University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Asheville Women Host Liberty Saturday on ESPN3
01.20.2017 | Women's Basketball
Asheville-Liberty Game Notes
THE MATCHUP
Teams: UNC Asheville (8-8, 2-3 Big South Conference)
Liberty (5-11, 4-1 Big South Conference)
Location:Â Asheville, N.C. / Kimmel Arena
When:Â Saturday, Jan. 21, 2017 / 2 p.m.
TV: ESPN3
Talent: Kevin Burke (PxP), Chuckie Brown (Analyst)
Radio:Â Rewind 100.3 FM (Asheville, N.C.)
Talent:Â Mike Gore
Live Stats:Â www.uncabulldogs.com
Twitter:Â @ashevilledogs #ThePursuit
BULLDOG BITES
SERIES WITH LIBERTY: Saturday's matchup between UNC Asheville and Liberty will mark the 63rd meeting between the two programs dating back to the 1989-90 season. The two have squared off for 27 straight years with the Flames owning an all-time record of 52-10. The two met three times in each of the last two seasons. Asheville has claimed the last two meetings, including downing Liberty 64-62 in last season's Big South Conference Championship game to earn the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
SCOUTING LIBERTY: Liberty enters Saturday's game leading the nation in offensive rebounding, averaging 19.6 offensive boards per game. The Flames average 45.6 rebounds per outing. Liberty is led by Keyen Green's 12.0 points and 8.9 rebounds per game.
WALL BEYOND THE ARC: In Tuesday's game at Gardner-Webb, Jessica Wall matched her season-high of two three-pointers, going 2-for-3 from beyond the arc. Her six points also matched her season-high.
SEASON-HIGH FOR DENGOKL: Sophomore guard Sonora Dengokl led the Bulldogs in scoring Tuesday night at Gardner-Webb with 13 points. The 13 points were a season-high and her five field goals made matched her season-high set earlier in the season against Warren Wilson.
THREE FOR THREE: Senior guard Chatori Major matched her season-high for three-pointers in a game, Saturday afternoon against High Point. She also had four treys in the Bulldogs' road game at Longwood. She has hit at least three treys in five games this season.
CORRALLING THEM IN: Senior center KJ Weaver is currently eighth in UNC Asheville's Division I era for career rebounds and is 10th all-time in program history with 610 boards.
WEAVER DOWN LOW: KJ Weaver continues to have a stellar senior season. Last Saturday afternoon she netted 13 points off a 4-for-6 (.667) shooting effort from the field and went 5-for-6 (.833) at the charity stripe. Weaver, who is in the top-10 in school history for rebounds and blocks, corralled in five boards, three off the offensive glass, and swatted away two shots, bringing her career totals to 610 rebounds and 133 blocks.
SEEING DOUBLE: When centers KJ Weaver and Bronaza Fitzgerald each recorded a double-double in the Bulldogs' 68-53 win over Winthrop on Tuesday, Jan. 10, it was the first time the feat had been accomplished by two UNC Asheville women's basketball players since the 2010-11 season. That year, Lindsay Montgomery scored 20 points and brought down 10 boards while Kelli Riles chipped in 11 points and added 10 rebounds in a loss to Charleston Southern on Feb. 9, 2011. In fact, the duo of Montgomery and Riles accomplished the feat four times that season.
AT THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN: After scoring 80 points in a game at Longwood on Saturday, Jan. 7, UNC Asheville is 6-0 this season when scoring 70 or more points. The Bulldogs are also 3-0 when scoring 80 or more points.
IT'S AN HONOR: Prior to the win over Wofford (Dec. 15), Tianna Knuckles was honored for joining the prestigious 1,000-point club at UNC Asheville. One of only 105 in Big South Women's Basketball history to surpass 1,000 points, Knuckles passed the 1,000-point mark in the Bulldog win over Western Carolina on Friday, Nov. 18, at Kimmel Arena. The senior guard out of Wendell, N.C. now has 1,129 career points.
GET ON BOARD: UNC Asheville senior center KJ Weaver became the 108th player in Big South Conference women's basketball history to eclipse the 500 rebound plateau in the Bulldogs' win over Western Carolina on Nov. 18. She has since joined an even more elite group, becoming the 74th player in Big South history to eclipse the 600 rebound mark. She presently has 610 rebounds in her career.
BIG SOUTH UNVEILS NEW BRAND IDENTITY (Per the Big South Conference): "The Big South Conference introduced its new brand identity on Saturday, Jan. 14, that epitomizes the league's strong commitment to its student-athletes and re-establishes the Conference's vitality, personality and longstanding success in NCAA Division I collegiate athletics under a new mantra – 'Where Winners Are Made.'"  Full Release: Visit BigSouthSports.com
UP NEXT: After Saturday's home game against Liberty, UNC Asheville will travel to Presbyterian College on Tuesday, Jan. 24. The game in Clinton, S.C., will tip off at 7 p.m.
QUOTABLES
"The girls played with intensity and focus in our last outing and we are hoping to build on that momentum. Clearly, Liberty is an excellent rebounding team, leading the nation in offensive rebounds in particular. We will need a great effort on the glass and to just continue to play tough tomorrow."-Â Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick
