued to struggle to find any offensive rhythm in the second half, but battled and clawed back to a 45-45 tie on a Ludovic Dufeal layup off a feed from Cornwall with 10:41 to play.

The Runnin' Bulldogs finally made it back into the lead, getting three-pointer from D'Maurian Williams with 6:10 to playoff a 50-49 edge. High Point followed with a follow shot from Alex Holt moments later, however, and the Panthers held the lead until Cornwall came through with another three on the wing to tie the score at 53 with 1:32 to play.

The two teams' traded free throws over the next three possessions, with Gardner-Webb splitting a costly 1-and-1 opportunity with 41 seconds to go. The 'Dogs played strong defense and got a foul rebounding on the other end however, and Jamaine Mann stepped up to tie the game, 55-55 with 17.8 seconds to play. His second free throw was short and Gardner-Webb appeared to corral the offensive carom – but an unpopular push in the back call was whistled to send the Panthers back to the line.

Lydell Elmore made his first chance to put High Point on top and grabbed his own miss off a long rebound – a costly exchange that gave the visitors a chance to salt the game away. Gardner-Webb fouled and  Bryant Randleman sank both with 13.3 seconds to go – but the Runnin' Bulldogs still had plenty of time to try for the tie down 58-55.

An open look for Williams from the right wing was well short with 2.1 seconds left and High Point got one more free throw from Elmore for the final margin.

Gardner-Webb closed the game by missing seven of its final eight shots from the floor, and High Point didn't make a field goal over the final three minutes of play.

The Runnin' Bulldogs shot 37.0 percent from the deck (20-of-54), made just 8-of-29 from three-point range (27.6 percent) and struggled from the free throw line to the tune of 46.7 percent (7-of-15). 

Forward Kareem Reid had a solid defensive game, finishing with seven points, seven rebounds, three blocks and a career-best five steals in the post. Dufeal and Williams each scored six points and Dufeal swatted away a pair of shots.

High Point got 17 points from Elmore (nine rebounds), 12 points from Holt (eight rebounds) and 11 from Wright, who added five rebounds and four assists.

The Panthers shot 38.5 percent for the game overall (20-of-52) and were ice cold from deep (2-of-11, 18.2 percent) – but took good advantage at the free throw line. High Point made 17-of-26 chances (65.4 percent), outscoring Gardner-Webb by 10 points in that category. 

The Panthers also controlled the glass on the night, out-rebounding Gardner-Webb by a 42-35 margin – including a 24-17 margin in the decisive second half.

The two teams will grapple again on Saturday beginning at 5:00 pm (ESPN+).