UNC Asheville holds off challenge from Runnin’ Bulldogs

By Jacob Conley (@gwujake)

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. — The UNC Asheville Bulldogs survived a scare on the road from the Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs, getting several key buckets from Kameron Taylor, who had a game-high 24 points, to erase a halftime deficit and win, 77-71.

Despite the difference in the records, Asheville head coach Mike Morrell expected a battle, and got one.

“Give Gardner-Webb a ton of credit,” he said. “They challenged us tonight. They have been playing much better lately. Jeremy Luther is an outstanding coach. It was anybody’s game with about four minutes left. Then we got some stops and Kam scored some big buckets. That was the difference.”

GWU’s senior walk-ons, Isaiah Hicks and Paul Lindberg scored the first five points for the Runnin’ Bulldogs, but Asheville started 5-of-7 from the floor and led, 12-8. The home team tied the score at 15 on five straight points from Navuan Peterson. After Jacob Hogarth’s three-point play gave GWU its first lead, Taylor’s three put Asheville back in front.

Gardner-Webb stayed close, but Toyaz Solomon got going for Asheville. His dunk gave the Bulldogs a 29-25 lead with 3:49 left in the half. Jacob Hudson converted an acrobatic layup and by the time Hogarth threw down a vicious dunk in transition, the game was tied. Jamias Ferere converted a three-point play and Hudson’s layup gave GWU a 37-34 lead at the break.

Hudson opened the second half with a three, but Asheville went on an extended run and by the time DJ Patrick hit a triple, the game was tied at 47 with 15:43 left in the game. Spence Sims came off a screen to hit a three, as did DJ Jefferson, to give GWU its biggest lead of the game, at 55-48.

Justin Wright ended the run with a layup for Asheville, and Taylor hit a three to cut the deficit to 57-55 with 9:56 left in the contest. Wright added a trey, but a dunk from Hudson kept Gardner-Webb in front, 61-58. Wright tied the game at 63, on a driving layup with 5:08 left.

After a GWU timeout, Hogarth scored in the paint, but Taylor converted a three-point play and Asheville led, 67-65, at the final media timeout. Taylor continued to take over late with a bucket and a pair of free throws. Meanwhile, the Runnin’ Bulldogs went cold from the floor as they fell, 77-71.

BENCH POINT BREAKDOWN: Gardner-Webb outscored Asheville, 40-0, in bench points, as all of the Bulldogs’ points came from their five starters, four of whom scored in double figures.

“That’s the way it’s been for us all season,” Morrell said. “We are not a deep team. We always get good production from Kam, Toyaz and Justin, but we really need to develop a fourth scorer. In the games where that happens, we are in really good shape.”

REBOUNDING TELLS THE STORY: Many will probably point to GWU’s offensive struggles in the final four minutes as the difference in the game. Luther admits that’s part of it, but adds giving up too many rebounds was also detrimental. Asheville outrebounded GWU, 39-23, 15 of which came on the offensive glass. That led to 20 second-chance points for Asheville.

“That was an area of concern coming in,” Luther said. “They are so athletic and strong. We would have the ball and then just have it taken away. That’s what happens when you have 18 and 19-year-olds playing against 24 and 25-year-olds. I hope we have what it takes to be able to hold on to these players for next year. We have improved in every game in the back half of the conference season except for Winthrop. I always knew coming in this would be a rebuilding year, but if we can somehow keep everyone together, I promise next year, we will be miles better. We will be a year older and stronger. If we can keep a team together, I think we win these kinds of games.”

UP NEXT: GWU will close out the regular season at USC Upstate on Saturday, while Asheville hosts Charleston Southern the same day.

“We want to be playing our best basketball come March,” Morrell said. “We didn’t play all that well tonight, but Gardner-Webb had a lot to do with that. We have one more game to build momentum and then it’s March.”

“People think I’m nuts, but I’m excited about the (Big South) tournament,” Luther said. “We are playing better. We have one more game against Upstate, who we beat, and then we either play them again or CSU in the tournament. We see both of those as favorable matchups for us. The guys still believe and we are going to keep believing until the final whistle. Why not? It is March after all.”