University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics

Monday, December 19
Asheville, NC
7:00 p.m.

UNC Asheville

(8-4, 0-0BSC)

73
vs
75

UNC Greensboro

(9-3, 0-0SoCon)

1
2
F
UNCG
48
27
75
AVL
44
29
73
Bulldogs see winning streak come to an end in narrow loss to UNCG Image
Photo by: UNC Asheville

Bulldogs see winning streak come to an end in narrow loss to UNCG

12.19.2016 | Men's Basketball

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – UNC Asheville head coach Nick McDevitt knew coming into the game that it may just come down to the final shot.

It very much did with UNC Asheville having a chance to send the game into overtime with a MaCio Teague mid-range jumper just rimming out to allow UNCG (9-3) to collect a narrow 75-73 win over Asheville (8-4) on Monday evening at Kimmel Arena.

The contest was about as tightly contested as one could be with the lead changing hands 19 times. The score was tied 10 times.

The second half started with the Spartans taking their largest lead of the game at that point in time at 51-44 with 19:45 to play in the game, but the Bulldogs would score the next eight to take the lead back at 52-51 with 18:10 remaining.

From there the two teams would battle back and forth before the Spartans once again went ahead by seven points with 2:39 left.

The Bulldogs would not go away though with junior guard Ahmad Thomas knocking down a three-pointer with 36 seconds left that pulled Asheville back within two at 75-73. The Bulldogs from there would not be able to collect the game-winning shot or equalizing shot in the final seconds of the game to lose for the first time at home this season.

Teague put together an impressive performance against the Spartans with the freshman guard scoring a career-best 29 points to go along with eight rebounds, two assists and one steal. Teague connected on six three-pointers in the contest. He was 6-of-9 from beyond the arc in total.

The national leader in steals, Thomas ended his evening with 17 points, eight rebounds, four steals, one assist and one block.

Four Spartans concluded their win in double figures with Marvin Smith leading the way with 16 points. James Dickey garnered a double-double for the Spartans in the game with 12 points and 15 rebounds. 

Asheville shot 43.5 percent (27-of-62) from the field as a team in the game, while UNCG shot 50 percent (30-of-60) as a team. 

BULLDOG BITES

FIRST IMPRESSIONS: In addition to collecting a career-high 29 points, Teague put together a first half to remember as he ended half No. 1 with 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting (77.7 percent). He was 3-for-5 (60 percent) from beyond the arc in the first stanza.

THOMAS THE CONSISTENT ENGINE: Thomas has scored in double figures every game this season after his 17 points in the loss to UNCG. Thomas has also recorded multiple rebounds and picked up at least a steal in each Bulldog game.

TREY-MENDOUS: Both teams were lethal from beyond the arc in the game. UNCG was 10-of-20 (50 percent) and the Bulldogs were 10-of-25 (40 percent).

QUOTABLES

"I think Greensboro's got a really good team. I thought one of the big differences in the game was down the stretch. We gave up a couple of big offensive rebounds, putbacks and we gave up 10 second-chance points in the last eight minutes of the game. That hurt us. I felt we did a nice job of handling the pressure versus a team that pressed us from tip to buzzer with only 11 turnovers. MaCio Teague did a tremendous job. He and Ahmad Thomas. I thought both played well. Greensboro is a team that can win their league, and that's the kind of games that we need in our non-conference play to prepare us for Big South Conference play." – Nick McDevitt

UP NEXT

UNC Asheville travels to Columbus, Ohio to take on Ohio State at 9 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 22. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN2. 
 
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