University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Bulldogs Host King College Thursday Night
12.15.2010 | Men's Basketball
Fans can get into the game for free by bringing a toy to donate to Toys for Tots. Any fan bringing a toy will receive a free general admission ticket.
Asheville (4-5) is looking to even its record at 5-5 when it takes on the Tornado. However, Bulldog coach Eddie Biedenbach expects a tough game with King College on Thursday night. The Tornado is 6-6 on the season and upset Appalachian State last year in Boone.
"King College is one of the best non-Division I teams we've played since I've been here," declared Biedenbach. "I'm very impressed with their team. They're well-coached and are a very good Division II team. We played well in spurts against Montreat but we're going to have to play much better than we did on Saturday."
The Bulldogs posted an 86-57 win over Montreat on Saturday as Asheville played its first game in a week due to exams. It was Coach Biedenbach's 200th win as Bulldog head coach.
"All 200 wins means is that I've been around a long time," explained Biedenbach. "We've had some great players and coaches during my tenure here and any success I've had is because of them. Right now I just want us to focus on King College."
The Bulldogs have won 11 straight home games dating back to last season and that's 16th longest home-court winning streak in the nation. In addition, Asheville is ranked third nationally in steals with an 11.7 per game average.
Junior guard J.P. Primm leads the Bulldogs in scoring with a 16.4 average, followed closely by Matt Dickey at 16.2. Sophomore center D.J. Cunningham is off to a good start and is third on the club in scoring with a 10.4 per game average. He tops the club in rebounding with a 9.6 mark.
King College has four players averaging in double figures. Senior forward Mark Dockery tops the club with a 16.8 average. Jason Seymore is next with a 15.3 mark, while senior forward Clarence Smith is averaging 13.9 points per game. Junior guard Brian Hewitt averages 12.7 points per game.
The Bulldogs will play one more game before Christmas and that's at #2 Ohio State Tuesday night starting at 8:30 p.m.
BULLDOG NOTES
Three of Asheville's four wins have come by 20 points or more.
This is the first meeting between King and UNC Asheville since the second game of the 1989-90 season when the Bulldogs recorded a 92-57 victory.
Asheville is 2-0 at home this season and will play four of its next five games at Justice Center.
Matt Dickey and J.P. Primm have scored in double figures in eight of nine games this season.
Sophomore center D.J. Cunningham has led Asheville in rebounding in four straight games.
The Bulldogs are third nationally in steals with an 11.7 per game average. That figure leads the Big South. Asheville has had at least 10 steals in seven consecutive games.
The Bulldogs are just 7-of-32 from the three-point line in the past three games. Asheville had eight against USC Upstate on Nov. 29.
Asheville has gone overtime in four of its last 14 games dating back to last year. All of those overtime contests have occurred on the road. The last overtime game at Justice Center happened on Feb. 11, 2009 when the Bulldogs defeated Gardner-Webb, 87-78.
Senior forward John Williams will miss the game against King College due to a facial injury suffered at North Carolina on Nov. 23. He could be back for the Western Carolina on Dec. 28.
