University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Bulldog Men Open Big South Play Sunday Afternoon at Home
12.11.2015 | Men's Basketball
THE MATCHUP
Teams: Asheville (4-4, 0-0 BSC)
Campbell (5-2, 1-0 BSC)
Location: Kimmel Arena/Asheville, N.C.
Time: 2:00 p.m.
LIVE VIDEO (Big South Network) - LIVE AUDIO (Bulldog Radio Network)
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The UNC Asheville men's basketball team opens the lid on its 2015-16 Big South Conference schedule on Sunday afternoon when the Bulldogs welcome Campbell to town for a 2:00 p.m. tipoff. Both teams are coming off victories in their last games, while Asheville swept the season series over the Camels last season.
NOTABLES
In the Series: Today's game will be the 39th all-time meeting between Asheville and Campbell, with the teams coming into the day with an even 19-19 all-time record since their first meeting during the 1967-68 season. Asheville as had all the momentum recently, as the Bulldogs have gone 6-0 against the Camels since Campbell rejoined the Big South Conference prior to the 2011-2012 season, including sweeping the season series last year (70-63 home victory inside Kimmel Arena 1/17/15).
Continued Success in Big South Openers: The Bulldogs have opened Big South Conference play with a victory in each of the last 10 seasons dating back to the 2005-2006 campaign. Asheville has started the league schedule with wins on the road the last six seasons. The last time the Bulldogs opened Big South play at home was an 84-56 victory over Liberty on November 18, 2008 inside the Justice Center in a nationally televised ESPN game.
Freshman Sensation: Bulldog freshman Dylan Smith has emerged over the last three weeks for Asheville. Beginning with the Texas A&M game and continuing through the Great Alaska Shootout and last week's home victory over Johnson & Wales, Smith has finished as Asheville's leading scorer in four of the last six contest and is now averaging a team-high 11.1 points per game for the Bulldogs off the bench. Smith was one of 11 total players named to the GCI Great Alaska Shootout All-Tournament team for his play in Anchorage. The Mobile, AL native finished the Bulldogs' three games in the Great Alaska Shootout as Asheville's leading scorer.
Bulldogs Finally Open League Play: Asheville will be the final Big South school to play a league game when tipoff comes Sunday. Every other conference school has played two games, with the exception of Longwood (1 conference game played). High Point and Winthrop currently sit atop the conference with 2-0 marks.
QUOTABLES FROM HEAD COACH NICK McDEVITT
On beginning conference play: “The start of conference play is always an important part of the season. We try to break down the season into several segments – non-conference play, conference play and then the conference tournament. Now that conference play is here, it is certainly a time where you have to have a team identity and play well. I think we are starting to do that. It's nice that a rough stretch, so to speak, with the long trip and final exams. It's nice to be able to focus on basketball for the next month or so.”
On the team: “I think our team is starting to play well together. When you have an influx of players it takes a while for them to figure out their own role and also their teammates, where they play best, how they play best…and then us as coaches finding the best combination of players who play well together. Those are the things you have to figure out each and every year.”
On Campbell: “They have several forwards that are skilled and athletic that we will have to key in on. Chris Clemons is a freshman guard from North Carolina who is a dynamic, smaller guard who is quick and fun to watch. He is their leading scorer right now. He is certainly someone we will have to contain on Sunday.”
UP NEXT
-After Sunday's game, the Bulldogs have one day to prepare for East Tennessee State, who will come into Kimmel Arena for a Tuesday night 7:00 p.m. matchup that can also be seen locally on MY40 television in the Asheville area.
