STATESBORO, Ga. – Junior guard Pharrell Boyogueno scored a career-high 17 points on 5-of-7 shooting to go along with eight rebounds, but it was not enough as the Gardner-Webb (4-8) men's basketball team was on the losing end of an 86-81 score at Georgia Southern (7-5) on Tuesday evening.
 
Sophomore guard Darryl Simmons II led the Runnin' Bulldogs with 18 points while graduate guard Anthony Selden chipped in 16 points. Graduate forward Jamaine Mann also reached double-digits with 13 points.
 
After Georgia Southern knocked down a three on its opening possession, Mann put the visitors on the board with a layup on the other end of the court. Boyogueno bookended a 7-0 run by the 'Dawgs with five points during the stretch, giving Gardner-Webb amn 11-5 lead with 15:59 remaining on the first half clock.
 
However, the Eagles bounced back with eight in a row as the game became a back-and-forth affair. GSU's Eren Banks cashed in on a three-pointer to give the home team a 20-13 advantage before consecutive layups by Selden sparked a 22-3 run by GWU, pushing the Runnin' Bulldogs ahead by double-digits, 35-23.
 
Georgia Southern scored eight of the final 14 points but went into the locker room trailing on the scoreboard 41-31.
 
After Simmons put GWU back up by 13 (45-32), Georgia Southern stormed back to take the lead, 55-53, following a crucial 23-8 spurt that covered just over six minutes of game action.
 
However, Simmons connected on a pair from the free throw line, knotting the game at 55-all before freshman guard tallied two points on a tough driving layup, capping a 12-4 scoring run by the 'Dawgs, giving the visitors a 67-59 lead with just over eight minutes to play.
 
 Once again, GSU did not let the game get out of hand as it was able to battle back while eventually tying the score at 70-70 before a second chance layup out of the hands of Bradley Douglas gave the Eagles a 72-71 lead.
 
The Runnin' Bulldogs pulled to within a single point after charity stripe makes from senior guard Brendan Mykalcio, but that was as close as Gardner-Webb would get, falling to the Eagles 86-81.
 
Gardner-Webb will return to the hardwood on Saturday, December 21, traveling to Greeneville, N.C. to take on the Pirates of East Carolina University. Game time is set for 3 p.m.