ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Gardner-Webb traveled to first-place UNC Asheville on Saturday afternoon and fell 75-63 in the Battle of the Bulldogs.

The Runnin' Bulldogs (15-13, 10-6 Big South) dropped their second game in a row, but gave UNC Asheville (22-7, 14-2 Big South) all it could handle in the opening 32 minutes.

Gardner-Webb led early in the second half after trailing by a 29-28 score at the break and trailed by just three points – 47-44 – after a Kareem Reid dunk with 8:37 to play. UNC Asheville used a 10-2 run from there to create some separation and the Runnin' Bulldogs would not be able to get closer than seven points the rest of the way.

Anthony Selden netted a team-high 20 points in the loss, making 7-of-12 shots from the floor and a pair of threes. Caleb Robinson scored 14 points off the bench and Reid went for 13 points and eight boards in 23 minutes.

Gardner-Webb shot 39.3 percent for the game (24-of-61) and made just 5-of-18 from deep (27.8 percent).

UNC Asheville got 22 points and 10 rebounds from forward Drew Pember, 16 points each from Taijon Jones and Jamon Battle and 10 points from Nick McMullen. The Bulldogs shot a solid 27-of-51 from the floor (52.9 percent). Pember made 9-of-12 free throws in the game.

A national television appearance awaits Gardner-Webb next, as third-place Longwood travels to Boiling Springs, N.C., for a showdown on Thursday, February 23 at 7:00 pm. The game will air live on ESPNU.

The Runnin' Bulldogs sit just one game back of a tie between Longwood and Radford with two games to play.

Tickets for Thursday night's game are available on GWUSports at this link.