JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – With the 2025-26 regular season in the rear view, Gardner-Webb men's basketball gears up for the Air Force Reserve Big South Men's Basketball Championship. The Runnin' Bulldogs, who will be the #9 seed, will take on #8 USC Upstate in the first round of action on Wednesday, March 4 at Freedom Hall. Tip is set for 7:30 p.m. and will be live streamed on ESPN+.
Wednesday's game marks the third time the two teams have faced off this year with each winning on their respective home courts. This also marks the second year in a row that the Dawgs and Spartans will meet in the first round of the tournament with GWU taking an 83-63 win last year. The winner will advance to face #1 seed High Point in the Quarterfinals.
Sophomores Jacob Hogarth and Jacob Hudson average in 11.0 and 10.2 points per game, respectively, while Hogarth gathers a team-leading 7.0 boards per contest. Hogarth has recorded five double doubles on the season. Freshman Spence Sims chips in 9.9 points per game while shooting better than 44% from distance. Sims was recently named Big South Freshman of the Year.
As a team, Gardner-Webb shoots 43% from the field and 31% from deep. The Dawgs average 68.5 points per game while allowing 86.3 each contest. GWU trails on the rebounding side of the ball by an average of 39.4-30.5.
