Men's Basketball Season Preview; 'Dogs Welcome Brevard Saturday

THE MATCHUP

Teams: Asheville (0-0, 0-0BSC)

Brevard (0-0, 0-0 SAC)

- Exhibition

Location: Kimmel Arena, Asheville, N.C.

Time: 2:00 p.m.

LIVE VIDEO (BIG SOUTH NETWORK) - LIVE STATS - TICKETS

ASHEVILLE, N.C. –Fans get their first chance to see Asheville in action on Saturday afternoon when the Bulldogs welcome Brevard College to Kimmel Arena for an afternoon exhibition matchup. Asheville is 7-1 all-time against the local foes since the teams' first meeting in 2003.

The 2015-2016 season will be another chance to reload and take aim at the Big South Conference for UNC Asheville and head coach Nick McDevitt. The Bulldogs will enter the season with nine of their 15 players either freshmen or sophomores, something the third-year head coach is no stranger to.

The challenge early in the year for Asheville, who finished 15-16 overall and 10-8 in Big South play last season, will be to get all 15 players to become one. The Bulldogs' 10-8 league mark last season was the eighth-straight year of double-digit league wins for the team, the longest current streak in the Big South.

“I think we have a fun and interesting mix of veteran players and newcomers, with five freshmen and a transfer, John Cannon, who is eligible this year,” McDevitt stated. “Then you look at Will Weeks, who is coming back after being limited last season due to injury and, the way we look at it, it's almost like we have seven new players.”

“Meshing half the team with the other half is our challenge the first part of the year. Those seven newcomers will play significant minutes this year. With that, it is important that the newcomers and veterans can play well together.”

The Bulldogs will look to see who steps up after six players from the top 11 in minutes played last year, and five players who started at least seven games or averaged 10+ minutes, are all gone.

What Asheville lacks in experience it gains in depth and flexibility. 10 players are listed as guards on the roster, including three 6'5” freshmen. The rotations are to be determined and will play out over the opening portion of the season, but McDevitt says the maneuvering and tinkering with lineups in early training has kept practice fun.

“What we have been doing daily is changing up the lineups and who is practicing together. We truly don't know who the starters are going to be; who the first, second or third guy off the bench will be,” McDevitt said. “It is important not only to see who plays well individually but who plays well with others and figuring out those combinations. It's fun for us as a staff to watch such a young group grow individually and together each day and each week.”

Those spots where the Blue & White do have experience will be leaned on by McDevitt for leadership and guidance for the younger players.

David Robertson and Kevin Vannatta, the two returning scholarship guards, will both see their roles change from the past, McDevitt said.

“They are going to be an important part of this season. It will be important for them to provide good leadership to their backcourt mates, because whoever it is, it is going to be a freshman. We are young in the backcourt, but we have size and athleticism that will allow us to do some things defensively as well. Adapting to the speed and size of college players and the college game will be the newcomers' challenge early in the season.”

For as much youth as the Bulldogs have outside, the post features an experienced group, with both of this year's seniors – Cannon and Sam Hughes – as well as juniors Giacomo Zilli and Weeks ready to go to work down low.

“We do have a lot of experience inside and again, the leadership that those young men can provide day in and day out will be important. Several of our post players are also interchangeable, which gives us options. I think we will be more flexible in what we are able to do defensively.”

Asheville has had to replace two of its best shot blockers in program history the last two years in D.J. Cunningham and Jaleel Roberts, and McDevitt says while this year's team may not have a clear cut rim protector, the team's overall length and size will allow them to play to their strengths defensively with who is out on the floor.

As has become commonplace, the Bulldogs will again face a tough non-conference schedule to help prepare for what should be another strong year in Big South play. This year's non-conference menu features games at SEC schools Tennessee and Texas A&M, as well as a trip to Washington, D.C. to battle with Georgetown. That's not including Asheville's trek to the Great Alaskan Shootout.

“Our goal each and every year is to make the NCAA Tournament and we know, playing in the Big South, that once we get to the NCAA Tournament we are going to face an opponent like a Georgetown, a Tennessee or Texas A&M. When you win the Big South, you are going to play a team like that in the first round,” McDevitt stated.

“When you play four or five games like that over the course of your season, when you get to the NCAA Tournament, you're not scared or timid or nervous (to face that type opponent). I think that gives you a better chance to win that game and advance. We aren't just trying to get to the NCAA Tournament. We are trying to advance when we get there.”

The 10-day trip to Alaska begins with a stopover in Texas for the Texas A&M game, and will give the Bulldogs a defacto trial run of what the end of their season will look like – closing out the regular season conference slate and then having a couple of days to prepare to go out and win multiple games in a row in the Big South Tournament to claim the league title.

“The Shootout will give some of the newcomers a chance to see what it's like to play quality opponents three or four games in a row. That's what we are going to have to do to with the Big South Tournament. You are going to have to beat quality opponents in a short amount of time. It is important for them to find out what it feels like to play, win, and enjoy it; but not too much because it is back to business the next day.”

“We start out with a very good opponent in Drexel in the Shootout, and as you advance it continues to get tougher and tougher to win,” McDevitt commented. “We are looking forward to the trip and experience but also understanding it's a business trip as well.”

While the non-conference schedule prepares Asheville for the NCAA Tournament, it also readies the Bulldogs for the grind and competition of the Big South Conference.

“Last season was as deep and competitive as I've seen the Big South Conference in as long as I have been here. Mike Gore shared those same thoughts, having been in the league three decades, that it was the deepest and best that he had seen. That speaks to the level of where the Big South is going to as a basketball league.”

“I think this season will be another strong year. It will be an interesting year, a lot of new faces and each and every night I think it will be challenging.”