Women's Basketball Hosts Winthrop in Pink Game

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The UNC Asheville women's basketball team will hosts in annual Pink Game this Saturday afternoon when the Bulldogs host defending Big South Conference champion Winthrop at Kimmel Arena starting at 2 p.m. Saturday's game will be televised locally by WMYA-TV.

The day begins at Noon with a vendor fair with local shops and service providers targeted to women. There will also be a silent auction for great times such as a one-hour massage and facial from Carmen plus a color and haircut.

Immediately following the games will be a fashion show featuring Bulldog student-athletes and breast cancer survivors.

Tickets are just $25 and can be purchased at uncabulldogs.com/tickets or by calling 828-258-7900. Bulldog season-ticket holders can get tickets for $15.

Saturday's game can also be heard locally on WPEK Radio (880-AM) and iHeartRadio. Fans can also watch the game for free on the Big South Network.

The Bulldogs (7-16, 6-8 BSC) are coming off an emotional and thrilling 88-77 double overtime victory over Longwood Thursday night. Asheville trailed by eight with 29 seconds left in regulation but outscored the Lancers 9-1 to tie the game and send the game into OT. The Blue & White took charge in the second overtime period by scoring 12 straight points to win its third straight home game.

Asheville faces a stiff challenge against Winthrop. The Lady Eagles (12-10, 8-5 BSC) have won four of their last five games but fell at Campbell Tuesday night, 62-52. That stretch started with a 63-58 home win over Liberty on Jan. 20. That's the only league loss of the year for the Lady Flames. Winthrop posted one of the best non-conference victories of the year when it downed Auburn on Nov. 29, 56-54. Erica Williams led the Winthrop attack with a 16.0 scoring average. She's one of the top players in the Big South. Schaquilla Nunn is averaging a double-double with 13 point and 11.3 rebounds per game.

The teams met on Jan. 8 in Rock Hill with Winthrop breaking open a close game after halftime with a 22-6 surge as the Eagles picked up a 75-55 triumph. Asheville was led by Shonese Jones with 13 points. Tianna Knuckles added 11 points. Winthrop was led by Erica Williams with 22 points. Schaquilla Nunn tallied 18 points and pulled down 14 rebounds.

Winthrop leads the all-time series 38-28 and has won 12 of the last 13 meetings between the teams. The Eagles have been especially tough to beat for the Bulldogs in Asheville. Winthrop has won its last seven games here and have posted a perfect 3-0 record in Kimmel Arena. The Bulldogs lost both meeting to the Eagles last year. Winthrop outlasted Asheville, 68-49 at Kimmel Arena in a game that saw the Eagles break a tie early in the second half with a 19-0 run. Later in the year, Winthrop held off an Asheville comeback with a 62-55 victory in Rock Hill. The Bulldogs last win in the series came in the 2010-11 season when Asheville slipped past the Eagles in Rock Hill, 66-61.

The Bulldogs are being led by senior guard Shonese Jones with an 11.0 scoring average. She scored a game-high 17 points Thursday night vs. Longwood. Jones had not scored until she connected on a three-pointer with 1:47 left in regulation. She never missed another shot as she sank her next five shots, including four treys to help spark Asheville to the victory.

The Bulldogs were dominant on the boards against Longwood with a commanding 65-33 advantage. Junior center KJ Weaver pulled down a career-high 16 rebounds in the win.

Asheville is home again on Tuesday when the Bulldogs host Campbell at Kimmel Arena starting at 7 p.m.

BULLDOG NOTES

UNC Asheville has won three straight home games at Kimmel Arena. That's the longest home winning streak at Kimmel in three seasons when the 2011-12 team captured four straight contests.

Senior guard Shonese Jones has been shooting the ball well lately from beyond the arc and the Big South stats back that up. Shonese leads the league in BSC games for three-point percentage at .413 (31-of-75). Her 31 made treys ties her for the league lead with Ayana Avery at Radford.

Paige Love leads the Big South in assist/turnover ratio at 1.83 per game.

Asheville has out-rebounded its last two opponents at home (PC & Longwood) by an average of 25 per game.

The Bulldogs have shot 68 free throws in the last two games.

Asheville attempted a season-high 80 shots against Longwood Thursday night. The next closest game was 64 which has happened in two contests.