SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Wofford College women's basketball team suffered a scoring drought in the final 10 minutes of action to help boost Gardner-Webb to a 65-60 win in the Benjamin Johnson Arena on Saturday afternoon.
Wofford (1-4) entered the final 11 minutes of action with a commanding 15 point lead, 53-38, when the dry spell began. During the next eight minutes the Terriers made one bucket, a 3-pointer from Sarah Traynor, as the Runnin' Bulldogs tore open a 18-3 run to tie the game at 56.
Candace Brown led the Gardner-Webb (3-3) comeback, accounting for 10 of the 18 points on Gardner-Webb's run. The junior scored in every way, scoring on a layup and a jumper in the paint before netting two from beyond the arc as Gardner-Webb rallied.
The Terriers shot just over 30 percent from the field, sinking 19-of-61 attempts from the field with just seven field goals in the second half. Wofford was 6-of-14 from 3-point range, going 3-of-7 from beyond the arc in each half, while hitting 16-of-23 from the charity stripe.
Wofford had four players score in double figures, with junior guard Chanel Stokes leading the way with 14. The Cincinnati native shot 4-of-8 from the field while knocking down 4-of-5 from the free throw line. Senior Lauren Kirby (2-9 FG, 6-7 FT), junior Jordan Frazier (3-11 FG, 2-5 3 PT), and sophomore Kentra Washington (3-13 FG, 4-5 FT) each added 10 points. Washington added 12 rebounds for her first double-double of the season.
Despite the loss, the Terriers saw improvements in some areas. The team earned a season-high in points (60) and assists (12) while recording a season-low in turnovers (15).
Brown and senior Jessica Heilig led the scoring charge for the Runnin' Bulldogs, dropping 20 each. Brown shot 5-of-11 from the field while converting 7-of-9 from the free throw line. Heilig went just 5-of-15 from the field, scoring mostly in the paint, but also added 10 points from the free throw line on 12 attempts. The two combined for 19 of the team's 47 boards – Brown clawing down nine while Heiling nabbed 10 for a double-double.
The Runnin' Bulldogs edged the Terriers in overall rebounds, 48-47, but made it count when grabbing offensive rebounds, putting up 20 second chance points to Wofford's 12.
The game opened up with both sides trading blows, the game tight through the first seven and a half minutes. Heilig opened all scoring with a pair of layups, while Frazier and Stokes responded to each with scores from long range. The two sides battled back and forth, the Runnin' Bulldogs up by four, 16-12, headed into the second media timeout. Gardner-Webb's lead grew to six at one point before the Terriers opened a 7-0 run on a Stokes three and pairs of free throws from Kirby and Washington to pull ahead, 21-20.
After a pair of Heilig free throws, Wofford's offense caught fire. The Terriers pulled ahead by as much as 10 twice before the half, with Grayson Pinholster leading all Terrier scorers during the 14-7 spurt, with a career-best six points.
Wofford kept pushing in the second half, expanding the lead to 15 before eventually losing the lead with 3:37 left on the clock. The Terriers tied once more, 60-60, with 1:10 left on the clock before free throws from Heilig, Brown, and forward Olivia Parker put the game out of reach.
The Terriers are back in action on Tuesday, as they continue their home stand against in-state opponent South Carolina State. The two sides clash at 6:00 p.m. in the Benjamin Johnson Arena.
