BOILING SPRINGS. N.C. – The Gardner-Webb University men's basketball team earned a 79-60 victory over the Crusaders of North Greenville University on Monday night. Julien Soumaoro, Caleb Robinson and DQ Nicholas all dropped double digits for the Runnin' Bulldogs.
 
"I thought they scored a lot one-on-one.", said coach Craft. "I thought they attacked us a lot and we just didn't have enough grit with the misses there, and credit them for really playing well in the first half. We had a really good start to the second half. Our guys were focused and really trying to lock in to guard guys, and we got a bunch of stops to start the half. I thought we played really unselfishly and really led the way for the rest of the game.
 
The Runnin' Bulldogs opened the game on a 20-10 by the 12:37 mark thanks to early buckets by Cheickna Sissoko, Lucas Stieber and Caleb Robinson. North Greenville began to close the gap behind the first half play of Max Topham. Following a tied game at 22-22 with 9:37 left in the half, the 'Dawgs and Crusaders exchanged the lead twice more. A pair of driving layups from DQ Nicholas and Julien Soumaoro. allowed GWU to build back the lead. Some added free-throw shooting in the closing minutes gave Gardner-Webb a 40-34 lead at the break.
 
Gardner-Webb continued to get the whole team involved early in the second half going on a 15-2 run in the first five minutes also scoring the first 10 unanswered. Robinson and Isaiah Richards kept involved in the scoring down the stretch with Ademide Badmus adding five points of his own in the paint. The Runnin' Bulldogs were led by Soumaoro and Brendan Mykalcio down the stretch before Nicholas added a three in the closing minutes. Gardner-Webb widened their lead to 19 earning a 79-60 win.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Soumaoro led both teams in scoring with 16 points. He's recorded double-digits eight times on the year and leads the team in scoring. Robinson tallied 14 for his ninth double digit game of the season, which leads the Runnin' Bulldogs. He also tallied eight rebounds bringing his total to a team leading 69. Nicholas was the third 'Dawgs in scoring with 12 also collecting six rebounds along with teammates Lazar and Badmus. Soumaro, Robinson, and Nicholas lead the Runnin' Bulldogs in scoring being the only GWU players so far to post triple digits in total points.
 
UP NEXT
Gardner-Webb will next play a neutral sight contest versus Appalachian State University at Novant Health Fieldhouse at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex on Saturday, Dec. 16 at 4:00 p.m.