Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Athens, Ga. • Stegeman Coliseum
Watch  |  Listen |  Live Stats  |  Notes
 
ATHENS, Ga. – Returning to the hardwood for game action for the first time in 12 days, Gardner-Webb will hit the road on Wednesday, December 29 for a trip to Athens and a showdown against the University of Georgia inside Stegeman Coliseum.
 
Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. with live video coverage streaming on SEC Network+. The Runnin' Bulldogs Sports Network (RBSN) as well as local radio station WGNC FM 101.1 / AM 1450 will also carry live audio play-by-play with Gardner-Webb's own Phil Constantino on the call.
 
Wednesday night's meeting will be the fifth all-time between the Runnin' Bulldogs and Bulldogs as Gardner-Webb goes for its first-ever win over its SEC opponent. The two teams last met back on November 25, 2016, a 77-59 victory for Georgia. GWU finished within nine points of Georgia back in 2013, 58-49, while the closest matchup between the two teams came during their very first meeting on December 8, 2004, a 67-62 final in Athens.
 
Last time out, Gardner-Webb (5-7) received 19 points apiece on a combined 10 3-pointers from Lance Terry and D'Maurian Williams, and Anthony Selden amassed five blocks as the Runnin' Bulldogs cruised to a 79-46 win over Converse on December 17. On defense, GWU held the Valkyries to 27.0% shooting from the floor and 20.0% from behind the arc, while the offense exploded for 16 triples to cap off a convincing 33-point win to help snap a four-game skid prior to Christmas Break.   
 
As for Georgia (5-7), Noah Baumann poured in 25 points the last time out to lead a trio of Bulldogs in double figures. However, East Tennessee State used a late rally to defeat UGA, 86-84, on December 22 at Stegeman Coliseum.
 

BULLDOG BITES

 
LOCKDOWN D: GWU held Converse to 27.0% shooting, the lowest shooting percentage of any opponent since Brevard shot 18.0% against the 'Dogs on December 19, 2018, nearly three full years ago.
 
THREE-FOR-ALL: The 'Dogs knocked down 16 3-pointers the last time out versus Converse, the most in a contest since February 10, 2020 against High Point exactly 45 games ago. GWU, who averages 7.9 3-pointers per game, has now hit 10+ triples in back-to-back games and in five games total this season.
 
DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS: Through 12 games, Gardner-Webb has held opponents to 39.4% on field goals, the top mark in the Big South and the 61^st best average in the nation. The Runnin' Bulldogs also rank 36^th in the country in opponent 3-point percentage at 28.1%. While GWU gives up 66.4 PPG on average, the 'Dogs have allowed just 61.9 PPG in its 10 games not against nationally ranked opponents while averaging 75.1 PPG in those same contests.
 
DEFENDING THE PERIMETER: Outside of its two games against nationally ranked opponents, Gardner-Webb has been excellent defending the perimeter this season. In 10 games not against ranked teams, GWU has held opponents to just 24.1% (56-of-232) from deep. Facing a VMI team ranked second in the nation in total 3-pointers made at the time, GWU held the Keydets to just seven 3-pointers, tied for their lowest made triples of the season. The 'Dogs then held NCCU to only four triples and Converse to six in their ensuing two games.
 
BLOCK PARTY: Since the return of Ludovic Dufeal from injury seven games ago, the frontcourt duo of he and Kareem Reid have been elite on defense. The two rim protectors have combined for 29 blocks in seven games (Dufeal – 17 ; Reid – 12), boosting GWU to the 20^th best mark in the nation at 5.7 BPG. This season, Dufeal is averaging a whopping 2.4 BPG, while Reid averages 1.8 BPG. Dufeal ranks first amongst all Gardner-Webb players in its Division I era with 145 blocks, while Reid checks in at fifth with 106. The two of them hold the two top spots at Gardner-Webb in career blocks per game with Dufeal ranked first (1.7 BPG) followed by Reid in second (1.5 BPG).
 
DOUBLE-DIGIT D'MAURIAN: D'Maurian Williams continues to get it done on offense for GWU. The second-year guard has finished in double figures nine times this season, including in each of the last four games, while finishing with 21 points or more three times in 12 games. The Phoenix, Arizona native currently leads the Runnin' Bulldogs at 14.6 PPG.
 
WELCOME BACK, LUDO: Since returning from an injury to his calf that forced him to miss the first seven games, senior Ludovic Dufeal has made an immediate impact for Gardner-Webb. In seven games, the veteran big man has averaged 2.4 blocks per game, including a season-high four-block performance during his first start vs. Wofford. Against VMI, Dufeal snatched a career-high 15 rebounds, seven of which came on the offensive glass (also tied for a career-high). It was the most total rebounds by a Gardner-Webb player since Tyrell Nelson grabbed 16 boards on Jan. 6, 2016. Against Converse on December 17, Dufeal overtook the top spot in program history for career blocks (Division I era), eclipsing the mark of 144 blocks set by Simon Conn who played in Boiling Springs from '02-'03 to '05-'06.
 
MASTER OF EFFICIENCY: Kareem Reid, who has finished perfect from the field in four games this season, ranks eighth in NCAA Division I shooting 64.6% from the field (62-of-66). He remains GWU's third-leading scorer at 11.8 PPG trailing only D'Maurian Williams (14.6 PPG) and Lance Terry (13.5 PPG). Reid, who entered the season with a single-game career-high of 13 points, has already eclipsed that total in five games this season while finishing in double figures seven times.
 
HOME VS. ROAD: Gardner-Webb has struggled on the road (0-6) compared to at home (5-1) this season, getting outscored 440-363 (-77) away from Boiling Springs while outscoring opponents 509-357 (+152) at home. In six home games, the Runnin' Bulldogs have shot 51.1% and averaged 84.8 PPG while allowing only 59.5 PPG to opponents. However, in six games on the road, the 'Dogs have shot just 39.3% and averaged only 60.5 PPG while allowing opponents to score 73.6 PPG. GWU has shot over 40.0% in all six home games, eclipsing 50.0% in four of those. On the road, GWU has eclipsed 40.0% shooting only once in six tries.