# 2023–24 Gardner–Webb Runnin' Bulldogs men's basketball team

The 2023–24 Gardner–Webb Runnin' Bulldogs men's basketball team represented Gardner–Webb University during the 2023–24 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The Runnin' Bulldogs, led by 11th-year head coach Tim Craft, played their home games at Paul Porter Arena in Boiling Springs, North Carolina as members of the Big South Conference. They finished the season 17–16, 11–5 in Big South play to finish in third place. They defeated Presbyterian in the quarterfinals of the Big South tournament before losing to UNC Asheville.
On March 13, 2024, Tim Craft left the team to become the head coach at Western Carolina.

## Previous season

The Runnin' Bulldogs finished the 2022–23 season 15–16, 10–8 in Big South play to finish in a three-way tie for fourth place. In the first round of the Big South Tournament, they were defeated by USC Upstate.

## Schedule and results

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | Site (attendance) city, state |
| Non-conference regular season ||||||
| November 6, 2023* 7:00 pm, ESPN+ | | Erskine | W 98–58 | 1–0 | Paul Porter Arena (357) Boiling Springs, NC |
| November 10, 2023* 8:00 pm, ESPN+/SECN+ | | at No. 14 Arkansas | L 68–86 | 1–1 | Bud Walton Arena (19,200) Fayetteville, AR |
| November 12, 2023* 5:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at No. 20 Baylor | L 62–77 | 1–2 | Ferrell Center (8,037) Waco, TX |
| November 17, 2023* 4:00 pm | | vs. Weber State Atlantic Slam | W 62–61 | 2–2 | Avenir Centre (100) Moncton, NB |
| November 18, 2023* 4:00 pm, ESPN+ | | vs. Colgate Atlantic Slam | L 52–59 | 2–3 | Avenir Centre Moncton, NB |
| November 19, 2023* 3:00 pm, ESPN+ | | vs. Yale Atlantic Slam | L 70–71 $^{OT}$ | 2–4 | Avenir Centre Moncton, NB |
| November 25, 2023* 1:00 pm, ESPN+ | | Limestone | W 92–51 | 3–4 | Paul Porter Arena (228) Boiling Springs, NC |
| November 29, 2023* 5:00 p.m., ESPN+ | | at Queens | L 80–83 | 3–5 | Curry Arena (381) Charlotte, NC |
| December 2, 2023* 7:00 pm, ESPN+ | | Western Carolina | W 82–77 | 4–5 | Paul Porter Arena (850) Boiling Springs, NC |
| December 6, 2023* 7:00 pm, ESPN+ | | Wofford | L 66–81 | 4–6 | Paul Porter Arena (250) Boiling Springs, NC |
| December 11, 2023* 7:00 pm | | North Greenville | W 79–60 | 5–6 | Paul Porter Arena (265) Boiling Springs, NC |
| December 16, 2023* 4:00 pm | | vs. Appalachian State | L 59–80 | 5–7 | Novant Health Fieldhouse (423) Greensboro, NC |
| December 19, 2023* 7:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at Chattanooga | L 66–69 | 5–8 | McKenzie Arena (3,026) Chattanooga, TN |
| December 21, 2023* 7:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at Akron | L 90–94 $^{OT}$ | 5–9 | James A. Rhodes Arena Akron, OH |
| December 30, 2023* 2:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at VCU | L 73–87 | 5–10 | Siegel Center (7,188) Richmond, VA |
| Big South Conference regular season ||||||
| January 6, 2024 2:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at High Point | L 76–85 | 5–11 (0–1) | Qubein Center (3,192) High Point, NC |
| January 10, 2024 7:00 pm, ESPN+ | | Charleston Southern | L 74–86 | 5–12 (0–2) | Paul Porter Arena (604) Boiling Springs, NC |
| January 13, 2024 1:00 pm, ESPN+ | | Presbyterian | W 76–60 | 6–12 (1–2) | Paul Porter Arena (406) Boiling Springs, NC |
| January 17, 2024 7:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at Radford | W 74–68 | 7–12 (2–2) | Dedmon Center (1,615) Radford, VA |
| January 20, 2024 1:00 pm, ESPN+ | | Winthrop | W 79–74 | 8–12 (3–2) | Paul Porter Arena (702) Boiling Springs, NC |
| January 24, 2024 7:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at Longwood | W 76–64 | 9–12 (4–2) | Joan Perry Brock Center (1,345) Farmville, VA |
| January 27, 2024 4:00 pm, ESPN+ | | USC Upstate | W 75–70 | 10–12 (5–2) | Paul Porter Arena (904) Boiling Springs, NC |
| January 31, 2024 7:00 pm, ESPN+ | | UNC Asheville | W 80–73 | 11–12 (6–2) | Paul Porter Arena (719) Boiling Springs, NC |
| February 7, 2024 7:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at Presbyterian | L 75–77 | 11–13 (6–3) | Templeton Physical Education Center (262) Clinton, SC |
| February 10, 2024 1:00 pm, ESPN+ | | High Point | L 62–78 | 11–14 (6–4) | Paul Porter Arena (1,002) Boiling Springs, NC |
| February 14, 2024 7:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at Charleston Southern | W 85–77 | 12–14 (7–4) | Buccaneer Field House (401) North Charleston, SC |
| February 17, 2024 4:30 pm, ESPN+ | | at USC Upstate | W 73–65 | 13–14 (8–4) | G. B. Hodge Center (580) Spartanburg, SC |
| February 22, 2024 7:00 pm, ESPNU | | Radford | L 74–90 | 13–15 (8–5) | Paul Porter Arena (1,298) Boiling Springs, NC |
| February 24, 2024 2:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at UNC Asheville | W 78–77 | 14–15 (9–5) | Kimmel Arena (3,129) Asheville, NC |
| February 29, 2024 7:00 pm, ESPN+ | | Longwood | W 72–69 | 15–15 (10–5) | Paul Porter Arena (2,848) Boiling Springs, NC |
| March 2, 2024 2:00 pm, ESPN+ | | at Winthrop | W 65–64 | 16–15 (11–5) | Winthrop Coliseum (2,443) Rock Hill, SC |
| Big South tournament ||||||
| March 8, 2024 8:00 pm, ESPN+ | (3) | vs. (6) Presbyterian Quarterfinals | W 61–60 | 17–15 | Qubein Center High Point, NC |
| March 9, 2024 2:00 pm, ESPN+ | (3) | vs. (2) UNC Asheville Semifinals | L 72–83 $^{OT}$ | 17–16 | Qubein Center High Point, NC |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. All times are in Eastern Time. ||||||
Sources: