Date Posted: 3/2/2006

JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – Tim Jennings caught and shot on an inbounds pass with 0.9 seconds left to lift No. 4 Gardner-Webb to a 64-63 win over No. 5 East Tennessee State in first-round action of the 2006 General Shale Brick Atlantic Sun Men’s Basketball Championship on Thursday afternoon in Memorial Center.

ETSU led by 17 points with 14:15 remaining in the game, but the Bulldogs (17-11) used two big runs to close the gap. It looked as if the Bucs would survive, but a turnover with 4.4 seconds left gave G-W the chance for the win. After a series of timeouts and a ball deflected out of bounds, Jennings got the matchup he needed in the lane and made the inbounds pass from T.J. McCullough count.

The final shot was just the finishing touch on an incredible comeback.

Early in the second half, ETSU’s Tim Smith, the A-Sun player of the year, put his team on his back and appeared to have carried them into the semifinals.

Smith scored seven points as part of an 11-2 run to open the half. The Bucs (15-13) had the ball with a chance to extend the lead further, but a turnover led to a Simon Conn dunk.

That sparked the Bulldogs. Conn scored three straight baskets and added a free throw after makes by Chris Gash and Brian Bender. The 11-2 run brought G-W back to within shooting distance.

ETSU recovered for the time being and once again Smith did his part to get momentum back the side of the Bucs. Smith scored all eight quick points to help push the lead back to 57-46.

Gardner-Webb picked back up from there and actually took the lead when Gash capped off a 14-2 run with a long 3-pointer.

On a basket by Ben Rhoda and two free throws from Brad Nuckles, ETSU reclaimed the lead and were up 63-62 with the ball and less than 1:00 remaining. A turnover gave G-W the ball back with a chance.

After running down the clock to eight seconds, Gash tried to win it with a jumper on the baseline, but his shot bounded away and ETSU recovered. The Bulldogs sixth team foul with 4.4 left gave ETSU the ball under G-W’s basket. The Bucs, however, were unable to get the ball in, setting up Jennings’ heroics.

Conn had a big game for the Bulldogs, leading the way with 20 points and seven rebounds. Gash added 15 points, Bender 14 and Jennings 10.

ETSU was led by Smith’s game-high 21 points. He also chipped in five rebounds, five assists and four steals. Dillion Sneed had 13 points and eight rebounds. Nuckles added 12 points and five boards.

General Notes
• Although seeded higher, Gardner-Webb pulled off an upset with the win. The No. 5 seed in the A-Sun tournament has a 14-11 record when playing No. 4.
• In three matchups between G-W and ETSU, the visiting team won each time.
• Since the A-Sun changed its name in 2002, the host team in the league tournament has yet to win the championship. This is the first time, though, that the host has been knocked out in the first round.
• ETSU won in almost every statistical category except for the final score. The Bucs shot 44 percent from the floor (G-W 42 percent). ETSU outrebounded the Bulldogs 36-33, had few turnovers, more steals, more points in the paint, points off turnovers, fast-break points and bench points.
• ETSU had five turnovers in the final three minutes.

Gardner-Webb Notes
• Gardner-Webb improves to 13-2 in games decided by two possessions or less.
• Brian Bender has started 89 consecutive games, dating back to the last three games of his freshman year.
• T.J. McCullough, the league leader in assist-turnover ratio, extended his single-season school record for assists by seven to a total of 167.
• G-W has turned it on late in the season and has now won 11 of 13. • The Bulldogs erased a 17-point deficit to win and will face Lipscomb Friday. The last time G-W played the Bisons, they erased a 21-point deficit to win.
• G-W is 12-0 when holding an opponent to fewer than 70 points.

ETSU Notes
• ETSU finishes the season 15-13.
• Tim Smith wraps up his career as the schools all-time leading scorer. He’s second in the annals in assists, steals and minutes played. He finishes with an even 2,300 points, 313 steals and 508 assists.
• The Bucs were 2-4 when scoring fewer than 70 points.
• Counting the tournament, ETSU was 9-5 in Memorial Center.

Related Links:
 • 2006 General Shale Brick Atlantic Sun Championship
 • Box Score