University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Sunday, December 10
Asheville, NC
1:00 PM
UNC Asheville
1-7
56
vs
67
Mercer
8-2
1
2
3
4
F
Mercer
14
15
24
14
67
UNC Asheville
17
12
16
11
56
Photo by: Adrian Etheridge
Bulldogs Fight But Fall to Mid-Major 14th-Ranked Mercer
12.10.2017 | Women's Basketball
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The UNC Asheville women's basketball team gave mid-major 14th-ranked Mercer all it could handle in the non-conference bout, but the Bears came out victorious inside Kimmel Arena on Sunday afternoon as they upended the Bulldogs 67-56.
BULLDOG BITES
Game Highlights
The Bulldogs and Bears were neck-and-neck for the first 20 minutes of play as the two teams were knotted at 29-29 at halftime.
With Mercer leading 8-6 at the 6:21 mark in the first quarter, Khaila Webb went on a 7-0 run for the next 45 seconds to give UNC Asheville a five-point advantage. Mercer out-scored the Bulldogs 6-4 to conclude the first quarter, but the Bulldogs held a 17-14 lead.
Mercer tied the game in the second quarter as it netted 15 points behind Kahlia Lawrence's eight points. Bronaza Fitzgerald and Ali Trani combined to score 10 of the Bulldogs' points in the second quarter while Juliet Esadah paced the squad with three rebounds.
The third quarter went back-and-forth as both squads exchanged baskets until just under four minutes remaining. Mercer extended its lead to 53-45 behind a 13-2 run as seven of the Mercer points came from the charity stripe. The Bears shot .643 (9-for-14) in the third quarter as Lawrence totaled three of the team's made baskets (eight points).
To start the final quarter, the Bulldogs found the hot hand as they opened the final 10 minutes on an 8-2 run to make it a 55-53 game with Mercer leading. Behind four free throws, Mercer pulled ahead by six and ultimately sealed the game away on a 12-3 run.
Webb and Trani led the team as they each totaled 13 points. It was Trani's first time this year she has led the Bulldogs in points scored as it was Webb's sixth occurrence this season. To go along with her season-high in points scored, Trani earned four assists, which is a new career single-game best for the junior.
Fitzgerald nearly recorded her third double-double in a row as she was two rebounds shy of earning double-digits in rebounds. The senior totaled 11 points as she went 4-for-5 from the field. Zip Scott also knocked down four baskets as she totaled nine points and five rebounds. Esadah corralled five defensive boards, which was tied for the team lead.
The Bulldogs fall to 1-7 on the season as Mercer moves to 8-2 on the year.
Quotable
What's Next?
UNC Asheville's next contest will be on the road – its only road game in December - as it travels to USC Upstate on Saturday, Dec. 16. Tipoff between the Bulldogs and Spartans is slated for 2 p.m.
BULLDOG BITES
Game Highlights
The Bulldogs and Bears were neck-and-neck for the first 20 minutes of play as the two teams were knotted at 29-29 at halftime.
With Mercer leading 8-6 at the 6:21 mark in the first quarter, Khaila Webb went on a 7-0 run for the next 45 seconds to give UNC Asheville a five-point advantage. Mercer out-scored the Bulldogs 6-4 to conclude the first quarter, but the Bulldogs held a 17-14 lead.
Mercer tied the game in the second quarter as it netted 15 points behind Kahlia Lawrence's eight points. Bronaza Fitzgerald and Ali Trani combined to score 10 of the Bulldogs' points in the second quarter while Juliet Esadah paced the squad with three rebounds.
The third quarter went back-and-forth as both squads exchanged baskets until just under four minutes remaining. Mercer extended its lead to 53-45 behind a 13-2 run as seven of the Mercer points came from the charity stripe. The Bears shot .643 (9-for-14) in the third quarter as Lawrence totaled three of the team's made baskets (eight points).
To start the final quarter, the Bulldogs found the hot hand as they opened the final 10 minutes on an 8-2 run to make it a 55-53 game with Mercer leading. Behind four free throws, Mercer pulled ahead by six and ultimately sealed the game away on a 12-3 run.
Webb and Trani led the team as they each totaled 13 points. It was Trani's first time this year she has led the Bulldogs in points scored as it was Webb's sixth occurrence this season. To go along with her season-high in points scored, Trani earned four assists, which is a new career single-game best for the junior.
Fitzgerald nearly recorded her third double-double in a row as she was two rebounds shy of earning double-digits in rebounds. The senior totaled 11 points as she went 4-for-5 from the field. Zip Scott also knocked down four baskets as she totaled nine points and five rebounds. Esadah corralled five defensive boards, which was tied for the team lead.
The Bulldogs fall to 1-7 on the season as Mercer moves to 8-2 on the year.
Quotable
What's Next?
UNC Asheville's next contest will be on the road – its only road game in December - as it travels to USC Upstate on Saturday, Dec. 16. Tipoff between the Bulldogs and Spartans is slated for 2 p.m.
Team Stats
MER
AVL
FG%
.451
.377
3FG%
.143
.294
FT%
.769
.611
RB
32
34
TO
10
14
STL
6
4
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
13
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
11
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Players Mentioned
F
/ Women's BasketballC
/ Women's BasketballG
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