University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Photo by: UNC Asheville
Bulldogs Travel to Palmetto State to Face Presbyterian on Thursday Evening
01.24.2017 | Men's Basketball
UNC Asheville-Presbyterian Game Notes
THE MATCHUP
Teams: UNC Asheville (14-7, 6-2 Big South Conference)
Presbyterian (4-15, 0-8 Big South Conference)
Location: Clinton, S.C. / Templeton Center
When: Thursday, Jan. 26, 2017 / 7 p.m.
Video: Big South Network
Radio: NEWS RADIO 570 WWNC
Talent: Brian Hall
Live Stats: uncabulldogs.com
Twitter: @ashevilledogs #ThePursuit
BULLDOG BITES
LEAGUE TILT IN THE PALMETTO STATE: Asheville hits the road to face off against Big South Conference foe Presbyterian at the Templeton Center in Clinton, S.C. at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 26, 2017.
ABOUT PRESBYTERIAN: The Blue Hose are 4-15 overall and 0-8 in Big South Conference play this season thus far. All four of Presbyterian's four wins have come at home where they are 4-3.
ONE AWAY: UNC Asheville head coach Nick McDevitt is one win away from becoming just the third coach in Big South Conference history to win at least 15 games in his first four seasons in the league. The other two were Radford's Ron Bradley and Winthrop's Gregg Marshall.
SHARING THE BASKETBALL: UNC Asheville finished its win over Campbell with 22 assists on 29 made field goals. In total, seven Bulldogs had at least one assist with three Bulldogs in freshman guard MaCio Teague (6), junior guard Kevin Vannatta (5) and senior forward Will Weeks (5) acquiring five or more assists in the contest.
ESPNU TO TELEVISE UNC ASHEVILLE-WINTHROP ON FEB. 9 AT KIMMEL ARENA: ESPNU has selected the Winthrop at UNC Asheville men's basketball contest scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 9 as its Big South Wildcard Selection broadcast. Game time will be 7 p.m. inside Kimmel Arena in Asheville, N.C. Robert Lee (play-by-play) and Nate Ross (analyst) will handle the call from courtside. "We're looking forward to showcasing our program and our University to a national television audience," UNC Asheville head men's basketball coach Nick McDevitt said. "The Asheville-Winthrop series is one of the best rivalries in college basketball. Our game in Rock Hill was a close and exciting contest and I'm sure the game here on Feb. 9 will be very similar."
HOME SWEET HOME: The Bulldogs are 8-1 on the year at home. The Asheville men protected home court very efficiently last season as well, going 11-3 at home. UNC Asheville is 63-16 at Kimmel Arena all-time. Asheville is 43-10 all-time in Big South Conference contests played at Kimmel Arena.
OVER THE HUMPS: UNC Asheville has won nine straight in its series with Campbell with the Bulldogs the only team the Camels have not beaten since rejoining the Big South Conference in the 2011-12 season.
AMONG THE BEST: Ahmad Thomas is currently fifth in the country in total steals with 62. He is seventh in the country in steals per game with 2.95 steals per outing. Thomas is just eight steals away from becoming the first Big South player with back-to-back 70-steal campaigns since VMI's Chavis Holmes (2006-08). Currently second in the league in steals, Thomas is trying to become the first player to lead the league in steals in consecutive years since Radford's Javonte Green (2013-15).
FANTASTIC FRESHMAN START: UNC Asheville freshman guard MaCio Teague is currently in the top-10 in the Big South Conference in scoring (sixth, 15.6 points per game), field goal percentage (fifth, .474), assists (ninth, 2.71 per game), free throw percentage (second, .857) and steals (ninth, 1.24 per game). With 328 points already this season he is just 72 points away from 400 in his freshman year, which would allow him to join a group of 25 in league history that posted 400 or more points in their freshmen campaigns.
NEARING 1,000: Junior guards Ahmad Thomas and Kevin Vannatta are both nearing 1,000 points. Currently, Thomas has 862 career points, while Vannatta has scored 786 in his Bulldog career. Asheville senior guard David Robertson is also closing in on 1,000 points in his career as he currently has 809 points in his four-year career.
SERIES: UNC Asheville and Presbyterian will be meeting for the 26th time in a series that the Bulldogs own an 18-7 all-time series advantage over the Blue Hose.
