BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. - The Gardner-Webb women's basketball team (1-4, 0-0 Big South) scored its first win under new head coach Terri Williams on Sunday afternoon, defeating Hampton (1-2, 0-0 CAA) 55-35 behind a stifling defensive performance

The Runnin' Bulldogs and Hampton played out a tight first quarter on Sunday, with GWU in front just 13-10 after one. Redshirt senior guard Jaelyn Acker started the scoring for the Runnin' Bulldogs at 9:34, adding to her team leading three point total. A 6-0 run for Gardner-Webb helped pace the offense despite both defenses playing up to the task. Junior guard Amina Gray added four points in the frame, ensuring a GWU lead through 10 minutes.

The story on Sunday was defense and nowhere was that more apparent than the second quarter. Gardner-Webb held Hampton to just four second-quarter points on 1-of-12 shooting, the only bucket of which was a desperation three at the end of the shot clock with 3:37 to play until the break. Gardner-Webb meanwhile had its first three field goals of the quarter all come from long range, including two from Acker and the last by senior guard Nyla Walker at 3:10 to put the Dawgs in front 22-13. At halftime, GWU led 25-14.

Much like the second, Gardner-Webb added to its lead by simply keeping Hampton off the scoreboard. The Pirates were held to just 2-of-13 and with only six points in the frame. The Runnin' Bulldogs had just 10 points in the third quarter, five of which came from junior forward Amira Ofunniyin, but were able to see out a 35-20 lead through 30 minutes.

Both offenses sprung to life a bit in the fourth, in particular from Gardner-Webb. The Runnin' Bulldogs hit 7-of-8 in the frame, all of its last seven in a row, to pull away for a 20-point victory. Gray was simply fantastic in the fourth quarter, scoring 14 of her career-high 18 points, knocking down four three-pointers, two of which came in the final 3:30 of the game. Gray hit back-to-back from long range at 3:14 and 2:30, bringing the Paul Porter Arena crowd to its feet and icing the game with GWU in front at that point 51-30. The two teams traded late buckets from there, as Gardner-Webb scored the first win of the Terri Williams era, 55-35

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Gardner-Webb held Hampton to just 21.2% from the deck (11-of-52) and 14.8% (4-of-27) from three, meanwhile the Runnin' Bulldogs finished shooting 45.5% (20-of-44) behind the lights-out fourth quarter. The Runnin' Bulldogs also had the advantage in points in the paint, ahead 22-12, and posted 13 assists on 20 made baskets

LEADERS
Gray exploded in the fourth for a career-high 18 points, Acker posted 12 points with the pair each hitting four times from three, Ofunniyin recorded her first double-double at Gardner-Webb with 10 points and 11 rebounds, Walker tallied seven points and three assists, and freshman guard Makayla Legette added four points, five assists and four rebounds

UP NEXT
The Runnin' Bulldogs are back home on Wednesday night, November 19th, to host UNC Wilimington. Tip-off inside Paul Porter Arena is set for 7 pm