ASHEVILLE, N.C.?UNC Asheville's women's basketball team returns to the court on Saturday as it hosts Charleston Southern in a key Big South match-up at 2 p.m. in the Justice Center. The game can be heard locally on ESPN Radio 1310/970 WISE and can be seen live via video streaming at bigsouthsport.com.
UNC Asheville (7-14, 4-4 Big South) will try to snap a three-game conference losing streak. The Bulldogs defeated Charleston Southern 70-66, on January 5.
Ana Baker will attempt to become Asheville's all-time career steals leader. She enters Saturday's action with 243 career steals trailing Vicki Giffin who had 244 steals from 1993-97. Baker has had five steals in each of her last two games and is second in the Big South averaging 2.6 per game.
Baker is fourth in the Big South in scoring at 11.9 points per game. She leads the league in turnover to assist ratio (1.63), second in assists (4.72), and second in minutes played (35.06).
In the first meeting of the season in Charleston, Lindsey Thompson had a career night hitting five three-pointers as she finished with a season-high 18 points. Chioma Okoli added 17 points as the Bulldogs place three players in double figures.
Charleston Southern (8-13, 2-6 BSC) is coming off a 72-64 loss to Winthrop on Monday night. The Lady Bucs have dropped five of their last six games. Pam Tolbert leads the Big South averaging 15.4 points per game. Katie Tull is scoring 13.1 points while Kelsey Wasmer is next at 11.6 points per game. CSU leads the conference in scoring averaging 69.9 points per game but is last in scoring defense at 72.8 points per game. The Lady Bucs average 8.48 made three-pointers per game which leads the Big South. Tolbert had 27 points for CSU in the first meeting against Asheville.
UNC Asheville leads the all-time series 27-22. The Bulldogs held CSU to a season-low two three pointers in the first meeting this season. Asheville has not swept the season series against CSU since the 2004-05 season.
