Erskine vs Gardner-Webb prediction: Gardner-Webb's rebuilt roster gets its first home look against Erskine
Ahead of road trips to UConn and Texas, a mostly new Runnin' Bulldogs team opens Paul Porter Arena against a non-Division I visitor and starts answering what last season's 4-29 record means now.
- Gardner-Webb should control a home opener against a non-Division I opponent, but last season's numbers say little about this largely new roster.
- Watch whether Jacob Hudson and Ace Talbert can carry a backcourt that lost most of last season's scoring.
- No spread or total has been posted; with only 32.4% of last season's minutes back, last season's ratings are a weak guide.
A program starting over
Gardner-Webb finished last season 4-29, including 1-15 in the Big South. Its defense allowed 124.4 points per 100 possessions, which ranked 365th of 365. Big South voters picked the Runnin' Bulldogs ninth this preseason.
The team calls this a revamped roster, and the numbers agree. Players on this season's team accounted for just 32.4% of last season's minutes. Spence Sims, who shot 43% from three, left for Winthrop. Jacob Hogarth, a 10.7-point, 7.0-rebound forward, is now at James Madison. Last season's team numbers describe a group that largely no longer exists.
Who is back and who is new
Jacob Hudson is the leading returner. He scored 10.7 points a game last season and carried a 22% usage rate. Senior guard Ace Talbert started 29 games, though his 26.1% three-point shooting is the number to watch.
The frontcourt is new. Mikhali Pocknett arrives from Buffalo, where he grabbed 4.1 rebounds in 14.1 minutes a game. Jackson Skipper comes from Vermont. Rebounding was a weak spot last season, with a 64.8% defensive rebound rate that ranked 353rd, so the new forwards have a clear job.
Home opener after a tough start
This is Gardner-Webb's first home game. Coach Jeremy Luther's team plays at UConn on Nov. 2 and at Texas on Nov. 5 before this game. The men tip at 8 p.m. as the second half of a doubleheader, after the women face UNC Greensboro.
Erskine is not a Division I program, and no injury or availability news has surfaced for either team. No betting line has been posted yet.
Key players
- Jacob Hudson (Gardner-Webb): Averaged 10.7 points with a 22% usage rate last season, the top returning load.
- Ace Talbert (Gardner-Webb): Started 29 games last season but shot 26.1% from three on 142 attempts.
- Mikhali Pocknett (Gardner-Webb): Pulled down 4.1 rebounds in 14.1 minutes a game at Buffalo last season.
- Jamias Ferere (Gardner-Webb): Shot 77% at the line last season with a 22.7% usage rate off the bench.
Numbers that matter
| Returning minutes | 32.4% | Less than a third of last season's minutes are back, so last season's team numbers are a weak guide. |
|---|---|---|
| Last season's record | 4-29 | The baseline this rebuilt roster is trying to move past. |
| Last season's defensive efficiency rank | 365th | Gardner-Webb allowed 124.4 points per 100 possessions, the worst mark in Division I. |
| Preseason Big South pick | ninth | Big South voters picked the Runnin' Bulldogs ninth. |
Erskine vs Gardner-Webb: quick answers
When is Erskine vs Gardner-Webb?
Wednesday, November 11, 2026 at 8:00 PM ET.