University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
Kentucky
Asheville's Cinderella Season Comes to a Close in Lexington
03.19.2016 | Women's Basketball
THE RUNDOWN
Score: Kentucky 85 – Asheville 31
Teams: Asheville (26-7)
University of Kentucky (24-7)
Location: Memorial Coliseum /Lexington, Ky.
Time: 4:00 p.m.
LEXINGTON-The UNC Asheville Women's Basketball team fell 85-31 in the first round of the NCAA tournament to the No. 3 Kentucky Wildcats on the home floor on Saturday afternoon.
GAME AT A GLANCE
The Bulldogs ended the first quarter trailing 24-11, Major was the Bulldogs' go-to weapon on offense, recording 5 points in the first period. By the end of the first half, Asheville would trail by 21 points. The Bulldogs struggled to gain momentum in the third quarter, only collecting 10 points as a team. The Wildcats pulled away in the final quarter for an 85-31 win over the Bulldogs.
NOTABLES
-The Bulldogs went 13-63 for 21 percent shooting on the day. Tianna Knuckles and Chatori Major led the Bulldogs with eight points and seven points, respectively. The Wildcats went 33-of-66 for an even 50 percent from the field, with Makayla Epps leading the Wildcats with 24 points.
-Asheville came up with 31 rebounds on the Wildcats' home floor with junior KJ Weaver leading the Bulldogs with 8 boards. Kentucky's Batouly Camara came away with double-digit rebounds (11) to add to her five points.
-The Bulldogs hit 3-of-25 three-pointers, with Major, Knuckles and Ja'Da Brayboy each hitting one for Asheville.
-UNC Asheville entered the postseason as one of only 24 institutions to qualify for the NCAA tournament in both men's and women's basketball. The Bulldogs were the only team from North Carolina to send both teams.
-The Bulldogs overcame a preseason pick to finish eighth in the Big South to win their first ever regular season title with a record of 16-4. The Bulldogs carried a first seed into the Big South Conference tournament where they won three straight games to win the program's second Big South Conference Championship.
