Overall record: 21-13, 11-5 in the Big South
Head coach: Tim Craft
Tenure at Gardner-Webb: First season
Career coaching record: 0-0
Home court: Paul Porter Arena
Starters: F Onzie Branch, F Jerome Hill, G Tyler Strange, G Naji Hibbert, G Donta Harper
Outlook: Gardner-Webb holds high expectations for the 2013-14 season after going on a surprising eight-game wining streak toward the end of the season and advancing to the Big South conference semifinals for the first time since joining the league in 2008. This season the Runnin’ Bulldogs hope to win the Big South Conference tournament and advance to the program’s first NCAA tournament. Without guard Tashan Newsome and forward Kevin Hartley, Gardner-Webb will rely on its three returning starters—forwards Donta Harper and Jerome Hill and point guard Tyler Strange. Harper looks to lead the team as the top returning scorer at 12.7 points per game.
One thing that needs to go right: After losing only three games by more than 10 points last season, Craft’s squad steps up and manages wins in similarly tight contests, bringing themselves up in the conference rankings.
One thing that could go wrong: On top of the loss of three key players, the team's recent head coaching change leaves the Runnin’ Bulldogs struggling to get their footing under crippling expectations from last season’s success.
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