Box Score BOONE, N.C. – Gardner-Webb led by as many as 13 points in the first half Tuesday afternoon, but fell 87-81 to Appalachian State in the final non-conference game of the year.

The Runnin' Bulldogs (8-4) saw their three-game win streak snapped and lost for the first time this season when scoring more than 80 points.

Jhessyka Williams led the way with 19 points and 12 rebounds despite battling foul trouble. Alasia Smith scored 18 points and grabbed 14 boards, Ki'Ari Cain had 12 points and Lauren Bevis joined Layken Cox with 11 points in a balanced scoring day.

Gardner-Webb led 41-36 at halftime.

The Mountaineers (4-7) used an 13-0 run early in the third quarter to erase a nine-point deficit and surge in front by as many as eight points late in the quarter as part of a larger 20-3 spurt.

Gardner-Webb mounted a counterattack, getting a three from Cain to spark an 11-2 rally that put the 'Dogs up 59-58 on a Smith layup with 9:43 to go in the game.

After Appalachian State ran off five in a row, Christina Deng and Cain each made buckets to tie the game at 63 with 8:30 remaining. The Mountaineers would retake the lead soon after and Gardner-Webb would not be able to pull even the rest of the way.

A Sarah Matthews jumper with 6:33 left cut the lead to 69-68, but that would be as close as GWU would get down the stretch. 

With her team trailing 84-78 with 36 seconds to go, Bevis was fouled on a three-point attempt and drained all three chances to pull Gardner-Webb within 84-81 with 35 seconds remaining – but a three-point play by Janay Sanders with nine seconds left provided the final margin.

Gardner-Webb shot 44.9 percent for the game and made 14-of-20 chances at the free throw line, but turned the basketball over 18 times to allow Appalachian State 25 points.

The Runnin' Bulldogs dominated the backboards (44-31) and scored 19 second-chance points.

Appalachian State was able to manage Gardner-Webb's defensive pressure overall, committing just 13 turnovers and limiting GWU to only nine points on fast breaks. The Mountaineers also made nine three-pointers in the game (9-of-20), including 3-of-4 in the second half.

Cha Harris led the Mountaineers with 17 points, Sanders had 16 and A'Lea Gilbert scored 15. Emily Carer and Brooke Bigott each scored 14 points. Appalachian State shot a crisp 49.2 percent for the game (30-of-61) and heated up to 61.5 percent shooting in the decisive second half.

Gardner-Webb will break for Christmas before getting into Big South Conference play on Thursday, December 29 at Charleston Southern.