BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – The Gardner-Webb (6-9, 1-1) men's basketball team received a game-high 16 points from sophomore guard Darryl Simmons II while picking up its first conference win of the season after taking down visiting Presbyterian (8-9, 1-1) by the final of 63-61 on Saturday afternoon inside Paul Porter Arena.
 
Graduate guard Anthony Selden was the only other player for the Runnin' Bulldogs to reach double-figure scoring, chipping in 12 points. Redshirt senior forward Isaiah Richards nearly missed a double-double, collecting eight points and a team-leading 11 rebounds. Simmons also pulled down a career-high nine boards. Graduate forward Jamaine Mann filled the stat sheet with eight points, four rebounds, and four assists.
 
Gardner-Webb dominated the glass, outrebounding the Blue Hose by a commanding margin of 49-26, its biggest spread of the season.
 
Junior guard Pharrell Boyogueno knocked down a wing three, allowing the 'Dawgs to double-up Presbyterian 8-4 early in the first half of action. Sophomore guard Shahar Lazar tallied his first basket of the game at the 13:38 mark while giving GWU its biggest lead of the game, 12-6.
 
However, Presbyterian used a run of 11-1 over the next three minutes to open up a 17-13 advantage over the Runnin' Bulldogs. Simmons put a brief end to the run with a tough jumper, but the Blue Hose came back with a flurry, opening a double-digit lead at 33-23 with less than five minutes to play in the half.
 
Selden connected on the next three points, sparking a crucial 12-2 run over the final 4:25 while sending the two teams into the break knotted at 35-all.
 
That run continued to begin the second half as Gardner-Webb scored 12 of the first 16 points to open its biggest lead of the game, 47-39. However, that gap would not last as PC came back with a 12-2 burst while gaining the lead back at 51-49 with six minutes on the clock.
 
Boyogueno evened the score at 51 with a hard driving layup before Simmons pushed the 'Dawgs back ahead with a pullup three from the top of the key. From that point the game became a back-and-forth affair as neither team could create any separation down the stretch.
 
Presbyterian's Kory Mincy deadlocked the score at 58 with a fallaway jumper but that would the last hope for the Blue Hose as Boyogueno and Simmons cashed in on four in a row from the charity stripe while a potential game-winning heave from just inside half court clanked off the side of the rim for PC, allowing the Runnin' Bulldogs to escape with a 63-61 win.
 
Gardner-Webb will return to action on Wednesday, January 8 as it welcomes the Eagles of Winthrop to the LYCC for Big South basketball action. Game time is set for 7 p.m.