Preview: Gardner-Webb Seeks Elusive Win at Longwood in Big South Clash

FARMVILLE, Va. (Interstat) — The struggling Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs look to snap a seven-game skid when they visit the .500 Longwood Lancers in a Big South Conference men’s basketball matchup Wednesday night at Willet Hall.

Gardner-Webb (2-18, 0-5 Big South) enters reeling from a 92-55 home loss to Presbyterian on Saturday, the latest in a string of lopsided defeats. The Runnin’ Bulldogs’ only wins this season came against non-Division I Toccoa Falls and Division III Brevard in December. Since then, they have lost 10 of 11, often by wide margins, including a 104-49 defeat at High Point on Jan. 7.

Longwood (10-10, 2-3), meanwhile, has shown resilience, coming off a narrow 85-83 road loss at Radford on Saturday. The Lancers have alternated wins and losses over their past six games, seeking consistency in conference play.

A key matchup will feature the teams’ top recent scorers. Gardner-Webb guard Colin Hawkins has been a bright spot, averaging 11.6 points and 3.4 assists over his last five games. He scored 13 points in both the Radford and Winthrop contests earlier this month.

Longwood will counter with guard Redd Thompson, who is coming off a career-high 21-point performance at Radford. Thompson has scored in double figures in four of his last five outings, providing a crucial offensive spark for the Lancers.

For Gardner-Webb, finding secondary scoring behind Hawkins is imperative. Only Spence Sims (10 points) joined him in double figures against Presbyterian. Longwood boasts more balance, with Elijah Tucker (17 points vs. Radford) and Johan Nziemi (10 points, 5 assists) offering reliable support.

The game marks the first of two regular-season meetings between the teams, with the rematch set for Feb. 4 in Boiling Springs, N.C. Longwood will look to protect its home court and climb above .500, while Gardner-Webb desperately seeks a conference win to salvage momentum.

Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. EST Wednesday. Longwood hosts Charleston Southern on Saturday, while Gardner-Webb returns home to face USC Upstate.