'Dogs fight off CSU for a 63-61 victory
Zeck's rebound basket lifts GWU on top
aford@shelbystar.com
BOILING SPRINGS — It was just your typical Big South Conference men's basketball game.
Two teams disrupted the other's intentions with solid defense and it went down to the wire. Unlike their first meeting, this time it was host Gardner-Webb pulling out a 63-61 win over Charleston Southern at Paul Porter Arena on the strength of a putback by Patrick Zeck with 11.4 seconds left.
GWU, which placed five players in double figures, improved to 7-5 in league play (12-13) overall with the win, payback of a sort for an 83-68 defeat two weeks ago on the Buccaneers' floor. CSU slipped to 4-8 in conference play, 9-14 overall.
"I was really proud of our defense," said Runnin' Bulldogs head coach Tim Craft, who received a 41st birthday present with the win. "We did a lot of good things and forced them into some tough shots.
"We struggled some (offensively) in the second half but to have seven turnovers for the whole game, against a team that is one of the team teams in the country in forcing turnovers and making steals, that was the story. It kept them out of transition."
GWU, now 10-0 at home this season, made the Bucs pay with its balanced attack. Liam O'Reilly and reserve guard Jaheam Cornwell led the way with 14 points apiece. David Efianyi added 13 with the inside combo of D.J. Laster and Zeck providing 10 each.
CSU — which nailed 16 of 17 free throws in the game — got 15 points from Christian Keeling and 10 from Ty Jones.
Gardner-Webb opened a 39-29 halftime lead and extended that to 45-31 with 14:58 to go after an Efianyi basket inside. But CSU slowed the 'Dogs down for a while with a 1-3-1 halfcourt trap and relentlessly kept the heat on.
GWU maintained the lead until the final minute when Kneeling drilled a 3-pointer, then Cortez Mitchell made a steal in the backcourt for a layup to knot the contest at 61 with 40.5 on the clock.
With the shot clock winding down for the 'Dogs, Efianyi drove the lane but his short jumper fell off the rim. Zeck had position for the crucial follow.
After a timeout, CSU's Keeling drove the lane but his shot in traffic was off line as time expired.
"January was a real grind for us but in February we'll only play two games a week," Craft said of the pressure of so many tight league duels. "You have to always focus on the next game and the next possession and put all the other noise in the background.
"It's tough on me. But our players love to compete. They have bounced back really quickly and they believe in what we're doing."
The Runnin' Bulldogs are back at home for another key league contest Wednesday against Campbell.