ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The Gardner-Webb (9-14, 4-6) men's basketball team dropped a late contest by the final of 78-70 to league-leading UNC Asheville (17-6, 8-1) Thursday evening inside Kimmel Arena.
 
Sophomore guard Darryl Simmons II paced the Runnin' Bulldogs with 21 points on 7-of-10 shooting while graduate forward Jamaine Mann and junior guard Pharrell Boyogueno each chipped in 12 points and six rebounds.
 
Senior forward Isaiah Richards opened the game with a tough layup inside before a back-and-forth affair ensued. After Asheville went up 12-10, the Runnin' Bulldogs ripped off nine in a row, capped by an emphatic putback dunk from Boyogueno while controlling a seven-point lead with less than 12 to play.
 
From that point, the two teams exchanged blows as the GWU lead could not grow any more than it already had. Following a layup by redshirt-junior Shahar Lazar, Asheville used an 11-4 scoring run to take the lead, 35-33, but Simmons beat the first half clock with a runner, sending the game into halftime deadlocked at 35-all.
 
Boyogueno knocked down a three at the top of the key to open the second half, but the game would remain tight as the score was tied or exchanged on a series of occasions early in the period.
 
Toyaz Solomon connected on a jumper for the Bulldogs, giving UNC Asheville a 56-50 lead before five in a row from Simmons cut the deficit to a single point more than halfway through.
 
The Runnin' Bulldogs were able to push back in front following a wing three by Lazar, but it proved to be the last advantage for the 'Dawgs as Asheville scored on its next possession and never looked back, building as many as an 11-point lead (74-63) on the way to the single-digit win.
 
Gardner-Webb will return to the friendly confines of Paul Porter Arena on Saturday, February 8, playing host to the Buccaneers of Charleston Southern. Tip is set for 2 p.m.