University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
Montreat
Balanced Attack Leads Bulldogs Past Montreat
11.20.2015 | Women's Basketball
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Behind an offensive attack that featured 13 different Bulldogs in the scoring column, the UNC Asheville women's basketball team flew past Montreat Friday night at Kimmel Arena, cruising to an 89-41 victory. Leading 11 at the break, Asheville (2-1) opened the second half on a 12-0 run to put the game out of reach.
Next up for the Bulldogs is a trip to Cullowhee to take on Western Carolina Tuesday.
Junior Tianna Knuckles scored a game-high 15 points as the Bulldogs shot 55.6 percent from the field. Asheville's defense held the Cavaliers to 34.0 percent shooting and forced 26 turnovers.
Asheville led 40-29 at halftime. Junior Chatori Major scored eight of her 10 points in the second frame, all in a 4:26 stretch. Knuckles contributed 11 first-half points. The Bulldogs found multiple easy looks at the basket, getting out in transition for nine points and scoring 15 points off nine Montreat turnovers in the opening 20 minutes.
The Bulldogs turned up the defensive intensity to start the third period, using a full-court pressure to create high-percentage shots. In the opening 3:57 of the second half, Asheville forced eight Montreat turnovers to spur a 12-0 run. All 12 of those points in the run came on layups.
Asheville extended its lead up to 32 to end the third period when freshman Jessica Wall buried a triple from the right wing as the horn sounded. The Bulldogs kept the foot on the gas throughout the fourth quarter, continuing to up their lead and outscored the Cavaliers 49-12 in the second half.
All 13 Bulldogs who played in Friday's game saw at least seven minutes of action and all found the scoring column. Junior Chatori Major contributed 10 points, her third straight game this season in double-figure scoring. Freshman Kelli Fisher tallied a career-best 10 points and seven rebounds in 10 minutes.
Registering a season-best 35 made field goals, the Bulldogs assisted on 21 (.600) of those and turned the ball over just seven times. Junior Chatori Major set a new career-high as she was responsible for eight assists. Junior Ja'Da Brayboy tallied four dimes while sophomore Khaila Webb had three.
Asheville held a 36-29 edge on the backboards. Senior Paige Love hauled in six boards from the backcourt while Fisher paced the team with seven boards.
Darah DeWalt led Montreat with 10 points.
QUOTE
“Tonight's game was a great opportunity for everyone to get valuable minutes against a quality team. Montreat can flat out shoot the ball and they have solid post play. They will do well in their league. I was proud of our urgency and execution on both ends of the court in the second half.” – head coach Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick.
NOTES
· Junior Tianna Knuckles led the team in scoring Friday with 15 points, her second game this season leading the team. It also marked her third game of the season and 32nd career reaching double-figure scoring.
·Freshman Kelli Fisher finished a perfect 4-for-4 from the field en route to a career-high 10 points and seven rebounds.
· Senior Paige Love recorded a season-best six rebounds as Asheville outrebounded Montreat 36-29. Love also tallied a season-best six points.
· On her way to 10 points, junior Chatori Major tied a season-best with five made field goals. Major also matched a career-high with four steals and set a new career-high with eight assists. Major has reached double-digit scoring in all three games this season and nine times in her career.
· Junior Ja'Da Brayboy has tallied at least three assists in all three games this season after dishing out four in Friday's win.
· Sophomore Khaila Webb tallied three more assists Friday and she has passed out at least three assists in every game this season.
·Freshmen Alexis Toney and Ali Trani made their Bulldog debuts Friday. Toney contributed two points in 12 minutes of action while Trani tallied four points in eight minutes.
· Freshman Jessica Wall scored her first points as a Bulldog Friday, finishing with five points.
· Sophomore Bree Fitzgerald saw her first court action this season, scoring eight points and grabbing three rebounds while logging seven minutes.
· Asheville outrebounded its second opponent of the season and are 2-0 when doing so.
