BOILING SPRINGS – Gardner-Webb women's basketball returns home on New Year's Eve afternoon at 2:00 to host High Point in a key Big South Conference battle.

The Runnin' Bulldogs (9-4, 1-0 Big South) and Panther (3-8, 1-0 Big South) finished tied atop the preseason Big South Conference poll and will meet for the first time this season in Paul Porter Arena on the final day of 2022.

Gardner-Webb will honor 1,500-point scorer Jhessyka Williams and 1,000-point scorer Lauren Bevis prior to Saturday's tip. Williams is now the program's Division I era leading scorer with 1,617 points, with she and Bevis each reaching milestones during the team's road trip to California in early December.

The Panthers lead the all-time series (22-17), but Gardner-Webb swept three meetings last season – including a 55-53 win over High Point to advance to the Big South Tournament semifinals last March in Charlotte.

Gardner-Webb ran past Charleston Southern in its opener, winning 86-65 on the road. Williams led five women in double digits and is has been dominant in her redshirt senior season – averaging 18.5 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. She is also pilfering 2.5 steals per contest.

Preseason Player of the Year Alasia Smith is supplying 13.5 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, while harrassing opposing teams with 3.4 steals per game. Nearly half (45) of her 105 rebounds this season have been on the offensive glass.

Bevis (12.7 ppg) and Ki'Ari Cain (10.2 ppg) are also scoring in double figures this season, with emerging post presence Layken Cox scoring 7.5 points per game.

Gardner-Webb is averaging a solid 74.5 points per game as a team and has made 212 free throws through 13 games.

High Point blistered Longwood 79-50 in its Big South opener on Thursday night at home and is led by Skyler Curran (15.9 ppg), Jenson Edwards (10.4 ppg) and Nakayah Terrell (10.1 ppg).

Saturday's game will stream live on ESPN+ (WatchESPN.com).