University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
Tusculum
Bulldogs Roll Past Tusculum, 78-40
12.11.2014 | Men's Basketball
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Andrew Rowsey scored 20 points to lead UNC Asheville to a 78-40 victory over Division II Tusculum College Thursday night at Kimmel Arena.
The Bulldogs won their second straight game to improve to 4-4 on the season. Thursday's game was an exhibition for the Pioneers and does not go against their record.
Asheville got scoring from 12 different players in the victory. Sam Hughes came off the bench to score 10 points on 5-of-5 shooting from the field. Giacomo Zilli scored eight points and collected a career-high nine rebounds.
The injury-riddled Pioneers were led by Cory Fagan and Javon Price with eight points each.
Asheville forced Tusculum into 25 turnovers that resulted in 25 points for the home team. Freshman Ahmad Thomas, making his collegiate debut after missing the first seven games due to injury, had three steals, five rebounds and six points.
In the first half, the Bulldogs got off to a slow start as the game was tied at 9-9 after seven minutes. Rowsey led a 17-4 Asheville run with eight points to give the Dogs a comfortable 26-13 lead. The home team settled for a 39-23 halftime lead.
In the second half, Zach Davis hit a trey for Tusculum at the 19-minute mark to cut the Asheville lead to 41-26. That would be the last points the Pioneers would score over the next nine minutes.
The Bulldogs scored the next 21 points and did not allow Tusculum to score during that period. Asheville's defense forced 10 turnovers and the Pioneers would go 0-for-12 from the field in that stretch.
Tusculum out-rebounded Asheville in the opening half with a 23-16 margin. The Bulldogs did a much better job on the boards in the second half with a 29-12 advantage and won the boards battle, 45-35.
Asheville outscored the Pioneers, 44-19 in the paint and had a 15-6 edge in second-chance points.
UNC Asheville is back in action Sunday night when the Bulldogs travel to UAB for an 8 p.m. contest against the Blazers at Bartow Arena. Sunday's game will be broadcast regionally by the American Sports Network and can be seen locally on MY-40.
NOTES
The Bulldogs have won 28 straight games against non-Division I opponents…Asheville is 39-9 at Kimmel Arena…the Dogs are 12-2 in December since 2012…Asheville had a season-high 13 steals…Andrew Rowsey has scored at least 20 points in 10 straight games and scored in double figures in 36 consecutive contests.
