WILMINGTON, N.C. – Junior guard Ace Talbert scored a season-high 15 points, but the Gardner-Webb (0-8) men's basketball team could not maintain a double-digit halftime lead, falling to Southeastern Louisiana (2-5) during day two action of the Live Oak Bank Holiday Classic.
Talbert knocked down 6 of his 10 shots, including 3-for-6 from distance to lead the Runnin' Bulldogs. Jacob Hudson chipped in 13 points while Curtis Williams III added 10 in the defeat. Jacob Hogarth collected a team-high six rebounds to go along with three assists.
Gardner-Webb finished the game with a 46.7% clip from the field (21-45) that included 8-of-19 from distance. The Runnin' Bulldogs also knocked down 18-of-25 free throws. The Lions held a 34-31 advantage on the boards.
Talbert got the scoring started with the first of his three triples just over 30 ticks into the opening period. After Southeastern Louisiana scored four straight to take its first lead, Hudson connected on a tough layup while sparking an 11-0 run by GWU, putting the Dawgs up 14-4 midway through the half.
That lead grew to as many as 11 points on a pair of occasions as the two teams traded baskets down the stretch. An old-fashioned three-point play by Hudson gave the Runnin' Bulldogs a 35-25 advantage at the break.
Just as the first half started, Talbert drilled a deep three on the first possession of the second half before SELA used seven in a row to trim the deficit to 38-32. Hogarth briefly put a stop to the run with a make from the charity stripe, but the Lions pulled to within a single point following a layup by Kyle Edison.
After a pair of free throws by Jamias Ferere pushed the Dawgs back ahead by three, the Southeastern Louisiana took four straight while jumping back ahead for the first time since early in the opening half.
The lead was exchanged on three instances over the next two minutes of game action, but the Lions used a crucial 14-6 run, controlling the score at 62-53 with 6:14 remaining in the game.
Colin Hawkins nailed a shot from behind the arc while bringing Gardner-Webb to within six, 74-68, but it proved too little, too late as SELA held on for the 76-68 win.
Gardner-Webb returns to the court tomorrow afternoon, taking on host UNC Wilmington at 3 p.m.
