ASHEVILLE, N.C. - The UNC Asheville men's basketball team returns to the hardwood Saturday afternoon when the Bulldogs host the University of Buffalo for the first time ever at Justice Center starting at 2 p.m. The game will be broadcast on WISE Radio (1310-AM) and video-streamed for a small fee at www.uncabulldogs.com or www.bigsouthsports.com.
UNC Asheville is off to its best start in 23 years with an 8-3 record. The Bulldogs played last at #12 Tennessee on Dec. 19 and lost to the Volunteers, 86-73. Asheville trailed by 27 early in the second half before making a furious comeback and cut the lead to nine late in the game. K.J. Garland finished with 22 points, while Bryan Smithson added 21 points. Junior center Kenny George came off the bench to grab a career-best 13 rebounds.
“We made a nice comeback at Tennessee but if we could have gotten off a better start then we really could have made a game of it,” stated Asheville coach Eddie Biedenbach. “I was proud of the way we fought back and battled.”
Asheville faces a University of Buffalo squad that is 6-5 on the season. The Bulls split a pair of games this past weekend at the State Farm Sun Bowl Classic at Texas El Paso. They lost to Wyoming (66-63) before defeating USC Upstate (80-66). UB is a member of the Mid-America Conference and owns wins over South Florida, Evansville and Tulane this year.
“This is the first time we've played Buffalo, but we know they have a well-coached team and picked up some impressive early-season wins,” commented Biedenbach. “Buffalo is a program that has been very competitive in the MAC the past few years. The M|AC is an excellent league with a lot of good teams. We're going to have to play very well to have a chance at winning.”
The Bulls are led by sophomore guard Sean Smiley. Smiley is averaging 10.2 points per game and has knocked down 23 treys. UB will come to the Justice Center with wins in four of its last six games.
The Bulldogs continue to have five different players averaging in double-figures in scoring. Bryan Smithson tops the club with a 17.3 average and is shoot 50 percent (45-of-90) from the field. K.J. Garland is second with a 16.9 scoring average and leads the squad in assists with 64. Vincent James is averaging 11.8 points per game, followed by center Kenny George with an 11.1 average. George is leading the nation in blocked shots with 52 and is shooting 68 percent (42-of-62) from the field. Junior Reid Augst is averaging 10.5 points per game and is fifth nationally in free throw percentage at 92 percent (35-of-38).
NOTES: Kenny George has 99 career blocked shots and tied for first in the nation in blocked shots with a 5.8 avearge...the Bulldogs are 6-1 at home this year...Asheville has won 12 of its last 16 games dating back to last season...UB will be the second team that Asheville has played from the MAC with the other being Marshall in the 1999-00 season.
