University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Bulldog Women Host Radford Saturday in Key Big South Conference Game
01.27.2017 | Women's Basketball
Asheville-Radford Game Notes (PDF)
THE MATCHUP
Teams: UNC Asheville (10-8, 4-3 Big South Conference)
Radford (14-4, 6-1 Big South Conference)
Location:Â Asheville, N.C. / Kimmel Arena
When:Â Saturday, Jan. 28, 2017 / 2 p.m.
Video:Â Big South Network
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 RADFORD: Since the two programs first started playing during the 1986-87 season, Radford holds a 45-20 record over Asheville. Under head coach Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick, Asheville is 4-5 against Radford, and since moving to Kimmel Arena, the Bulldogs are 1-3 against the Highlanders.
SCOUTING THE HIGHLANDERS: Radford sits atop the Big South Conference standings in a tie with Campbell. The Highlanders and Camels each boast a 6-1 league record and are also 14-4 overall. The Highlanders boast the second-best defense in the league, allowing just 54.8 points per game and are second in the Big South with a +7.2 scoring margin. Radford is led by Destinee Walker's 13.8 points per game and Jayda Worthy's 11.6 points per outing. Worthy leads team with a 56.9 percent field goal percentage.
SATURDAY'S FITTING TRIBUTE: Saturday afternoon, the Asheville women's basketball program will welcome back over 30 alumni, including 12 members of the 2006-07 Big South Conference Tournament Championship squad. It will be fitting that Saturday's game will be against Radford as that was the team the 2006-07 Bulldogs defeated to claim the program's first-ever Big South Tournament crown 10 years ago.
WELCOME BACK: On Saturday, Jan. 28, the UNC Asheville women's basketball program will welcome back the 2006-07 team which won the Big South Conference title that year. This season marks the 10th anniversary that those Bulldogs, under the direction of head coach Betsy Blose, defeated Radford 67-57 to win the Big South Tournament crown and advance to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history.
COACHES VS. CANCER'S SUITS AND SNEAKERS WEEK: 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.
HAYWOOD COUNTY DAY: UNC Asheville is 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.
MOE'S BURRITOS FOR STUDENTS:Â 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.
HOME SWEET HOME: Dating back to last year, Asheville is 21-4 at home. This season, the Bulldogs are 5-2 at home and last year Asheville went 16-2 inside Kimmel Arena.
ATOP THE CONFERENCE: UNC Asheville leads the Big South Conference in both scoring offense and field goal percentage. The Bulldogs average 65.9 points per outing and are currently shooting 41.4 percent from the field.
THREE FOR THREE: Senior guard Chatori Major tied the program single-game record Tuesday night with seven three-pointers against Presbyterian. The Camp Lejune, N.C., native was lethal from beyond the arc as she connected on 70 percent (7-of-10) of her attempts. She tied a mark set originally by Grace Blaylock on Jan. 14, 2012, at Winthrop. Shonese Jones also hit seven treys on Feb. 17, 2015 at High Point.
MAJOR SCORING: Reigning Big South Conference Player of the Year Chatori Major had a career night against the Blue Hose on Tuesday, scoring 31 points off 9-for-19 shooting. Tuesday night marked the first time since the 2011-12 season that a Bulldog women's basketball player has scored at least 30 points in a single game. That year, Shonese Jones accomplished the feat twice. On Dec. 19, 2011, she scored 30 against SC State and on Jan. 30, 2012, she scored 30 against Radford.
MAKING THEM COUNT: Chatori Major wasn't just efficient from the field against Presbyterian. Tuesday night, the senior guard converted all six of her free throw attempts against the Blue Hose. It is the fifth time this season she has been perfect at the charity stripe and it is the second time this season she has converted six free throws.
CAPITALIZING ON TURNOVERS: Last Saturday afternoon, UNC Asheville forced Liberty to turn the ball over 18 times. The Bulldogs turned those turnovers into 24 points and out-scored the Flames 24-9 in the category.
CORRALLING THEM IN: Senior center KJ Weaver is currently seventh in UNC Asheville's Division I era for career rebounds and is ninth all-time in program history with 622 boards.
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 622 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: The Bulldogs will continue their current two-game homestand on Tuesday, Jan. 31, against Charleston Southern. The Bulldogs and Buccaneers will square off at 7 p.m.
QUOTABLES
"Radford is very good. We will have to play with the same intensity that has helped us get results in the past couple of games. Additionally, we will have to take care of the ball and maximize our offensive possessions. In regards to defending their talent and size, that is something we have to focus on every defensive possession."Â -Â Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick
