University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Friday, November 17
Nashville, TN
8:00 PM
UNC Asheville
1-2
76
at
79
Vanderbilt
2-1
1
2
F
UNC Asheville
37
39
76
Vanderbilt
35
44
79
Photo by: Adrian Etheridge
UNC Asheville Gives Vanderbilt All it Can Handle in Narrow Three-Point Road Loss
11.17.2017 | Men's Basketball
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Behind four in double figures the UNC Asheville men's basketball team just missed shocking Vanderbilt of the SEC on their home floor in a narrow 79-76 loss to the Commodores at Memorial Gymnasium on Friday, Nov. 17.
The Bulldogs took their first lead of the game with 12:40 left in the first half when Drew Rackley knocked down a three-pointer to give Asheville a 9-8 lead. The Bulldog lead would be 10 at 18-8 after two free throws by Alec Wnuk with 10:23 remaining in the first half.
UNC Asheville (1-2) would hold the lead over Vanderbilt (2-1) for most of the rest of the first half, but with 2:53 left in the opening stanza things would be even at 31-31. The Bulldogs would proceed to score the next four to lead 35-31, but the Commodores had tied things up at 35-all with 33 seconds left.
The Bulldogs would hold for the final shot in the final seconds of the first half and the decision would pay off big with Jonathan Baehre connecting on a jumper in the final seconds to give Asheville a 37-35 lead at the halftime break.
UNC Asheville closed out the first half shooting 48.1 percent (13-of-27) as a team, while Vanderbilt shot 40.7 percent (11-of-27) as a team in the first half.
The second half would open with Vanderbilt going on an 11-2 run to lead 46-39 with 15:03 to play in the contest.
The Commodores would never be able to extend their lead into single digits in the game though with Asheville right back in the thick of things with 7:44 to play with a MaCio Teague three-pointer pulling the Bulldogs back to within three at 61-58.
Things would remain close the rest of the game with a Wnuk trey still keeping the Bulldogs within three at 72-69 with 38 seconds to play.
The two teams would settle on the three-point win for the Commodores in the final seconds with a last-second heave by the Bulldogs going wide to give Vanderbilt the narrow win.
Wnuk scored a career-best 19 points to lead the way for the Bulldogs in the game. He also had four rebounds, two steals and one assist.
Teague put together his best performance of the young season against the Commodores with 18 points, six rebounds and four assists.
The reigning Big South Defensive Player of the Year, Ahmad Thomas finished with four steals to go along with 13 points and four rebounds.
Kevin Vannatta was the final Bulldog in double figures with 11 points, six rebounds and four assists.
Vanderbilt had four with double figures as well with Jeff Roberson leading the way with a double-double of 17 points and 12 rebounds.
As a team, UNC Asheville closed out its narrow loss shooting 42.2 percent (27-of-64). The Bulldogs were strong from the charity stripe (13-of-15=86.7 percent) and from beyond the arc (9-of-20=45 percent) in the contest.
Vanderbilt shot 47.2 percent (25-of-53) from the field as a team. The Commodores were 7-of-19 (36.8 percent) from beyond the arc. Vanderbilt shot 75.9 percent (22-of-29) from the free throw line.
BULLDOG BITES
Career Day
In collecting his career-best 19 points, Alec Wnuk also made a career-best seven field goals and tied his career-high for three-pointers made with two. He was 7-of-11 overall and 2-of-3 from beyond the arc.
Strong on the Glass
The Bulldogs out-rebounded one of the top teams in the SEC, 36-32. The Bulldogs held a 12-7 advantage in offensive rebounds. Ahmad Thomas and MaCio Teague each had three offensive boards in the game.
Nearing 200 Steals
Ahmad Thomas now has 1,130 points and 535 rebounds in his career. The 56th player in Big South Conference history to score over 1,000 points and collect over 500 rebounds, Thomas after his four steals against Vanderbilt with 194 steals overall in his career is nearing becoming just the sixth player in league history with 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 200 steals. Thomas' 99 steals last year for the Bulldogs is a program record.
