SHELBY, N.C. (Interstat) — In a game defined more by grit than grace, the Presbyterian women’s basketball team secured a rare and hard-fought Big South Conference victory Wednesday night, edging Gardner-Webb 50-46 at Paul Porter Arena.

The win, just the third of the season for the Blue Hose, snapped a five-game losing streak and was secured by a dominant fourth-quarter performance after three periods of offensive struggle from both sides.

Presbyterian improved to 3-16 overall and 1-5 in conference play. Gardner-Webb fell to 6-14 and 2-4.

The contest was a statistical anomaly, a defensive slugfest where neither team could find consistent offensive rhythm. Presbyterian prevailed despite committing 28 turnovers and posting an offensive rating of just 74.3 points per 100 possessions. Gardner-Webb was scarcely better, turning the ball over 14 times and managing an offensive rating of 68.3. The Runnin’ Bulldogs shot a frigid 28.8% from the field, including 8 of 31 from three-point range.

The most important part of the game unfolded in the final quarter. Entering the fourth trailing 33-30, Presbyterian’s offense, stagnant for much of the night, finally found a pulse. The Blue Hose erupted for 20 points in the final period, nearly matching their total output from the first three quarters combined.

Senior guard Aminata Tal, who hails from Saint-Louis, Senegal, was the catalyst. She scored 10 of her game-high 18 points in the fourth quarter, attacking the basket repeatedly. Her driving layup with 8:42 remaining gave Presbyterian its first lead since early in the second quarter at 35-33, part of a critical 7-0 run that shifted momentum permanently.

Gardner-Webb, which had relied on its defense to build its lead, could not counter. The Runnin’ Bulldogs managed only 13 points in the final quarter and missed several key opportunities down the stretch. A layup by Anaya Harris of Raleigh, North Carolina, brought Gardner-Webb within 46-43 with just over three minutes to play, but the Blue Hose answered with consecutive baskets from Samantha Mullock and Krystal Haddock to push the lead back to seven.

The Runnin’ Bulldogs had one final chance, trailing by four with 12 seconds left, but a hurried three-point attempt by Jaelyn Acker missed, and Presbyterian secured the defensive rebound to seal the game.

Tal’s 18 points led all scorers. She was supported by Ja’Cia Cunningham of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, who added 15 points and a block, and Haddock of Greenville, North Carolina, who chipped in 10 points. Ore Ogunwolere of Plainfield, New Jersey, facilitated the offense with a game-high six assists.

Gardner-Webb was led by Acker of Richfield, Wisconsin, who scored 14 points. Harris finished with 13 points, and Makayla Legette of Latta, South Carolina, added six. The Runnin’ Bulldogs’ defense was active, tallying 20 steals, but their offensive inefficiency—17-for-59 shooting—proved insurmountable.

The game began with Presbyterian seizing early control, leading 14-12 after one quarter. Both offenses then ground to a halt. The Blue Hose managed only eight points in both the second and third quarters, while Gardner-Webb scored seven in the second before a 14-point third quarter gave them a narrow lead heading into the final frame, setting the stage for Presbyterian’s decisive rally.

The victory was a departure from recent form for Presbyterian, which had lost its previous five games by an average of 23 points. Gardner-Webb entered the contest as a heavy favorite according to advanced metrics, projected with an 89.2% probability to win.

Both teams return to conference play Saturday. Presbyterian will host Charleston Southern, while Gardner-Webb travels to face High Point.