STREAKING: UNC Asheville has put together two five-game winning streaks over the course of the 2016-17 season.
IT'S A STEAL: The UNC Asheville men's basketball team boasts one of the top defenses in the entire country with the Bulldogs sixth in the country in total steals (200). The Bulldogs are also eighth in the country in steals per game (9.52).
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 - BUSY SATURDAY AT KIMMEL ARENA: UNC Asheville welcomes Radford to Kimmel Arena for a men's and women's basketball doubleheader on Saturday, Jan. 28. The UNC Asheville men's basketball team will first face off against the Radford men's basketball team at 12 p.m. in a game that will be televised by the American Sports Network (affiliates, including WMYA in Asheville) before the Asheville women take on the Radford women at 2 p.m. Both the UNC Asheville men's and women's basketball coaches along with the coaches of the Radford Highlanders will wear sneakers with their suits this weekend in support of Coaches vs. Cancer's Suits and Sneakers week and in support of Princess Lacey's Laces and the fight against childhood cancer. The Greenside Up Foundation will be hosting a silent auction on the concourse to benefit the Mission Health Cancer Center in the fight against childhood cancer. UNC Asheville is also proud to welcome residents of Haywood County, home of UNC Asheville women's basketball Coach, Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick, with a discount off tickets to cheer on the Bulldogs. The discount can be redeemed online with a Haywood County address and the promo code Haywood. Fans can also show their ID at the ticket window to receive the discount. Tickets are good for both the men's and women's game. In addition, the UNC Asheville women's basketball team is proud to welcome back their alumni this weekend and they will be honoring the 10-year anniversary of the 2007 Big South Conference Championship team. Finally, UNC Asheville athletics and Moe's Southwest Grill will reward UNC Asheville students who sit in the Moe's Student section near the Bulldog bench and wear a UNC Asheville t-shirt with burritos and chips from Moe's while supplies last.
QUOTABLES
"Playing Presbyterian always presents a challenge. Gregg Nibert does a really good job year in and year out with his team. The Templeton Center is a tough place to go win. They're difficult to beat down there and we'll have to play well on Thursday. You have to be ready to attack multiple different defenses." - Head Coach Nick McDevitt
THE MATCHUP
Teams: UNC Asheville (14-7, 6-2 Big South Conference)
Presbyterian (4-15, 0-8 Big South Conference)
Location: Clinton, S.C. / Templeton Center
When: Thursday, Jan. 26, 2017 / 7 p.m.
Video: Big South Network
Radio: NEWS RADIO 570 WWNC
Talent: Brian Hall
Live Stats: uncabulldogs.com
Twitter: @ashevilledogs #ThePursuit
BULLDOG BITES
LEAGUE TILT IN THE PALMETTO STATE: Asheville hits the road to face off against Big South Conference foe Presbyterian at the Templeton Center in Clinton, S.C. at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 26, 2017.
ABOUT PRESBYTERIAN: The Blue Hose are 4-15 overall and 0-8 in Big South Conference play this season thus far. All four of Presbyterian's four wins have come at home where they are 4-3.
ONE AWAY: UNC Asheville head coach Nick McDevitt is one win away from becoming just the third coach in Big South Conference history to win at least 15 games in his first four seasons in the league. The other two were Radford's Ron Bradley and Winthrop's Gregg Marshall.
SHARING THE BASKETBALL: UNC Asheville finished its win over Campbell with 22 assists on 29 made field goals. In total, seven Bulldogs had at least one assist with three Bulldogs in freshman guard MaCio Teague (6), junior guard Kevin Vannatta (5) and senior forward Will Weeks (5) acquiring five or more assists in the contest.
ESPNU TO TELEVISE UNC ASHEVILLE-WINTHROP ON FEB. 9 AT KIMMEL ARENA: ESPNU has selected the Winthrop at UNC Asheville men's basketball contest scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 9 as its Big South Wildcard Selection broadcast. Game time will be 7 p.m. inside Kimmel Arena in Asheville, N.C. Robert Lee (play-by-play) and Nate Ross (analyst) will handle the call from courtside. "We're looking forward to showcasing our program and our University to a national television audience," UNC Asheville head men's basketball coach Nick McDevitt said. "The Asheville-Winthrop series is one of the best rivalries in college basketball. Our game in Rock Hill was a close and exciting contest and I'm sure the game here on Feb. 9 will be very similar."
