CULLOWHEE, N.C. -- Brian Bender scored 17 points, including
4 in the extra period, to lead Gardner-Webb to a 90-83 overtime win
over Western Carolina on Thursday.
The teams changed leads 14 times through the game, and the
Catamounts (7-7) were up 37-31 at the half.
With 2:26 left in regulation, Western Carolina's Eric Wilson
tied it at 76-76 with his second 3-pointer of the game. Tim
Jennings answered with a 3-pointer 20 seconds later to put the
Bulldogs (5-3) up 79-76.
But the Catamounts pulled ahead on layups by Jared Outing and
Antonio Russell, and a free throw by Kyle Greathouse gave them an
81-79 lead with 16 seconds remaining. Western Carolina tried to run
the clock down, but Gardner-Webb's Simon Conn tied it at 81 on a
layup with 5 seconds left in regulation.
In overtime, Bender scored on a layup and two free throws, while
Conn and Jennings each hit two free throws and T.J. McCullough
added one as the Bulldogs outscored the Catamounts 9-2. Western
Carolina's only points came on a jumper by Russell.
The Catamounts' David Berghoefer led all scorers with 28 points,
while Russell added 20, Corey Muirhead had 15 points and 10
rebounds, and Wilson scored 10 points.
Gardner-Webb was led by Ricky McPhee's 18 points. Joining him in
double figures were Bender, Jennings with 16, Conn with 13, and
McCullough with 12.