Kevin Hartley and Tashan Newsome scored 16 points each Saturday to lead Gardner-Webb to an 83-54 victory over Spalding.
The Runnin' Bulldogs (8-6), off to their best start in eight seasons, easily dispatched Spalding, a Division III school from Kentucky. They led by as many as 18 points in the first half, by 14 at halftime and took a 34-point lead in the second half after a 16-4 run.
Donta Harper scored 13 points for Gardner-Webb, which shot 49.2 percent (29 of 59) from the field. Both teams hit six 3-pointers, but the Runnin' Bulldogs were 6 for 13 from long range, Spalding just 6 of 22.
Gardner-Webb had a 25-8 edge in points off turnovers and outrebounded Spalding 39-23, including 15-7 on the offensive board.
For Spalding (3-5), Dewhon McAfee scored 19 points. But he was 7 for 21 from the floor, 2 of 10 on treys.
