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SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Wofford’s Morgan Wrightson’s 20 points weren’t enough as Gardner-Webb used 38 second half points to hold on for a 62-57 win over the Terriers Wednesday afternoon in the Benjamin Johnson Arena.

 

Gardner-Webb (5-5) outshot Wofford (5-4) 52 percent to 29 percent in the second half.  The Runnin’ Bulldogs made 11-of-21 shots, while the Terriers made only ten of their 35 shots from the floor in the half.  For the game, Gardner-Webb shot 41 percent overall, 36 percent from three and 47 percent from the free throw line, compared to Wofford’s 30 percent field goal percentage, 12 percent three-point field goal percentage and 70 percent free throw percentage.

 

Wrightson’s 20 points led all scorers in the game.  She was 8-of-18 from the floor, 2-of-4 from three and made two of her four free throw attempts.  Motley followed with 16 points on 6-of-14 shooting from the floor and 4-of-7 from the free throw line.  She also had a team-high seven rebounds. Rachel Brittenham handed out seven assists in the game.

 

The Runnin’ Bulldogs placed four players in double figures as Catrina Green and Jasmine Dale led the way with 12 points each.  Olivia Parker and Jessica Heilig followed with ten points a piece.  Candace Brown led Gardner-Webb on the glass with 12 rebounds, while Mayhana Dunovant had six assists.

 

The Terriers took an early eight-point lead, 11-3, just over five minutes into play highlighted from seven points from Wrightson including two threes from the left wing.  Wofford’s lead hit double-digits on a Motley layup with 13 minutes on the clock in the first half.

 

Motley’s basket would be the last basket for the Terriers over the next five minutes as the Runnin’ Bulldogs trimmed the lead down to two points, 15-13, on free throw from Dunovant.  Jordan Frazier answer for Wofford with a jumper and Wrightson followed with a basket as Wofford took the lead back out to six points, 19-13, with 7:28 left to play.

 

Three minutes later, Gardner-Webb pulled within one point 21-20, on a layup by Heilig.  After the Runnin’ Bulldogs took the lead on a layup with Parker at the three minute mark, Wofford ended the half with the final points on two free throws by Mariah Masalin to end the half and give Wofford a 25-24 lead.

 

Wofford went scoreless for the first five and a half minutes of action in the second half as Gardner-Webb built a nine point lead, 34-25, on a three from Dale.

 

The Terriers cut the lead down to three points five minutes later following a 5-1 run capped off by a Masalin layup, but the Runnin’ Bulldogs responded with a 7-0 run to extend their lead to ten points, 44-34, on a Dunovant free throw with 9:35 remaining.

 

Gardner-Webb kept control of the game until Wofford put together a 5-1 run to cut the lead to two points, 57-55, with 30 seconds left.  Wofford pulled within two points again, 58-56, with 19 second left, but Gardner-Webb seal the game with the final four points to earn the 62-57 win.

 

The two teams combined for 56 fouls, 28 for each team, and 50 turnovers, 25 for each team, in the game.  Gardner-Webb scored 24 points off turnovers, while Wofford notched only 14 points off of turnovers.

 

This was Wofford’s final game before the Christmas holiday as the Terriers return to play at Seton Hall on December 30 at 2 p.m.  Wofford picks up Southern Conference play on January 5 at Western Carolina on 2 p.m.