BOILING SPRINGS – Brandon Giles scored a game-high 24 points and had six steals, and Western Carolina scored 31 points off of 30 Gardner-Webb turnovers to run away in the second half of a 75-59 win.

The Catamounts (5-1) snapped a three-game losing streak to Gardner-Webb (3-2), using a 19-6 run to start the second half to effectively put the game away – leading 48-29 with 14:17 left. GWU turned the basketball over six times in the half’s first six minutes to fuel the run.

Giles had 14 of his 24 points in the first 5:43 of the second half, hitting 5-of-7 shots.

Western Carolina scored 19 points off of turnovers in the final 20 minutes, but had its way on the offensive glass as well – outscoring Gardner-Webb 18-3 in second-chance points in the second-half alone to pull away. Gardner-Webb was able to cut the WCU lead down to 11 points, 55-44, with 10:52 left, but would not get any closer the rest of the way.

The Runnin’ Bulldogs shot just 15-of-31 from the charity stripe (48.4 percent), and only 41.3 percent from the floor (19-of-46). The turnovers, the most by a GWU squad at the Division I level (since 2000-2001) in a single game, also allowed Western Carolina a heavy possession advantage in the game.

In addition to Giles’ big night, the Catamounts got 12 points from Brigham Waginger and 11 points, eight rebounds from reserve forward Jake Robinson. Giles made 9-of-18 shots from the floor (4-of-8 from three), grabbed six rebounds and pilfered six of the Catamounts’ 15 steals. Reserve point guard Mike Williams added nine points and five steals.

Auryn MacMillan had 12 points to pace the Runnin’ Bulldogs, hitting 4-of-5 shots before being limited in the second half by foul trouble. Grayson Flittner had 11 points and C.J. Hailey added 10 for Gardner-Webb. Josh Henley pulled down a game-high 12 rebounds, but did not score in 36 minutes.

Gardner-Webb will host UNC Asheville on Friday, December 4, at 7:30 pm in Paul Porter Arena. The game will be televised live by MASN (Mid-Atlantic Sports Network).