MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Junior guard Julius Clark scored a team-high 13 points as the Gardner-Webb (0-1) men's basketball team opened the 2025-26 campaign with an 87-60 loss at Minnesota (1-0) on Monday evening inside Williams Arena.

After scoring only 20 points in the first half of action, Gardner-Webb found its rhythm on the offensive side of the ball over the final 20 minutes, outscoring the Golden Gophers 40-34.

Guards Spence Sims and Jacob Hudson joined Clark as the only players for the Runnin' Bulldogs to reach double-figure scoring after each chipped in 12 points. As a team, Gardner-Webb shot 19-of-57 (33%) from the field, including 6-for-19 (32%) from beyond the arc.

Minnesota scored 23 of the game's first 24 points to sit comfortably ahead before Clark connected on a driving layup to give the Dawgs their first field goal of the season. The deficit hovered around the 30-point mark the majority of the first as the Gophers put up 53 points heading into halftime.

Gardner-Webb began to see shots fall in the second period after sophomore forward Jacob Hogarth threw down a dunk at the 9:26 mark, keeping the Runnin' Bulldogs in stride with Minnesota midway through the half.

Minnesota was led by Cade Tyson who poured in a game-high 30 points while the Golden Gophers controlled the boards by a margin of 45-31.

The Runnin' Bulldogs return to action on Friday, November 7, traveling to Clemson, S.C. to face the Tigers of the ACC. Game time is set for 7 p.m. inside Littlejohn Colisuem.