Bulldogs Welcome Gardner-Webb to Kimmel Arena for Home Conference Opener

Asheville-Gardner-Webb Game Notes

Teams: UNC Asheville (8-6, 0-1 Big South Conference)
Gardner-Webb (7-7, 0-1 Big South Conference)
Location: Asheville, N.C./Kimmel Arena
When: Saturday, Dec. 31, 2016/2 p.m.
Live Video: Big South Network
Radio: NEWS RADIO 570 WWNC
Live Stats: www.uncabulldogs.com
Twitter: @ashevilledogs #ThePursuit

HOME CONFERENCE OPENER: UNC Asheville welcomes in Gardner-Webb for its first home Big South Conference game of the year at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 31.

SERIES: UNC Asheville and Gardner-Webb will be meeting for the 45th time on Saturday with Asheville having won 13 of the last 15 meetings dating back to the 2007-08 season. UNC Asheville has won the last five meetings, but Gardner-Webb owns a 26-18 all-time series advantage.

SOLID NON-CONFERENCE: UNC Asheville closed out its non-conference slate with a record of 8-5. The Bulldogs picked up four road wins during non-conference play, which included impressive road wins at Coastal Carolina and Elon.

ABOUT GARDNER-WEBB: The Bulldogs are an even 7-7 on the season overall, but just 2-4 in true road games. One of those two road wins is a big win though as the Runnin' Bulldogs bested Nebraska, 70-62.

TEAGUE SELECTED BIG SOUTH CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE WEEK (DEC. 27): UNC Asheville freshman guard MaCio Teague was selected the Big South Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Week by the league office on Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2016. In Asheville's narrow loss to UNCG on Monday, Dec. 19, Teague scored 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 with the Spartans. He was 6-of-9 from beyond the arc in total. Teague followed up his performance against UNCG by putting together another impressive performance against Ohio State on Thursday, Dec. 22, with 23 points, six rebounds, five assists and one steal. In the Bulldogs' two games over the course of the week, Teague averaged 26 points, seven rebounds, 3.5 assists and one steal per game. He was a perfect 10-of-10 from the charity stripe and he shot 54.8 percent (17-of-31) from the field overall and 50 percent (8-of-16) from beyond the arc.

UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY: When the UNC Asheville men's basketball team takes the court for its home Big South Conference opener against Gardner-Webb on Saturday, Dec. 31, one lucky fan and/or family in attendance will also win a night to remember forever on New Year's Eve thanks to Hilton Asheville Biltmore Park. In fact, UNC Asheville is asking all fans in attendance for the 2 p.m. game at Kimmel Arena on Saturday, Dec. 31, to come with their bags packed, as one lucky fan and/or family in attendance at the game will have the unique opportunity to stay at Hilton Asheville Biltmore Park on New Year's Eve night. In addition to having the opportunity stay in the luxury room with a king bed, the lucky winner will also receive New Year's Eve dinner for two (no alcohol) and breakfast for two on New Year's Day at Hilton Asheville Biltmore Park. The lucky fan and/or family to win the exclusive experience has to be in attendance to see UNC Asheville men's basketball take on Gardner-Webb at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 31. To learn more about UNC Asheville men's basketball, please visit www.uncabulldogs.com. To learn more about all of the great offerings at Hilton Asheville Biltmore Park, please visit www.hiltonasheville.com.

HOME SWEET HOME: The Bulldogs are 4-1 on the year at home with wins over Siena, Brevard, Warren Wilson and Western Carolina. The Asheville men protected home court very efficiently last season as well, going 11-3 at home. UNC Asheville is 59-16 at Kimmel Arena all-time.

ESPNU TO TELEVISE UNC ASHEVILLE RIVALRY SHOWDOWN AT WINTHROP: ESPNU has selected the UNC Asheville at Winthrop men's basketball contest scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 19, as its Big South Wildcard Selection broadcast, it was announced by the Big South Conference office on Monday, Dec. 26. Game time will be 9 p.m. inside the Winthrop Coliseum in Rock Hill, S.C. Robert Lee (play-by-play) and Nate Ross (analyst) will handle the call from courtside. "We are incredibly thankful ESPNU has picked this game as a Wildcard Selection broadcast," UNC Asheville head men's basketball coach Nick McDevitt said. "We consider this to be one of the best rivalries in all of college basketball, and we are really excited that the first of our meetings this year will be featured on national television."

BEEN A WHILE: UNC Asheville had entered this year's conference opener against Radford having won 11 straight league lidlifters. The Bulldogs with the loss have now won 19 of their last 21 Big South Conference openers.

TWO STRAIGHT: The Bulldogs and Highlanders have now played two straight overtime regular-season conference games at the Dedmon Center with Radford narrowly winning both. Last year the Highlanders held off the Bulldogs, 81-76, before taking the 80-77 win this year.

FREE BASKETBALL: UNC Asheville is 1-1 in overtime games this season after the conference-opening loss to Radford. The Bulldogs bested Coastal Carolina, 79-77, in overtime in Conway, S.C. on Dec. 3.

TOPS IN THE NATION: A record-breaking performance in UNC Asheville's dominant win over Warren Wilson earlier this season vaulted junior guard Ahmad Thomas into the top spot in the entire country in steals. The Danville, Va. native collected a program-record 10 steals in Asheville's win over Warren Wilson on Saturday, Dec. 10. He also had 13 points to procure a rare double-double in steals and points. On the year in 33.3 minutes played per game, Thomas has picked up 45 steals, which is the best in the nation. He is fourth in steals per game at 3.21 per outing.

THOMAS THE CONSISTENT ENGINE: Ahmad Thomas has scored in double figures every game this season. Thomas has also recorded multiple rebounds and picked up at least a steal in each Bulldog game.

IT'S A STEAL: The UNC Asheville men's basketball team boasts one of the top defenses in the entire country with the Bulldogs fifth in the country in total steals (144). The Bulldogs are also seventh in the country in steals per game (10.29).

UP NEXT: UNC Asheville will open the new year and continue Big South Conference play by traveling to Virginia once again to face off against Liberty at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 3.

QUOTABLES

"Gardner-Webb's coming to our place here on Saturday and they're a really good team that is very well-coached. (Senior forward) Tyrell Nelson is a load down low and we've got to learn from the Radford loss and put it behind us because Gardner-Webb is a good team." - Nick McDevitt

Bulldogs Welcome Gardner-Webb to Kimmel Arena for Home Conference Opener

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Players Mentioned

MaCio Teague

Ahmad Thomas

University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics