University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
Virginia Intermont
Bulldogs Plow Past Virginia Intermont, 116-58
11.20.2010 | Men's Basketball
The Bulldogs (2-1) led from start to finish and picked up the biggest margin of victory (58 points) since the 1988-89 season when they beat Voorhees 102-44. Asheville tied a school record for steals with 20.
Matt Dickey, J.P Primm and Chris Stephenson all scored 16 points for Asheville. Jaron Lane added 15 points, while D.J. Cunningham finished with 14 points and nine rebounds. He also blocked four shots. Jon Nwannunu had 12 points and nine rebounds off the bench. John Williams contributed 11 points and five steals.
The Cobras (2-5) were led by Daniel Ross with 13 points and seven rebounds.
"We did a nice job today," commented Bulldog coach Eddie Biedenbach. "Everyone contributed. We didn't do a very good job on the boards in the first half but were much better in that area in the second half. I thought we did a great job passing the ball and playing hard for 40 minutes. It was good that everyone got a chance to play."
The Bulldogs led 12-10 after the first media timeout and then hit three-pointers on three consecutive possessions from three different players to race to a 21-10 lead. VI cut the lead to 21-14 when Asheville erupted for a 31-8 run over the next seven minutes to sprint to a 52-22 lead.
The home team was red-hot from the field in the opening half as the Bulldogs 66 percent (21-of-32) from the field and 60 percent (9-of-15) from beyond the arc. Asheville led 61-33 at halftime. The Bulldogs' defense forced 14 Cobra turnovers that led to 23 Asheville points.
The only negative statistic for the Bulldogs in the first half was that VI out-rounded Asheville 14-13. The Cobras had six offensive rebounds to five for the Dogs.
That would change in the second half as the Bulldogs out-rebounded their NAIA foe, 32-10. The Cobras had just one offensive rebound, compared to 16 for Asheville.
Asheville steadily built on the lead in the second half, leading by as many as 60 points late before settling for the 58-point win. Nwannunu scored all 12 of his points in the second stanza.
Primm wasn't too far from a triple-double with his 16 points, seven assists and six steals. Asheville shot a season-high 55 percent (44-of-80) from the field. The Bulldogs had 27 assists in the game with Stephenson setting a new career high with seven.
Asheville faces a tough week coming up with two games against nationally-ranked teams. The Bulldogs play at UNC Chapel Hill Tuesday night at 7 p.m. The game will be televised by SportsSouth. Next Saturday, Asheville travels to Georgetown for a first-time meeting with the Hoyas starting at Noon. That game will be televised by ESPNU.
NOTES
Asheville had seven players in double figures for the first time since a 144-93 win over Voorhees in the opening game of the 1987-88 season...the win for head coach Eddie Biedenbach was his 198th at UNC Asheville...the Bulldogs forced 28 turnovers in the game...Asheville shot a season-high 84.2 percent (16-of-19) from the free throw line...eleven of Asheville's 12 players who played scored...six different Bulldogs hit a three-pointer in the game...Asheville has won 10 straight games at Justice Center dating back to last season.
