University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Women's Basketball Opens League Play on the Road at High Point
12.30.2011 | Women's Basketball
Both games will be audio-streamed and can be heard at www.uncabulldogs.com.
The Bulldogs (4-7) have put two wins together and hope to make it three in a row against a tough High Point (5-6) squad on its home court. The Panthers have a new coach this season in Jennifer Hoover and own a victory at Big East foe Pittsburgh earlier in the year. High Point has controlled the series against Asheville in the past three year as the Panthers have won five straight games.
The Bulldogs won Wednesday night as they controlled the last five minutes of the game against Brevard winning, 74-62. Kelli Riles enjoyed her fifth double-double of the season with 19 points and 16 rebounds.
"We did a nice job down the stretch of finishing the game and that was good to see," commented Bulldog coach Betsy Blose. "It's nice to win a couple of close games after losing a few earlier in the season."
Asheville had a tough time with the Panthers last season, losing 94-75 at Justice Center and 106-58 at the Millis Center in the final game of the regular season.
"High Point is a good team. They won at Pittsburgh, and they're playing well for their new coach," added Blose. "We have two tough road challenges this weekend with both High Point and Campbell. Both are good teams and playing well."
Asheville has four players averaging in double figures entering Saturday's game. Freshman guard Brittany Gwyn, who is from High Point and played at High Point Central, is averaging 13 points per game. Freshman Shonese Jones is at 12.7 followed by senior guard Lindsey Thompson (11.5) and Kelli Riles (11.2).
BULLDOG NOTES
Kelli Riles leads the Big South and the nation in rebounding with a 12.2 average. She tops the Big South in free throw percentage at .867. Riles has posted five double-doubles on the season.
Asheville leads the Big South in three-point percentage at .351.
Junior guard Grace Blaylock is third in the Big South in three-pointers made per game at 2.1.
The Bulldogs have led at intermission in eight of their 11 games this year.
Asheville went 4-4 on the road in Big South Conference games last season.
The Bulldogs have not won at High Point since a 51-50 victory on a last-second shot by Anna Baker in the 2005-06 season.
Asheville won at Campbell last season on a last-second shot by Kendall Shepard, 78-75.
Lindsey Thompson is second in the Big South in free throw percentage at .813.
Freshman guard Shonese Jones has scored in double figures in five straight games seven of the last eight contests.
Freshman forward Leah Wormack has been named Big South Rookie of the Week twice this season.
Kelli Riles set a Big South single-game record for rebounds with 28 against USC Upstate on Nov. 30. She has 568 career rebounds and is tied for 10th all-time in career rebounds at Asheville with Aretha Barnes.
