University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Wednesday, December 22
Macon, GA
1 p.m.
UNC Asheville
76
at
73
Mercer
Riles' Layup Lifts Bulldogs Over Mercer, 76-73
12.22.2010 | Women's Basketball
MACON, Ga. – Sophomore forward Kelli Riles scored 22 points including the go-ahead layup with 27 seconds left in the game to help lead the UNC Asheville women's basketball team past Mercer on Wednesday afternoon, as the Bulldogs earned a 76-73 victory over the home-standing Bears.
“A year ago we wouldn't have won this game,” said head coach Betsy Blose. “We showed a lot of toughness and tenacity in the second half and we were able to come out with a big win on the road.”
The Bulldogs (6-4) also got 20 points off the bench from Lindsey Montgomery and another 18 from Grace Blaylock. The 22 points by Riles tied a career-high and Blaylock's 18 set a new career-high. Mercer's Kendra Grant scored a team-high 18 points as the Bears fell to 1-9 on the year.
Asheville struggled early in the first half, turning the ball over nine times in the first half including six in the first 10 minutes of the game. The Bears led by as much as 12 in the first half before taking a 37-29 lead into halftime.
In the second half the Bulldogs came out firing closing the gap to 42-40 on a 3-pointer by Blaylock. Mercer was able to extend its lead to as much as nine point three times over the final 10 minutes before the Bulldogs were able to claw their way back into the game.
Another trey by Blaylock at the 3:46 mark pulled Asheville within a point of the Bears at 67-66 before Montgomery gave the Bulldogs their first lead just 30 seconds later when she hit a layup in the paint. The two teams traded the lead back and forth over the final three minutes before Mercer went up 73-72 on a Briana Williams layup with 37 seconds to go.
Riles would get the ball on the low post and hit the go-ahead layup with 27 seconds left in the game off of a pass from Montgomery. On the next possession by Mercer Breaira Barksdale forced a Bears turnover with 16 seconds left to give the Bulldogs possession. Mercer was forced to foul and Lindsey Thompson converted two free throws to push Asheville's lead to 76-73.
Williams attempted a desperation three that went for naught and UNC Asheville would pick up its sixth win of the season.
Riles pulled down a game-high nine rebounds and Barksdale dished out a season-high seven assists. She also recorded a game-high four steals. Asheville is now 3-0 against members of the Atlantic Sun Conference this season, having defeated Campbell and USC Upstate earlier this season. The Bulldogs are also now 2-2 on the road.
“A year ago we wouldn't have won this game,” said head coach Betsy Blose. “We showed a lot of toughness and tenacity in the second half and we were able to come out with a big win on the road.”
The Bulldogs (6-4) also got 20 points off the bench from Lindsey Montgomery and another 18 from Grace Blaylock. The 22 points by Riles tied a career-high and Blaylock's 18 set a new career-high. Mercer's Kendra Grant scored a team-high 18 points as the Bears fell to 1-9 on the year.
Asheville struggled early in the first half, turning the ball over nine times in the first half including six in the first 10 minutes of the game. The Bears led by as much as 12 in the first half before taking a 37-29 lead into halftime.
In the second half the Bulldogs came out firing closing the gap to 42-40 on a 3-pointer by Blaylock. Mercer was able to extend its lead to as much as nine point three times over the final 10 minutes before the Bulldogs were able to claw their way back into the game.
Another trey by Blaylock at the 3:46 mark pulled Asheville within a point of the Bears at 67-66 before Montgomery gave the Bulldogs their first lead just 30 seconds later when she hit a layup in the paint. The two teams traded the lead back and forth over the final three minutes before Mercer went up 73-72 on a Briana Williams layup with 37 seconds to go.
Riles would get the ball on the low post and hit the go-ahead layup with 27 seconds left in the game off of a pass from Montgomery. On the next possession by Mercer Breaira Barksdale forced a Bears turnover with 16 seconds left to give the Bulldogs possession. Mercer was forced to foul and Lindsey Thompson converted two free throws to push Asheville's lead to 76-73.
Williams attempted a desperation three that went for naught and UNC Asheville would pick up its sixth win of the season.
Riles pulled down a game-high nine rebounds and Barksdale dished out a season-high seven assists. She also recorded a game-high four steals. Asheville is now 3-0 against members of the Atlantic Sun Conference this season, having defeated Campbell and USC Upstate earlier this season. The Bulldogs are also now 2-2 on the road.
Players Mentioned
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/ Women's Basketball
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