BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Jason Dawson scored a career-high 19 points to lead four Gardner-Webb players in double figures and the Bulldogs defeated visiting Campbell 78-72 Thursday night at Paul Porter Arena.
The Bulldogs (10-12, 5-5 Big South) ended a 3-game losing streak while halting a 4-game win stretch for Campbell (14-9, 8-3).
Darren White led the Camels with 22 points, while Eric Griffin added 16 and 9 rebounds in 22 minutes before fouling out with 1:25 to play. Lorne Merthie, who averaged 16.3 points and made 12-of-22 threes (.545) in the previous 3 games, was held to 5 points (1-of-5 triples), but dealt 5 assists.
Tashan Newsome scored 15 points (9-14 free throws), Max Landis 13 and Stefon Johnson 12 (plus 9 rebounds) for Gardner-Webb. Laron Buggs came off the bench to add 9, including 7-of-7 from the line.
Playing without injured starting point guard Trey Freeman for the 3rd-straight game, Campbell shot 56 percent (28-50) from the field, but made only 12-of-21 form the line on the night.
Gardner-Webb shot 45.8 percent for the game (22-48), but made 28-of-38 (.737) from the line. Each of the Bulldogs' 10 Big South Conference games has been decided by 6 or fewer points, including Campbell's 74-68 triumph 12 days ago in Buies Creek.
Campbell held its largest lead of the game (47-40) when Anthony Horton scored underneath with 13:48 left. However, Gardner-Webb answered with a 10-0 run.
White's steal and lay-up in transition tied the score at 66 with 3:02 remaining, but didn't score from the floor again for more than 2 ½ minutes and the Bulldogs built an 8-point edge thanks to a 10-2 run down the stretch.
The Camels shot 61 percent (14-23) from the floor in the opening period, but led by just two (35-33) at halftime. Gardner-Webb made (11-15) more free throws in the first half than Campbell (5-10) attempted. The Bulldogs also drained four 3-pointers, including deep one from the left wing by Dawson just before the buzzer.
White scored 12 first-half points – including 9-straight during one span – for Campbell. Eric Griffin was limited to 10 minutes in the opening period after he picked up his second foul with 9:54 to play.
CU dropped to 5-8 away from home this season, while Gardner-Webb improved to 6-1 at Paul Porter Arena, 4-1 vs. Big South teams, and has won its last 6 home contests.
Campbell and GWU have split the last 10 meetings in the series with each team winning on its home floor.
The Camels continue their road trip Saturday with a 4:30 p.m. tip-off at league-leader UNC Asheville (16-7, 10-1) which defeated High Point Thursday 90-70.
