FORT COLLINS, Colo. – Gardner-Webb gave Mountain West contender Colorado State fits in Monday's season opener before falling 65-63 on a last-second bucket.

The Runnin' Bulldogs (0-1) controlled much of the game, leading for 28:57 and owning a +5 edge on the glass. The Rams (1-0) needed a contested Isaiah Rivera shot with 0.9 seconds left to deliver a win.

Gardner-Webb led by as many as 13 points in the first half, and held a 36-25 lead at halftime after putting together 20 minutes of strong defense and timely shooting.

Colorado State (1-0) made a push early in the second half, opening with a 21-8 run to go in front 48-44 after Joe Palmer scored six in a row with 8:46 to play.

The lead grew as large as 11 points for the Rams before Gardner-Webb could muster a counter attack, getting a Lucas Stieber layup and a three from Julien Soumaoro with 2:49 left to trim the lead to six. A pair of Kareem Reid free throws with 1:28 to play cut the lead back to six points and Anthony Selden drained a three after a steal with 49.2 seconds left to cut the lead to 63-60.

Two missed free throws on the other end kept Gardner-Webb alive and Soumaoro was fouled on a three-point attempt with six seconds to go. The Bronx, N.Y., sophomore made all three chances to tie the score, but Rivera ended the game with his last-second make.

Gardner-Webb had less than a second to try and go the length of the floor to tie or win, but the Rivera snagged the baseball pass as the buzzer sounded.

Soumaoro led Gardner-Webb with 12 points off the bench and was one of four to finish the game in double figures for head coach Tim Craft.

Selden scored 11 points, DQ Nicholas scored 10 and Reid had 10 points to go with 10 rebounds in the paint.

Gardner-Webb shot 42.6 percent for the game (23-of-54) and made 10-of-16 from the charity stripe (62.5 percent). The 'Dogs all five of their free throws in the final 90 seconds to tie the game.

Craft's team held a 33-28 edge on the backboards, outscored the Rams in the paint and limited the home team to only one offensive rebound – and three second-chance points.

Colorado State shot 54.2 percent in the second half to get back in the game, making 13-of-24 baskets and 5-of-8 from long range. Both teams had 16 turnovers.

John Tonje led all scorers with 16 points, Patrick Cartier had 12 and Rivera finished with 11.

The Runnin' Bulldogs will stay out west, flying to face Stephen F. Austin on Thursday night. The game is set for a 7:30 tip in Nacogdoches, Texas.