BOILING SPRINGS N.C. - The Gardner-Webb women's basketball team returns to Paul Porter Arena on Wednesday night, taking on Longwood in Big South Conference action

GAME INFORMATION
Game 22: Longwood (14-6, 5-2 Big South) at Gardner-Webb (6-15, 3-4 Big South)
Location: Paul Porter Arena - Boiling Springs, N.C.
Stream: ESPN Plus
Talent: Seth Eaves, Bryson Byrnes
Tip-Off: 7:00 pm
Series History: GWU leads 18-14
Previous Meeting: Feb. 2025 - Longwood, 75-46

THE MATCH-UP:  On Wednesday night, Gardner-Webb plays host to Longwood for the 33rd match-up in series history. GWU holds an 18-14 edge all-time, but Longwood has dominated the recent series with three-straight double-digit wins across 2024 and 2025

LAST TIME OUT: Due to winter weather in the region, the Runnin' Bulldogs have had an extra day off since a 73-44 defeat at league-leading High Point last Friday night. The Runnin' Bulldogs hung tight early, down just 17-14 after one, but it would be a 21-4 run by HPU in the second quarter that made most of the difference however as Gardner-Webb eventually fell

STAR FRESHMAN: Freshman guard Makayla Legette has been twice named the Big South Freshman of The Week. In a win two weeks ago at Charleston Southern, Legette scored 14 points, shot 6-of-13 from the floor, and added four rebounds, four assists and two steals as the Runnin' Bulldogs scored a key victory early in Big South play. Legette also posted eight points on 4-of-9 shooting with two rebounds, one assist and one steal at Radford the game prior

SENIOR LEADER: In last Wednesday night's game against Presbyterian, redshirt senior guard Jaelyn Acker posted one of her best games in a Gardner-Webb uniform. The Furman transfer played 35 minutes, hit 5-of-11 overall from the field, knocked down four three-pointers, and recorded four steals and three rebounds. Acker is second on the team this season with 41 three-point makes and a 33.3% mark from distance

BACK IN THE LINEUP: Junior guard Anaya Harris returned to the Gardner-Webb lineup on December 13th and has quickly made her presence known once again. The Raleigh, N.C. native dropped 18 points on 6-of-9 shooting in her season debut against Western Carolina, scored 20 in the loss to UNC Asheville, and despite only scoring eight points against USC Upstate, scored the game-clinching bucket with under a minute to play in GWU's most recent league win

PRESS TO RUN: The strength of the Runnin' Bulldogs team so far in 2025-26 has been defense. In six wins, Gardner-Webb is allowing only 51.1 points per game, including a season-low 35 in a win over Hampton on November 16th where the Pirates shot 21.2% for the game and 14.% from three. In its six wins, Gardner-Webb has yet to allow an opponent to score more than 62 points and three times the Dawgs have held opponents to under 50 points. GWU is third in the Big South with 19.8 forced turnovers per game

SCOUTING THE LANCERS: Under fourth year head coach Erika Lang-Montgomery, the Lancers are on pace for the best season in its NCAA Division I history. Longwood won just 18 games combined over Lang-Montgomery's first two seasons, before winning 22 last season and 14 so far in 2025-26 with a month of games remaining. The Lancers lead the Big South and are 29th nationally in points per game with 78.4, and are the top three-point shooting team in the Big South at 34.2% from long range