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NCAA Basketball: In-depth look at Gardner-Webb star DQ Nicholas

By Bryan Mauro

Nov 15, 2022; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Gardner Webb Runnin Bulldogs guard DQ Nicholas (4) looks on against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 15, 2022; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Gardner Webb Runnin Bulldogs guard DQ Nicholas (4) looks on against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-USA TODAY Sports /
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NCAA Basketball DQ Nicholas #4 of the Gardner Webb Runnin Bulldogs dribbles around Caleb Love #2 of the North Carolina Tar Heels (Photo by Peyton Williams/UNC/Getty Images)
NCAA Basketball DQ Nicholas #4 of the Gardner Webb Runnin Bulldogs dribbles around Caleb Love #2 of the North Carolina Tar Heels (Photo by Peyton Williams/UNC/Getty Images) /

There are under 100 days until the College Basketball season begins which means it is time for the coverage to ramp up over the next few months. There will be a lot of rankings and lists and primer articles to get us all ready for the season but before that let’s get to know some more mid-major breakout players. This week takes us to the Big South and is going to highlight a player who enters his final season in the Big South and his team, the Gardner Webb Runnin Bulldogs, is a team that may get a lot of coverage this year.

This year’s version of the Big South has a chance to be the deepest it has been in a long time. There are several teams who can win the league and it is going to be crowded at the top. Gardner-Webb fits into that category and they have high expectations all based on their superstar coming back. Nicholas is one player who very few outside of the Big South conference even notice or recognize what he is doing. Hopefully all that changes this year when he takes home the Big South player of the year hardware.

Head Coach Tim Craft has built the Gardner-Webb program into a consistent contender in the Big South. Even though the Runnin’ Bulldogs have only made the NCAA tournament one time in program history, the 10 years under coach Craft have been the most consistent stretch for the Runnin’ Bulldogs.

Gardner-Webb is going to have an experienced team returning this year and it is going to likely be another top-half finish in the Big South conference this season. Do they have what it takes to return to the NCAA Tournament?  Maybe, but they do have a player in DQ Nicholas who is going to be a favorite to win the Player of the Year in the conference this year.