Rebounds Down Bulldogs at High Point

THE RUNDOWN

Score: High Point 73 – Asheville 69

Teams: Asheville (13-7, 6-2 BSC)

High Point (13-6, 6-2 BSC)

Location: Millis Center / High Point, N.C.

HIGH POINT, N.C. – Despite a huge disadvantage on the boards, UNC Asheville had a chance in the final moments, missing out on a three-pointer that would have tied the game, as High Point escaped with a 73-69 victory to pull the teams even in the Big South Conference standings.

Asheville and High Point now sit together atop the Big South standings at 6-2, while Winthrop and Gardner-Webb each sit a game back at 5-2 in league play.

THE TURNING POINT

Asheville finished the night with 23 total rebounds, and just five boards on the offensive glass, as High Point pulled down 45 total rebounds (27 defensive, 18 offensive) and finished with a 22-6 advantage with second chance points.

NOTABLES

-Three players finished in double-figures for Asheville, led by Dylan Smith's team-high 19 point, all coming in the second half. Kevin Vannatta added 16 points and Raekwon Miller finished with 13 points in the loss.

-Despite John Brown's game-high 26 points, Asheville held the remainder of the High Point lineup in check. Nine other HPU players scored, but none in double-figures, as Brown finished 11-of-16 from the floor and grabbed 10 rebounds.

-The Bulldogs finished the night shooting 42 percent from the floor (21-of-50) and hit six of their 20 three-point attempts, with four of those coming in the second half. High Point finished the game at 42.9 percent shooting (27-of-63) and hit just two of its 10 three-point attempts.

-Asheville the same number of points at the free throw line (21) that High Point attempted free throws (21 attempts).

QUOTABLES FROM HEAD COACH NICK McDEVITT

On the game – “I thought our defense was good tonight, we just didn't do the job on the glass. That was the name of the game. We said it at halftime, if we continue to get outrebounded the trend would continue. We had to do the job rebounding, and we didn't, and that's why we got beat. You can't get outrebounded by 22 and by 13 on the offensive end. You look at all the statistical categories – the biggest differential was the rebounding disparity and the second-chance points. I thought we got to a point where we guarded well but we couldn't close out possessions (with a rebound). When you are outrebounded like we were and still have a chance to win it in the final minute, that means you are doing a lot of other things right. For the most part we did a lot of good things, we just weren't good enough on the glass.”

UP NEXT

-Following tonight's loss, Asheville returns home to host Presbyterian inside Kimmel Arena on Saturday. Tipoff will be at 4:30 p.m. and the game will be an ESPN3 telecast.