BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. –
Tierra Huntsman scored 22 points on 9-of-16 shooting, while
Alexus Hill scored 18 points and had 10 rebounds to lead Gardner-Webb to a 72-53 season opening win over Pfeiffer on Friday night inside Paul Porter Arena.
Gardner-Webb (1-0) had several players set new career-highs in several statistical categories throughout the evening, led by Hill who pulled down 10 boards, giving her the first double-double of her collegiate career.
Ky'Asia Stanford had a career-best eight assists to lead the Runnin' Bulldogs,
Celia Tibbs had a career-best five blocks, and
Morgan Pointer had a career-best eight rebounds.
Huntsman led GWU in scoring with 22 points, going 9-of-16 from the floor. Hill had 18 points on 7-of-18 shooting, while Stanford added eight points and
Nia Lee
scored eight points off the bench.
Gardner-Webb went 25-of-60 for the evening, making 41.7 percent of their buckets. Pfeiffer (0-1) was held to a 15-of-59 performance, making just 25.4 percent of their baskets throughout the evening.
The Falcons were led offensively by Sydni Bickford and Shalonda Wilkins, who each had nine points. Grayson Harris had a team-best seven boards.
The Runnin' Bulldogs opened the game with a 14-0 run to immediately seize control of the contest, capitalizing on five Pfeiffer turnovers in the first six minutes of play, and finished the period with a 26-2 lead. GWU was red-hot in the first period, making 11-of-18 baskets while keeping Pfeiffer from making a single basket in the frame. The Falcons were 0-of-9 from the floor in the first ten minutes, scoring their only two points of the period at the free throw line.
Gardner-Webb expanded its lead in the second period, outscoring Pfeiffer by a 20-14 margin, to take a 46-18 lead into the locker room at halftime.
The Runnin' Bulldogs had 11 players see time on the floor throughout the contest. Freshman
Alexis Hueston scored five points and had two rebounds and a steal in her collegiate debut, while freshman Lee had eight points and three boards as well.
Gardner-Webb hits the road for its next contest, taking on the University of Kentucky on Sunday afternoon at 2:00 pm. The game will be broadcast live on the SEC Network + (WatchESPN.com).
