Postgame Interview with Tim Craft

CHARLESTON, S.C. – Four players finished in double figures and Gardner-Webb raced to a 25-point win over Charleston Southern to open its Big South Conference schedule, 88-63.
 
Gardner-Webb's 88 points is its second-highest total of the season and its highest total overall against a Division I opponent. Wednesday night marked the fifth time this season GWU has scored 80 or more points as the Runnin' Bulldogs open with a Big South win for the fifth time in nine years under head coach Tim Craft.
 
Gardner-Webb (7-7; 1-0) has now won three-straight wins to counter a prior four-game losing streak in early December. Charleston Southern (3-10; 0-1) has now lost four-straight.
 
D'Maurian Williams registered 20 or more points for the fourth time this season to lead Gardner-Webb in scoring. He finished with 20 points on 8-of-14 shooting and a three 3-pointers. Lance Terry followed with 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting to match a season high, while Anthony Selden connected on 7-of-9 attempts and matched a career high with 16 points.
 
All 10 players who saw the court scored at least one bucket for Gardner-Webb, who shot 54.0% (34-for-63) from the floor as a team, its fourth game shooting above the 50.0% mark this season.
 
The Runnin' Bulldogs spent 37:53 of game play with a lead and trailed for only 20 seconds early in the contest, ultimately stretching their advantage to as many as 27 points late in the second half after taking a commanding 25-point lead into halftime, 51-26.
 
Holding a 19-15 edge through the first 11 minutes, a triple from D'Maurian Williams kickstarted the offense as GWU surged to a 15-1 run in just under four minutes. A free throw from Terry gave the 'Dogs a 20-point lead at the 4:00 mark as they finished the first half shooting at an impressive 59.4% clip.
 
The Runnin' Bulldogs then cruised through the second half, never allowing the Buccaneers any closer than to within 18 points to cap off their third consecutive win of 17 points or more.
 
Gardner-Webb held Charleston Southern to just 39.0% shooting on the night and 24.1% from distance. The 'Dogs outscored the Bucs 54-30 in the paint and 26-8 on points off turnovers.
 
Gardner-Webb will now look to match its season-high four-game winning streak when it returns to Boiling Springs to face Hampton on Saturday, January 8. Tipoff inside Paul Porter Arena is slated for 2 p.m.