BOILING SPRINGS, N.C.  – Despite leading for over 31 minutes in the contest, the Gardner-Webb University women's basketball team fell in a tight battle with non-conference opponent, Furman University, 73-66 on November. 29 in the Paul Porter Arena.
 
"We have to continue to learn how to win," said Head Coach Scott Merritt. "That starts by competing for 40 minutes and playing with an intensity on the floor."
 
In the opening minutes of the first quarter, the Paladins led 6-4 early before the 'Dawgs responded with an 8-0 run to jump in front by six. Furman would answer back late in the quarter to tie the score at 17-17 with 1:14 on the clock. Two three-pointers from freshman guard Lauren Bailey, including a buzzer-beater, would take the Runnin' Bulldogs into the second quarter leading 23-17. Bailey added 12 total points for the 'Dawgs in the opening quarter.
 
Entering the second quarter, Gardner-Webb would bump its lead up to seven at 26-19, until a 7-0 run by the Paladins tied the score back up at 26-26. The 'Dawgs answered Furman with a 9-0 scoring affair to jump ahead 35-26 with just over three minutes left in the half. A make from behind the arc by junior guard Ashley Hawkins gave GWU its first 10-point lead of the season at 38-28. With 55 seconds remaining in the half, sophomore guard Nyla Walker added a jumper to give the Runnin' Bulldogs a 12-point lead over Furman and helped the 'Dawgs head into halftime leading 40-30.
 
The third quarter involved Gardner-Webb maintaining a double-digit lead for the majority of the action, until at 1:10 left in the quarter, the Paladins would cut the deficit to nine points and eventually head into the fourth quarter only down by six at 54-48. Furman opened the final 10 minutes of play with aggressiveness, attacking the GWU lead and bringing the score to 56-55 with 5:33 remaining in the contest. A jumper from Hawkins slowed down Furman at 58-55, but the Paladins would step in front for the first time since the opening minutes of the first quarter. Furman controlled the lead now at 64-58 with under three minutes to play, allowing the 'Dawgs to come within four at 64-60. Another make by Hawkins to shrink the deficit to four would be the closest GWU came within, ultimately sealing the victory for Furman at 73-66. The Paladins would outscore the 'Dawgs 18-14 in the third and 25-12 in the fourth quarter to make the final jump over GWU.
 
"We will keep plugging away each game and getting better," said Merritt. "A lot of kids did some really good things on the floor and I'm proud of our fight."
 
NOTABLE STATS
Hawkins led the ''Dawgs with an explosive game, scoring a season-high 23 points. She picked up five rebounds, five assists, two steals, and one block. Graduate student Ramatoulaye Keita dominated the paint for GWU, hauling in 13 rebounds, including 11 boards in the first half. Walker and Bailey tailed Hawkins in points for the Runnin' Bulldogs with 14 and 12, respectfully. GWU shot 4-of-6 from the charity stripe while Furman knocked down 25-of-34. The 'Dawgs outscored the Paladins 15-9 on fast breaks.
 
UP NEXT
The Runnin' Bulldogs hit the road in a week and head to the Sunshine State for two non-conference matchups with (R/V) FGCU on December 7 at 7:00 p.m. and the University of South Florida on December 10 at 1:00 p.m.