CARROLLTON, GA - The Gardner-Webb women's basketball team (0-2, 0-0 Big South) led by as many as nine early at West Georgia (1-1, 0-0 ASUN) on Saturday afternoon, before an eventual 91-68 defeat

Looking to rebound from a loss at Queens on Monday night, Gardner-Webb got off to a great start. Shooting a 7-of-15 clip, including 5-of-11 from three, the Runnin' Bulldogs opened up a lead as big as nine points and led 20-17 through one quarter. Redshirt senior guard Jaelyn Acker and senior guard Nyla Walker each knocked down a pair of early three pointers, pacing the Runnin' Bulldogs through its best offensive stretch of the early season

West Georgia flipped the script in the second, outscoring Gardner-Webb 21-9 and putting GWU in a 38-29 halftime hole. For the Runnin' Bulldogs, Walker continued an excellent start to the game, cashing in with her third three pointer of what became four for the afternoon, with 1:48 to play in the frame. The Runnin' Bulldogs would eventually finish 10-of-25 from deep in the contest

In a tight third quarter, Gardner-Webb started strong to get within as few as five early on. With 8;11 to go, junior guard Amina Gray hit from beyond the arch to bring the score to West Georgia 39, Gardner-Webb 34. Gray would go on to record the first double-digit scoring game of her Runnin' Bulldogs career. Gray added a second with 2:08 to go, by which West Georgia had taken a 57-46 lead.

As they had throughout the game, the Runnin' Bulldogs started the fourth quarter strong. Acker crashed the glass with 8:09 to go, finishing in the pain to briefly bring GWU within single digits at 59-50. The difference from there came largely at the free throw line however, as West Georgia held its lead by shooting 7-of-11 from the floor and 16-of-18 at the line over the final 10 minutes. Acker added one last late three before West Georgia dribbled out the clock, defeating Gardner-Webb 91-68

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
GWU had a much improved offensive performance from Monday night, shooting 40% from the floor overall, knocking down 10 threes, and pulling down 15 offensive rebounds. West Georgia meanwhile finished at a 46.8% clip overall and 22-of-29 at the line

LEADERS
Walker exploded for career-high 23 points on 5-of-12 shooting and four made threes, junior forward Amira Ofunniyin posted the best game of her short Gardner-Webb career with 12 points, nine rebounds, Gray finished with a career-best 11 points, and Acker totaled 11 points, three rebounds

UP NEXT
The Runnin' Bulldogs return to action on Monday night, November 10th at 7 pm at Mercer, the third of a four-game season-opening road swing