MOREHEAD, Ky. – Gardner-Webb had three scorers earn double-digit points as the Runnin' Bulldogs survived a fourth period comeback effort by Morehead State to hang on for a 68-60 road victory on Monday evening.
Gardner-Webb (2-1) led by 14 points with 7:41 to go after a layup by
Morgan Pointer set the score at 60-46. Morehead State (1-1) would answer with ten unanswered points to pull within four points at 60-56 with 4:14 to go.
The two teams would trade baskets over the next few minutes until four made free throws by
Tierra Huntsman in the final thirteen seconds sealed the game for the Runnin' Bulldogs.
Huntsman and
Alexus Hill each had 18 points to lead GWU in scoring, followed by
Savannah Plentovich who had a season-best 12 markers.
Miranda Crockett led the Eagles offensively with 18 points on 9-of-13 shooting, followed by Eriel McKee, who added 13 points on 6-of-16 shooting.
For the game, the Runnin' Bulldogs shot 45.6 percent from the floor, while Morehead State shot at a rate of 37.9 percent. Points off of turnovers proved to be the biggest difference throughout the evening, as GWU scored 22 points off of 16 MSU turnovers, while the Eagles scored just six points off of 11 GWU turnovers.
After trailing by four points at 16-12 with 4:28 to go in the opening period, the Runnin' Bulldogs would go on a 14-2 run to close out the period to lead by eight points, 26-18, at the end of the first period.
Gardner-Webb would push its lead to as high as 13 points at 33-20 with 7:26 to go in the second period after a layup by
Ky'Asia Stanford, but the Eagles would pull within nine points on a pair of free throws by Darianne Seward in the final seconds of the half to trail GWU, 38-29, at the break.
The Runnin' Bulldogs would expand their lead to as many as 17 points at 53-36 with 3:48 remaining in the third period after a made jumper by Hill, and would go on to lead by 14 points at 56-42 a the end of the frame.
Gardner-Webb returns home to open a five-game home stand on Friday, November 11, hosting UCF at 7:00 pm. The game will be broadcast live on the Big South Network (www.bigsouthsports.com).
