BOILING SPRINGS – Gardner-Webb (9-9, 3-2) trailed by just four at halftime before evening the score at 36 early in the second half, but USC Upstate (7-10, 4-1) pulled away down the stretch for a 74-61 win on Wednesday night inside Paul Porter Arena.
Kareem Reid led the way for the Runnin' Bulldogs, who finished with four players in double figures on the night. Reid posted team-highs with 15 points and seven rebounds to go along with two blocks, while
D'Maurian Williams added 11 points and two assists.
Jordan Sears and
Lance Terry each tallied 10 points, with Sears handing out a team-leading three assists and Terry recording two steals and a block while also matching a career-high with seven rebounds.
Gardner-Webb shot 37.0% from the floor, while Upstate shot 47.2% overall and 39.1% from 3-point range. The Spartans, who have now won four-straight in Big South action, were fueled by 23 points and 12 rebounds from Bryson Mozone and 17 points and five assists from Jordan Gainey.
The Runnin' Bulldogs led by two after a made layup from Reid on the game's first possession, but Upstate quickly gained a lead and control of the first half as the Spartans raced ahead to an 11-point lead with 6:48 remaining before halftime – 28-17 – their largest lead of the opening frame. GWU battled back with an 8-2 run to finish the half, however, as a bucket from Williams with 57 ticks remaining brought the 'Dogs back to within four at the break, 33-29.
Looking to rebound in what was a close game coming out of the half, Gardner-Webb used a 7-0 run and a timely 3-pointer from
Julien Soumaoro (8 points) to even the score at 36-36 just over two minutes into the second half. But the Spartans immediately answered, countering with a 12-0 spurt of their own in just under two minutes of play to comfortably push back ahead to a 48-36 advantage.
A 3-point make from Terry helped GWU trim its deficit to seven with 9:44 to go, but it be as close as the Runnin' Bulldogs would come as Upstate stretched its lead to as many as 18 points before rounding out the evening with a 13-point victory.
Upstate went almost perfect from the free throw line on the night, finishing 15-of-16 from the charity stripe to Gardner-Webb's mark of 15-of-23. Each team scored 26 points in the paint, while the Runnin' Bulldogs edged the Spartans in both turnovers (13-12) and bench points (17-16).
Wednesday's loss is the second in a row for the Runnin' Bulldogs after seeing their five-game winning streak snapped last Saturday on the road at Longwood. At 3-2 in the Big South, GWU still remains third in the league's South Division trailing Winthrop (3-0) and Upstate (4-1).
Gardner-Webb will now turn its focus towards a big road showdown in Rock Hill on Saturday, January 22 at Winthrop, the team voted to finish first in the Big South's South Division in the league's preseason coaches' poll. Tipoff for this weekend's tilt is slated for 2 p.m. inside Winthrop Coliseum.
