Gardner-Webb edges Elon in thriller of a home opener

By Jacob Conley (@gwujake)

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. — Gardner-Webb used a balanced offense and a strong second half to overcome an 11-point deficit and beat a talented Elon team Friday, 80-79, in the Runnin’ Bulldogs home opener. 

GWU placed four players in double figures and shot over 80 percent from the charity stripe on the way to securing the first home win for first-year head coach Jeremy Luther.

“Man it feels great,” Luther said after the win. “I kind of felt like Jim Valvano out there looking for somebody to hug. Winning any Division I basketball game is tough and Elon is a very good team. They are very well coached and gave (North) Carolina all they wanted.”

Anthony Selden opened the game with a three for Gardner-Webb, but Elon answered with a quick 4-0 run. The teams traded triples as GW’s Pharell Boyogueno hit one from deep, but Elon still led, 13-10, at the first media stoppage. Buddy Simmons tied things out of the break with a deep trey, but a 6-0 run from Elon gave the visitors a 19-13 lead. Isaiah Richards broke the run with an emphatic slam and the teams continued to trade baskets, but the fouls kept mounting for the Runnin’ Bulldogs, as two players garnered three fouls by the midway point of the half.

A pair of Elon free throws gave the Phoenix a 30-19 lead with 7:17 left in the half. The home team started to get to the foul line, hitting five of six. By the time Shahar Lazar hit a pair of threes, GWU had clawed to within 33-32. Elon responded with a 6-0 run of their own, but Selden sank a pair of free throws, as did Simmons. Colin Hawkins converted an old-fashioned 3-point play in the final seconds of the half to pull GWU to within one, 41-40, at the break.

Simmons gave the hosts the lead with a deep three, and by the time he hit another moments later, Gardner-Webb led, 52-51. The lead kept changing hands until Elon went on a quick 5-0 run to lead by five, 60-55, with 13 minutes left. Elon hit a deep three to beat the shot clock, but Simmons hit a triple to end a 9-0 run. Hawkins hit a pair of free throws to cut the deficit to 69-65, and followed with a three to draw GWU even closer.

Elon kept the Bulldogs at bay with a pair of threes that beat the shot clock, but a jumper from Richards kept them in striking distance at 73-71 with 5:54 left. Playing with four fouls, Jamaine Mann secured a rebound and putback to tie the game at 73. Selden gave GWU a 78-77 lead with 2:24 left after a 3-point play. The Runnin’ Bulldogs secured a huge offensive rebound, leading 80-79 with 43 seconds remaining, but an offensive foul gave the ball back to Elon with 29.7 seconds on the clock. They called timeout and Richards came up with a block, but Elon retained possession with 9.4 seconds left. GWU then forced a turnover as Elon stepped on the baseline. Since the Phoenix only had four team fouls in the second half, they could not send the Runnin’ Bulldogs to the line, and a long baseball pass sealed the 80-79 win.

WELCOME BACK: Selden and Mann made their returns to Boiling Springs after transferring to other programs and then coming back to the Runnin’  Bulldogs to finish their careers.

“We call them the old men,” Luther said with a laugh. “They are so good and it’s great to have them back. Ant is still adjusting to playing this many minutes again because he did not have as many at Rice. Jamaine has yet to play a full game because he got in foul trouble tonight and against Tennessee. He was ejected against NCCU. We have seen how special he is for the last four months in practice. We can’t wait for him to show what he can do for a full 40 minutes.”

NEVER GIVE UP: GWU has been the comeback kings through the first four games of the season, so the 11-point comeback against Elon is nothing new.

“We were down by 22 to Tennessee and cut it to 11,” Luther said. “We were down by even more than that to Pitt and had a chance to cut it to single digits in the second half. That tells me this team does not quit. They keep fighting to the final whistle and you saw that again tonight.”

PHOENIX RISING: In spite of the loss, Elon left little doubt of how talented it is. The Phoenix placed five players in double figures and led but for all of 5:19 of the contest. Nick Dorn and TK Simpkins shared game-high scoring honors with 17 points apiece.

UP NEXT: GWU will face another challenge when it make the short trip to the Queen City on Tuesday to face Charlotte. Elon goes to the Land of Lincoln on Wednesday to take on Northern Illinois.