WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. - The Gardner-Webb women's basketball team (3-11, 0-0 Big South) battled throughout on Monday afternoon, dropping a tight 78-66 contest at Wake Forest (11-3, 1-1 ACC)
The Runnin' Bulldogs up against a major conference opponent for the second time this season, went toe-to-toe with Wake Forest throughout. Gardner-Webb hit eight first-half three-pointers, in route to a tight contest. Down early, perhaps no three pointer was bigger than the one from junior guard
Anaya Harris with 1:25 to go in the first, bringing GWU back to with a bucket down 15-13.
It wasn't until 1:46 of the second where Gardner-Webb grabbed its first lead of the day. The Runnin' Bulldogs trailed by as many as seven in the second, then slowly chipped away before redshirt senior
Jaelyn Acker buried a triple, putting GWU ahead 32-30. Behind some stingy defense and strong shooting, Gardner-Webb entered the break down just 35-32.
Gardner-Webb continued to hang around deep into the third quarter. Harris made a great move in the paint with 9:11 to play to bring the score to 37-34, and junior guard
Amina Gray showed off the range with 7:40 to play, part of what was a second-best on the team for the day, 15 points. Junior forward
Amira Ofunniyin beat the third quarter buzzer off a feed from senior guard
Nyla Walker, as the Dawgs trailed 58-46 after three.
With a strong start to the fourth quarter, Gardner-Webb would close to within six with 3:56 to play. Walker this time found Harris on a fast-break for two, before later scoring on a jumper of her own to bring the score to 67-621, Demon Deacons. Acker knocked down one final three just before the final horn, as the Runnin' Bulldogs strong effort came up just short in a 78-66 loss.
LEADERS
Acker scored a season-high for GWU with 19 points on 4-of-10 from three, Gray added 15 points on 4-of-12 from three, Harris scored 10 points in 29 minutes, while Ofunniyin posted another 10 point game for the Runnin' Bulldogs
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
Gardner-Webb finished the game with 11 made threes, including eight in the first half, the Runnin' Bulldogs also added 22 points off 19 Wake Forest turnovers and 12 second-chance points
UP NEXT
Big South play is up next for the Runnin' Bulldogs, who visit Winthrop on New Year's Eve, December 31st
