ASHEVILLE, N.C. - The UNC Asheville Bulldogs finish up the regular season with their biggest game of the season when they travel to Winthrop to battle the three-time defending Big South Conference champs. A win by Asheville gives the Bulldogs the top seed to next week's Advance Auto Parts Big South Conference Tournament. A victory would also ensure Asheville to a post-season berth to at least the National Invitational Tournament if the Bulldogs would lose next week. Asheville enters today's game with a two-game winning streak after dropping four straight. Saturday's game will be televised regionally by SportSouth and can also be heard at www.uncabulldogs.com.
The Bulldogs (20-8, 9-4) earned their 20th win of the season on Wednesday night when they held off a stubborn Coastal Carolina squad, 78-72. Kenny George and K.J. Garland led Asheville with 18 points each. The Bulldogs downed Winthrop earlier this season, 71-56 at Justice Center back on Feb. 2. Asheville will have their hands full today as they face a Winthrop squad that hasn't lost a league home game in two seasons. The Eagles (19-10, 10-3 BSC) have lost just once since losing to the Bulldogs. Two of Winthrop's three league losses have been by one point.
“We will have to be at our absolute best on Saturday against Winthrop,” stated UNC Asheville coach Eddie Biedenbach. “Winthrop is outstanding on defense and has guys that know how to win championships. However, this is what you play for and that's a chance to win a title. I think we're playing a little better and we're a little healthier than we were a last week. Winthrop is playing very well right now.”
The Bulldogs enter today's game with five players averaging more than 10 points per game. Bryan Smithson tops the Dogs with a 16.0 average. K.J. Garland is next with a 13.9 mark. Kenny George is averaging 12.6 points per game. Vincent James is next with a 10.9 average. Reid Augst has moved into double-figure territory with a 10.4 scoring average.
Kenny George only played 11 minutes in a five-game stretch but has played quite well the past two games. He scored 15 points against Charleston Southern last Saturday on 7-of-10 shooting and then went 9-of-10 from the field against Coastal Carolina Wednesday night with 18 points. George is 16-of-20 from the field in those games for 80 percent shooting. Actually, he missed his first three shots against CSU and then made his last seven attempts in that game. So he is 16-of-17 (94%) since late in the first half of the CSU contest. The junior is having an amazing season and is one of the most improved players in the country from last year. He enters the game as the nation's leader in field goal percentage at 71.7 percent (129-of-180) and fifth nationally in blocked shots (3.8).
NOTES ? UNC Asheville will be at home Tuesday night for the quarterfinals of the Big South Conference Tournament. It's just the second time the Bulldogs have had a home game since the tourney went to a home site format in 2003. Asheville has shot or better than 50 percent from the field in 17 different games this year. The Bulldogs are 8-0 against teams from the state of South Carolina this year. Reid Augst has made 16 of his last 17 free throws. Asheville is 1-10 at the Winthrop Coliseum dating back to the 1998-99 season.