Up Next
UNC Asheville men's basketball will continue its efforts in the 2017 NIT Season Tip-Off next by staying in the mid-state area of Tennessee to take on Austin Peay in Clarksville, Tenn. at 3 p.m. EST on Sunday, Nov. 19.
The Bulldogs took their first lead of the game with 12:40 left in the first half when Drew Rackley knocked down a three-pointer to give Asheville a 9-8 lead. The Bulldog lead would be 10 at 18-8 after two free throws by Alec Wnuk with 10:23 remaining in the first half.
UNC Asheville (1-2) would hold the lead over Vanderbilt (2-1) for most of the rest of the first half, but with 2:53 left in the opening stanza things would be even at 31-31. The Bulldogs would proceed to score the next four to lead 35-31, but the Commodores had tied things up at 35-all with 33 seconds left.
The Bulldogs would hold for the final shot in the final seconds of the first half and the decision would pay off big with Jonathan Baehre connecting on a jumper in the final seconds to give Asheville a 37-35 lead at the halftime break.
UNC Asheville closed out the first half shooting 48.1 percent (13-of-27) as a team, while Vanderbilt shot 40.7 percent (11-of-27) as a team in the first half.
The second half would open with Vanderbilt going on an 11-2 run to lead 46-39 with 15:03 to play in the contest.
The Commodores would never be able to extend their lead into single digits in the game though with Asheville right back in the thick of things with 7:44 to play with a MaCio Teague three-pointer pulling the Bulldogs back to within three at 61-58.
Things would remain close the rest of the game with a Wnuk trey still keeping the Bulldogs within three at 72-69 with 38 seconds to play.
The two teams would settle on the three-point win for the Commodores in the final seconds with a last-second heave by the Bulldogs going wide to give Vanderbilt the narrow win.
Wnuk scored a career-best 19 points to lead the way for the Bulldogs in the game. He also had four rebounds, two steals and one assist.
Teague put together his best performance of the young season against the Commodores with 18 points, six rebounds and four assists.
The reigning Big South Defensive Player of the Year, Ahmad Thomas finished with four steals to go along with 13 points and four rebounds.
Kevin Vannatta was the final Bulldog in double figures with 11 points, six rebounds and four assists.
Vanderbilt had four with double figures as well with Jeff Roberson leading the way with a double-double of 17 points and 12 rebounds.
As a team, UNC Asheville closed out its narrow loss shooting 42.2 percent (27-of-64). The Bulldogs were strong from the charity stripe (13-of-15=86.7 percent) and from beyond the arc (9-of-20=45 percent) in the contest.
Vanderbilt shot 47.2 percent (25-of-53) from the field as a team. The Commodores were 7-of-19 (36.8 percent) from beyond the arc. Vanderbilt shot 75.9 percent (22-of-29) from the free throw line.
BULLDOG BITES
Career Day
In collecting his career-best 19 points, Alec Wnuk also made a career-best seven field goals and tied his career-high for three-pointers made with two. He was 7-of-11 overall and 2-of-3 from beyond the arc.
Strong on the Glass
The Bulldogs out-rebounded one of the top teams in the SEC, 36-32. The Bulldogs held a 12-7 advantage in offensive rebounds. Ahmad Thomas and MaCio Teague each had three offensive boards in the game.
Nearing 200 Steals
Ahmad Thomas now has 1,130 points and 535 rebounds in his career. The 56th player in Big South Conference history to score over 1,000 points and collect over 500 rebounds, Thomas after his four steals against Vanderbilt with 194 steals overall in his career is nearing becoming just the sixth player in league history with 1,000 points, 500 rebounds and 200 steals. Thomas' 99 steals last year for the Bulldogs is a program record.
Up Next
UNC Asheville men's basketball will continue its efforts in the 2017 NIT Season Tip-Off next by staying in the mid-state area of Tennessee to take on Austin Peay in Clarksville, Tenn. at 3 p.m. EST on Sunday, Nov. 19.
Team Stats
AVL
VU
FG%
.422
.472
3FG%
.450
.368
FT%
.867
.759
RB
36
32
TO
14
14
STL
8
5
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
18
FGM
6
3FGM
3
FTM
3
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
11
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
4
Players Mentioned
F
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