University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Bulldogs Return Home on Saturday Afternoon
12.04.2015 | Men's Basketball
THE MATCHUP
Teams: Asheville (3-4, 0-0 BSC)
Johnson & Wales (4-3, 0-0 USCAA)
Location: Kimmel Arena/Asheville, N.C.
Time: 4:30 p.m.
VIDEO (Big South Network) - AUDIO (Bulldog Radio Network)
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The UNC Asheville men's basketball team returns home to Kimmel Arena for the first time in 17 days as the Bulldogs welcome Johnson & Wales to town at 4:30 p.m. as part of a Saturday doubleheader with the Asheville women's team. Saturday's game will be the first of three straight home contests for the Bulldogs after six of their first seven games were on the road.
Saturday's doubleheader is Star Wars Day with special themes and prizes throughout both the men's and women's games.
NOTABLES
In the Series: Saturday's game will be the second meeting between the two teams in Bulldog program history. The Bulldogs also hosted Johnson & Wales inside Kimmel Arena last season, an 87-48 victory. This is just the sixth season of basketball for Johnson & Wales, with the program's first season the 2010-2011 campaign.
Smith Named All-Tourney in Alaska: Asheville freshman Dylan 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, scoring 39 total points and averaging 13 points per game. He led the Bulldogs in scoring in the final two games, with 14 points against Middle Tennessee and 17 points against Loyola. For the tournament, he was a 50 percent shooter from the floor (13-of-26) and was a 42 percent three-point shooter (5-of-12).
Final Thoughts on Alaska: Asheville's third place finish in the Great Alaska Shootout was their highest in recent seasons, with the previous recent best a seventh-place finish in the Battle 4 Atlantis (2011). The Great Alaska Shootout was just the third time in the last 17 seasons that Asheville has played games on three consecutive dates - 2000 Big South Tournament (reached title game), 2011 Battle 4 Atlantis.
Well-Traveled Bulldogs: In total, Asheville's trip to Alaska spanned 10 days (Nov. 20-Nov. 29) and included airports in five states (N.C., Illinois, Texas, Colorado, Alaska), four games (Texas A&M Nov. 21, Great Alaska Shootout Nov. 26, 27, 28) and a final total of 10,935 miles traveled.
UP NEXT
-After Saturday's game, the Bulldogs wrap up final exams and are off until next Sunday, December 13, when they open Big South Conference play against Campbell inside Kimmel Arena.
