BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. - The Gardner-Webb University women's basketball team is back in action on Tuesday morning inside Paul Porter Arena, hosting ETSU in the annual Education Day contest

Tuesday's game will feature a slightly earlier tip-off time that normal, with the two sides taking the court for a special event that features one of the most unique crowds seen anywhere in college basketball during the season. The contest will be played in front of mostly children from Cleveland County and the surrounding Boiling Springs and Western North Carolina area, including from Boiling Springs Elementary, Cliffside Elementary, Forest City Dunbar Elementary, Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy, Springmore Elementary, and Township Number Three Elementary. Over 1,500 students and staff ere expected.

Senior guard Ashley Hawkins leads Gardner-Webb into the contest, so far averaging north of 15 points per game and 5 assists her game on the offensive end. The Runnin' Bulldogs are also led by sophomore guard Lauren Bailey at 9.5 points per game and a nearly perfect 91% at the free throw line, graduate forward Elze Motekaityte who is averaging 10.5 points per game, 3.5 rebounds per game and 2.0 blocks per game, and sophomore guard Anaya Harris who at 3.5 steals per game, is among the nation and conference leaders defensively.

Former conference foes in the ASUN, Gardner-Webb and ETSU meet for the ninth time on Tuesday morning, with the all-time series locked at four game each. Neither side has ever won more than two games in a row in the series, with the Runnin' Bulldogs most recently scoring a 78-72 win on a neutral court in 2021, while the Buccaneers defeated GWU 60-48 in Johnson City last December. Tuesday will be just the third meeting between the schools in over 15 years.

This season, Gardner-Webb comes in with a 1-1 record, while ETSU makes the trip to Paul Porter Arena at 0-2 overall. The Runnin' Bulldogs defeated West Georgia on opening night November 4th at home, gutting out a 67-63 win over one of Division I's newest programs. GWU continued on into last Friday night November 8th, dropping a narrow contest 69-61 at Elon. For the Buccaneers, ETSU was beaten on the road by nationally ranked NC State 80-55 last Tuesday night November 5th, ahead of dropping its home opener against Jackson State on Saturday November 9th by a final score of 55-48.

Tuesday morning's Education Day game will be carried by ESPN Plus, with tip-off scheduled for just after 11 am inside Paul Porter Arena. Tickets to the general public are also on sale now at gwusports.com