Gardner-Webb beats Coastal Carolina 69-65 in quarterfinals

BUIES CREEK, N.C. (AP) Tyrell Nelson scored 21 points and No. 6 seed Gardner-Webb rallied to beat No. 3 seed and two-time defending champion Coastal Carolina 69-65 on Friday night in a Big South Conference tournament quarterfinals matchup.

The Bulldogs (17-15) will face No. 2 seed Winthrop (22-8) in Saturday's semifinals.

Down 38-25 at halftime, the Bulldogs rallied in the second half, opening with a 10-6 run and pulling to within 49-48 on Harold McBride's free throw with 9:28 to play.

L'Hassane Niangane's three-point play off a layup put Gardner-Webb up 53-52, and the Bulldogs pulled ahead 61-57 after Nelson's three-point play with 4:10 left.

Colton Ray-St Cyr's 3-point play pulled the Chanticleer's within 64-60 with 1:35 left, but Dylan Poston and Isaiah Ivey combined for three free throws and Nelson's dunk sealed it with 14 seconds left.

Harold McBride scored 15, Adonis Burbage added 14 and Poston grabbed 11 rebounds for the Bulldogs, who split the season series with the Chanticleers.

Shivaughn Wiggins led Coastal Carolina (18-11) with 17 points.