Postgame Interview with Tim Craft

BOILING SPRINGS – A stifling Gardner-Webb defense held Radford to just 42 points as the Runnin' Bulldogs cruised past the Highlanders by 19 Saturday afternoon inside Paul Porter Arena, 61-42.
 
Gardner-Webb (11-10, 5-3) limited Radford (6-14, 2-6) to only 15 field goals on 28.3% shooting for the game, the lowest shooting percentage from a Division I opponent this season. The Highlanders managed only 18 points in the first half before the 'Dogs locked them down once again in the second half, forcing them to 24.
 
The commanding defensive performance marks the lowest point total allowed by Gardner-Webb since holding High Point to 40 on February 26, 2011, nearly 11 years ago.
 
D'Maurian Williams hit four 3-pointers and once again led the Runnin' Bulldogs in scoring with 19 points. He also grabbed five rebounds and registered one block, one steal and one assist. Lance Terry also finished in double figures with 11 points and five rebounds, while Ludovic Dufeal ripped down a game-high 11 boards for his fourth double-digit rebounding showing of the season.
 
Zion Williams and Jordan Sears each added eight points, and Anthony Selden went for six points, six rebounds, two steals and a career-high four assists for the Runnin' Bulldogs, who as a team shot 38.8% from the floor (19 for 49) and 85.7% from the free throw line (18 for 21).
 
All five of the game's lead changes came in the opening nine minutes as a triple from Sears put the Runnin' Bulldogs ahead for good with 9:45 to play before the break. While the Highlanders kept the score to within one with just under six to go, the 'Dogs began to methodically stretch their lead and used a 6-0 run to take an eight-point advantage into the half, 26-18.
 
Coming out on the opposite end of the break, Kareem Reid and D'Maurian Williams both finished at the rim before Terry sliced through defenders and threw down a two-handed slam to cap off a 12-0 run for the home team stretching back to the first half.
 
It was all Gardner-Webb from there, opening up a lead of as many as 24 points as D'Maurian Williams knocked down three quick 3-pointers before Radford was able to hit finally reach double-digit scoring in the final frame with the game well out of reach with 7:25 left to play.
 
Gardner-Webb has now won back-to-back games to counter a recent three-game losing skid and improve to 5-3 in the Big South. The Runnin' Bulldogs will now go for their third consecutive win on Wednesday, February 2 when they head to High Point to face the Panthers inside the brand-new Qubein Center at 7 p.m.