LYNCHBURG, VA – A big third quarter for Gardner-Webb lifted the Bulldogs past the Winthrop women's basketball team 68-57 Thursday evening in the first round of the Big South Tournament hosted by Liberty University.

Winthrop closes the 2017-18 season with a 3-27 overall record while Gardner-Webb improved to 19-12 and advanced to the quarterfinals to face the second-seeded Radford Highlanders on Friday

HOW IT HAPPENED

Winthrop played a strong opening quarter, keeping the Bulldogs off the scoreboard for more than three minutes.  The Eagles led by as much as six in the first 10 minutes and held a 10-8 edge after the first quarter.

Gardner-Webb turned up the defense in the second quarter, limiting the Eagles to only three made field goals in the second quarter and seven total points.  The Bulldogs outscored the Eagles 17-7 in the second quarter and led 25-17 at the break.

Winthrop was again limited to only three made field goals in the third quarter but staying in the game from the free throw line.  Gardner-Webb used an 11-2 run midway through the period to open a 19-point edge and led 52-28 heading into the final quarter.

The Eagles got a bit hotter from the field in the fourth quarter but the deficit proved to be too large to overcome.  Winthrop outscored the Bulldogs 29-16 in the final 10 minutes, hitting 67 percent of its shots from the floor but fell 68-57.

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

Three Eagles tied for the team-lead in points as Ronata Rogers, Kayla Atkins and Airneisha Gamble each scored 10 points.  Anika Riley led the team with 12 rebounds and added seven points.

Winthrop finished the game shooting 40 percent from the field but only 20 percent from beyond the three-point arc.  The Eagles were narrowly beaten out on the boards 42-40.