HOME SWEET HOME: The Bulldogs are 8-1 on the year at home. The Asheville men protected home court very efficiently last season as well, going 11-3 at home. UNC Asheville is 63-16 at Kimmel Arena all-time. Asheville is 43-10 all-time in Big South Conference contests played at Kimmel Arena.
OVER THE HUMPS: UNC Asheville has won nine straight in its series with Campbell with the Bulldogs the only team the Camels have not beaten since rejoining the Big South Conference in the 2011-12 season.
AMONG THE BEST: Ahmad Thomas is currently fifth in the country in total steals with 62. He is seventh in the country in steals per game with 2.95 steals per outing. Thomas is just eight steals away from becoming the first Big South player with back-to-back 70-steal campaigns since VMI's Chavis Holmes (2006-08). Currently second in the league in steals, Thomas is trying to become the first player to lead the league in steals in consecutive years since Radford's Javonte Green (2013-15).
FANTASTIC FRESHMAN START: UNC Asheville freshman guard MaCio Teague is currently in the top-10 in the Big South Conference in scoring (sixth, 15.6 points per game), field goal percentage (fifth, .474), assists (ninth, 2.71 per game), free throw percentage (second, .857) and steals (ninth, 1.24 per game). With 328 points already this season he is just 72 points away from 400 in his freshman year, which would allow him to join a group of 25 in league history that posted 400 or more points in their freshmen campaigns.
NEARING 1,000: Junior guards Ahmad Thomas and Kevin Vannatta are both nearing 1,000 points. Currently, Thomas has 862 career points, while Vannatta has scored 786 in his Bulldog career. Asheville senior guard David Robertson is also closing in on 1,000 points in his career as he currently has 809 points in his four-year career.
SERIES: UNC Asheville and Presbyterian will be meeting for the 26th time in a series that the Bulldogs own an 18-7 all-time series advantage over the Blue Hose.
STREAKING: UNC Asheville has put together two five-game winning streaks over the course of the 2016-17 season.
IT'S A STEAL: The UNC Asheville men's basketball team boasts one of the top defenses in the entire country with the Bulldogs sixth in the country in total steals (200). The Bulldogs are also eighth in the country in steals per game (9.52).
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 - BUSY SATURDAY AT KIMMEL ARENA: UNC Asheville welcomes Radford to Kimmel Arena for a men's and women's basketball doubleheader on Saturday, Jan. 28. The UNC Asheville men's basketball team will first face off against the Radford men's basketball team at 12 p.m. in a game that will be televised by the American Sports Network (affiliates, including WMYA in Asheville) before the Asheville women take on the Radford women at 2 p.m. Both the UNC Asheville men's and women's basketball coaches along with the coaches of the Radford Highlanders will wear sneakers with their suits this weekend in support of Coaches vs. Cancer's Suits and Sneakers week and in support of Princess Lacey's Laces and the fight against childhood cancer. The Greenside Up Foundation will be hosting a silent auction on the concourse to benefit the Mission Health Cancer Center in the fight against childhood cancer. UNC Asheville is also proud to welcome residents of Haywood County, home of UNC Asheville women's basketball Coach, Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick, with a discount off tickets to cheer on the Bulldogs. The discount can be redeemed online with a Haywood County address and the promo code Haywood. Fans can also show their ID at the ticket window to receive the discount. Tickets are good for both the men's and women's game. In addition, the UNC Asheville women's basketball team is proud to welcome back their alumni this weekend and they will be honoring the 10-year anniversary of the 2007 Big South Conference Championship team. Finally, UNC Asheville athletics and Moe's Southwest Grill will reward UNC Asheville students who sit in the Moe's Student section near the Bulldog bench and wear a UNC Asheville t-shirt with burritos and chips from Moe's while supplies last.
QUOTABLES
"Playing Presbyterian always presents a challenge. Gregg Nibert does a really good job year in and year out with his team. The Templeton Center is a tough place to go win. They're difficult to beat down there and we'll have to play well on Thursday. You have to be ready to attack multiple different defenses." - Head Coach Nick McDevitt
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's BasketballMonday, March 18
Monday, March 18
Thursday, March 14
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