Ferguson delivers late as Winthrop tops Gardner-Webb in 3OTs

Jan 12, 2020, 04:13 am

ROCK HILL, S.C. -- Hunter Hale scored 25 points, Chandler Vaudrin added 24, but it was Josh Ferguson who came up big in the third overtime as Winthrop outlasted Gardner-Webb 99-95 on Saturday.

Ferguson scored six points in the third extra period, giving him eight for the game to go with his 14 rebounds and the Eagles (10-7, 4-0) remained one of three undefeated teams in the Big South Conference (Radford 3-0; Presbyterian 3-0).

Gardner-Webb (5-11, 1-3) scored the last five points of regulation, but it was the Bulldogs who couldn't hold the late lead in the first two overtime periods.

In the first OT, Gardner-Webb led 80-74 with 18 seconds left. Vaudrin buried a 3-pointer for Winthrop and was fouled on the shot with 7 seconds left. After he intentionally missed the free throw, Hale grabbed the offensive rebound, found the 3-point arc and made the shot to force another overtime. Vaudrin made the tying shot -- a 3-pointer -- in the second overtime with four seconds to go.

D.J. Burns scored 14 points and Chase Claxton had 11 points and nine rebounds for Winthrop. Hale added seven rebounds and four assists.

Gardner-Webb's Jose Perez scored a career-high 35 points on 11-of-17 shooting and 11-of-14 free throws. Jaheam Cornwall added 16 points, four rebounds and five assists. Eric Jamison Jr. had 12 points and eight rebounds. Nate Johnson added seven points and 10 rebounds.