HIGH POINT, N.C. – Gardner-Webb’s 61-60 men’s basketball victory over Presbyterian in the quarterfinals of the Hercules Tires Big South Championship on Thursday night was all too typical of the Blue Hose, who could just as easily be merely the Blues.

Senior Trevon Reddish-Rhone went out with 18 points, going 9/12 from the field and handing out three assists, but Quinton Ferrell’s fifth season as head coach ended the same as before, out of the tournament in the first game. Every loss was by five points or less.

“I’m just proud of my guys,” Ferrell stated. “[I] desperately wanted to get this win for Trevon Reddish-Rhone, who’s been with me the whole time I’ve been here the last [five] years. He’s given his blood, sweat and tears to the program this season, but I’m proud of all my guys they way they fought the entire season and to the end.”

Ferrell finished the season with a career record of 48-102 (.320). The team made progress this season. Presbyterian (14-18) had the best record of his tenure and went 8-7 at home. The Blue Hose won nine more games than in 2022-23, when they lost their last 18 games.

PC’s last winning season was in 2018-19, 20-16, in the latter of Dustin Kerns’ seasons. Kerns is now head coach at Appalachian State.
Samage Teel scored 12 points, with seven of PC’s 12 assists and six rebounds. Kobe Stewart added 11. Kaleb Scott paired nine points with nine rebounds.

Presbyterian outscored the Runnin’ Bulldogs, 11-0, beginning with 5:34 remaining on Kory Mincy’s contested jumper, to take a 34-27 halftime advantage. The Blue Hose led by 12 points twice in the final 20 minutes, but the final seven minutes were neck-and-neck.

A 12-2 Gardner-Webb rally narrowed the PC edge to two (53-51) with 4:35 remaining.

Stewart gave PC its final lead, 60-59, with 14 seconds remaining on a three-point play, but GWU’s Quest Aldridge canned two free throws with three seconds left, and Stewart missed a desperation trey at the buzzer.

D.Q. Nichols led Gardner-Webb (17-15) with 15 points on 5/10 shooting overall and 3/5 from three-point range. Aldridge scored 14. Caleb Robinson scored only two points (1/7 from the floor) but grabbed more rebounds (10) than anyone else.

As was most often the case this season, Presbyterian outshot the Bulldogs, .438-.345, but the opposite was true of three-pointers, where GWU shot .556 (5/9) to PC’s .300 (3/10). The Hose won the battle of the glass, 37-33.

Take a look at the stats here.

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