SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Gardner-Webb used a 25-0 run that spanned the first and second quarters to power an 81-56 road win at USC Upstate Wednesday night.

Jhessyka Williams led five women in double figures with a game-high 21 points and Gardner-Webb (17-4, 9-0 Big South) won its ninth game in a row to finish the first half of Big South play undefeated.

Ki'Ari Cain added 15 points, Lauren Bevis and Layken Cox each had 14 points and Alasia Smith scored 11 points to pace Gardner-Webb.

Smith's two free throws with 13 seconds left gave her 1,000 career points – joining teammates Williams and Bevis in that club.

After its monstrous run, Gardner-Webb led 35-14 with 8:16 to play before the half and built its lead to as many as 27 points before settling in for a 48-22 lead at the break.

A steady third quarter performance saw the Runnin' Bulldogs spring to a 57-29 lead on a Williams trey with 5:11 to go in that quarter, but Upstate (8-11, 5-3 Big South) closed on an 8-2 run to trail 59-37 heading into the fourth.

The Spartans would get no closer than 17 the rest of the way.

Gardner-Webb shot 37.5 percent from the floor (27-of-72) and turned 20 offensive rebounds into 12 second-chance points. The GWU defense was in high gear, turning 25 Upstate turnovers directly into 22 points in transition.

The Runnin' Bulldogs committed only 11 turnovers for the game.

Williams and Cox each grabbed nine rebounds and Smith had six. Cain led the team with four assists, just off of her season average that leads the Big South.

Upstate shot 38.2 percent for the game (21-of-55) and just 5-of-17 from deep (29.4 percent). Trinity Johnson was the only Spartan to finish in double figures, scoring 18 points on 6-of-16 shooting in 31 minutes.

Gardner-Webb will be back in action on the road Saturday, traveling to High Point, N.C., for a rematch with second-place High Point (9-10, 7-2 Big South) at 2:00 pm (ESPN+).