SHELBY, N.C. (Interstat) — Wofford pulled away in the second half for an 83-57 victory over Gardner-Webb in nonconference men’s basketball Monday night at Paul Porter Arena. The Terriers led 34-27 at halftime before outscoring the Runnin’ Bulldogs 49-30 after the break. Kahmare Holmes led Wofford with 15 points. Cayden Vasko added 13 points and five assists, while Chace Watley and Brian Sumpter each scored 12. Jacob Hogarth and Jacob Hudson each scored 13 points for Gardner-Webb. The Runnin’ Bulldogs shot poorly from the floor and could not keep pace. Wofford improved to 7-4. Gardner-Webb fell to 1-12. Attendance was 567.

SHELBY, N.C. (Interstat) — In a game defined by defensive pressure and rebounding dominance, the Wofford Terriers methodically dismantled the Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs 83-57 in a nonconference men’s basketball game Monday night at Paul Porter Arena. The Terriers, improving to 7-4, never trailed after the opening minute and used a 16-2 run midway through the first half to establish a commanding lead they would never relinquish. The victory snapped a two-game skid for Wofford, which had suffered a 21-point home loss to Elon in its previous outing. The most decisive stretch of the contest began with Wofford leading 14-11 near the midway point of the first half. Over the next four minutes, the Terriers unleashed their game-defining run. The surge was fueled by active hands and relentless effort on the glass. Chace Watley of Minneapolis knocked down a three-pointer, followed by a driving layup from Kahmare Holmes of Charlotte. After a Gardner-Webb turnover, Cayden Vasko of Lowell, Indiana, found Holmes for another layup, pushing the lead to double digits. The run was emblematic of the night, as Wofford converted Gardner-Webb mistakes into easy transition opportunities and capitalized on second-chance points. When Luke Flynn of Marietta, Georgia, drilled a three-pointer with 10:39 left in the half, the Terriers’ lead ballooned to 30-13, effectively putting the game out of reach before halftime. Wofford’s defensive scheme suffocated the Gardner-Webb offense, particularly from beyond the arc. The Runnin’ Bulldogs managed just 2-of-15 shooting from three-point range, a critical failure against a Terrier defense that packed the paint. Gardner-Webb, which fell to 1-12, also committed 15 turnovers, which Wofford converted into 18 points. The statistical disparity was stark. Wofford dominated the offensive glass, hauling in 16 offensive rebounds to just three for Gardner-Webb. This led to a 19-4 advantage in second-chance points. The Terriers also tallied nine steals, disrupting Gardner-Webb’s offensive flow throughout the evening. While the offense was balanced, Vasko led the way for Wofford with 13 points and five assists, orchestrating the attack. Holmes added 15 points, and Watley contributed 12. Brian Sumpter of Columbia, South Carolina, provided a strong interior presence with 12 points and two blocks, while Nils Machowski of Berlin, Germany, chipped in 10 points. For Gardner-Webb, Jacob Hogarth of Brooklyn, New York, and Jacob Hudson of Houston each scored 13 points, but they received little consistent support. The team’s offensive rating of 81.3 points per 100 possessions underscored a night of profound struggle against a swarming Wofford defense. Wofford led 34-27 at halftime and quickly extinguished any notion of a Gardner-Webb comeback after the break. The Terriers opened the second half with a 9-2 spurt, stretching the lead to 43-29 within the first four minutes. Gardner-Webb never got closer than 12 points the rest of the way as Wofford continued to control the tempo and the boards, eventually leading by as many as 28 points. The Terriers shot 47% from the field and assisted on nine of their 31 made baskets. Gardner-Webb, despite shooting a respectable 40% from the floor, was severely limited in its opportunities, attempting 16 fewer field goals than Wofford due to the turnover and rebounding deficits. Wofford will look to carry this momentum into a quick turnaround, traveling to face Wichita State on Wednesday. Gardner-Webb faces a daunting task in its next outing, a road game at Tennessee on Sunday. An announced crowd of 567 watched as Wofford covered the pregame spread as a 9.5-point favorite. The total points scored, 140, fell well under the over/under line of 153.5.

Preview: Wofford Terriers at Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs SHELBY, N.C. (Interstat) — Teams trending in opposite directions will meet Monday night when the Wofford Terriers visit the Gardner-Webb Runnin’ Bulldogs in a nonconference men’s basketball game at Paul Porter Arena. Wofford (6-4) enters having won three of its last five games, while Gardner-Webb (1-11) snapped an 11-game season-opening losing streak with a win over Division III Brevard last Friday. The Terriers are looking to rebound from a 73-52 home loss to Elon on Dec. 6, their most recent outing. In that game, Wofford was led by Kahmare Holmes with 12 points. Holmes, a key player for the Terriers, is averaging 20 points over his last five contests, including a 30-point, 8-rebound performance in an 83-77 win at Eastern Kentucky on Nov. 29. Gardner-Webb’s lone victory came against Brevard, 77-63, led by Jacob Hogarth’s 23 points. Hogarth has been a bright spot for the struggling Runnin’ Bulldogs, scoring in double figures in seven of his last eight games. He posted 13 points and nine rebounds in a narrow 88-84 loss to Georgia Southern on Dec. 6. Wofford’s season has featured notable road wins at Eastern Kentucky and Bellarmine, but also lopsided losses to power-conference foe Auburn and, most recently, Elon. Gardner-Webb’s schedule has been arduous, with road losses at Clemson, DePaul, Richmond and UNC Wilmington. Historically, this matchup presents a stark contrast in momentum. The Terriers will aim to control the game through Holmes and regain their offensive rhythm after being held to a season-low 52 points. The Runnin’ Bulldogs will seek to build on the confidence from their first win and leverage home court to keep it competitive. For Wofford, this game begins a two-game road swing before the holiday break, with a visit to Wichita State looming on Dec. 17. Gardner-Webb faces a daunting trip to Tennessee on Dec. 21. Monday’s contest is scheduled for a 7 p.m. tipoff.