University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Friday, December 22
Moraga, CA
10:00 PM
UNC Asheville
7-6
69
at
95
Saint Mary's
11-2
1
2
F
UNC Asheville
37
32
69
Saint Mary's (CA)
56
39
95
Photo by: Adrian Etheridge
Bulldogs Close Out Non-Conference Slate With Road Loss to Saint Mary’s
12.23.2017 | Men's Basketball
MORAGA, Calif. – UNC Asheville men's basketball closed out the non-conference portion of its 2017-18 schedule with a 95-69 loss to Saint Mary's at McKeon Pavilion.
Saint Mary's (11-2) opened the game by connecting on five of its first seven shots in the contest to own a 15-9 lead over UNC Asheville (7-6) after an Ahmad Thomas jumper with just under 15 minutes left in the first half. Thomas had eight of UNC Asheville's first nine points in the game.
The Bulldogs would make five of its first 10 shots in the game overall, but it would be Saint Mary's that owned a 24-11 lead with 12:55 to play in the first half. UNC Asheville's MaCio Teague knocked down a three-pointer seconds later though to pull the Bulldogs back to within 10 at 24-14.
The score would still be just 10 in favor of Saint Mary's after another Thomas driving layup with around five minutes left in the first half. Thomas opened the game by connecting on eight of his first 10 field goal attempts.
The Gaels would close the half on a run to take a 56-37 lead over the Bulldogs into the halftime break.
UNC Asheville shot 53.3 percent (16-of-30) in the first half as a team, while Saint Mary's shot 58.3 percent (21-of-36).
Thomas was the top scorer at the halftime break with 16 points for the Bulldogs. Teague had 12 at the break for the Bulldogs.
The second half commenced with UNC Asheville scoring five of the first six points in the half to trail by 15 at 57-42 after two Kevin Vannatta free throws with 17:40 to play.
The Bulldogs would go on to outscore Saint Mary's 14-13 over the first almost eight minutes of the second half, but Saint Mary's would own a 72-51 lead.
That would prove to be as close as the Bulldogs could get in their loss to the Gaels.
Thomas led UNC Asheville in the game with 22 points. Teague finished his efforts with 18 points and five rebounds.
Preseason All-American Jock Landale led Saint Mary's in its win with 23 points and 10 rebounds.
As a team, UNC Asheville shot 46.6 percent (27-of-58) in the loss to Saint Mary's. Saint Mary's finished its win shooting 52.3 percent (34-of-65) as a team.
BULLDOG BITES
First Loss in the Golden State
The game against Saint Mary's was UNC Asheville's first-ever against the Gaels and it marked the Bulldogs second-ever game in the Golden State. The Bulldogs are now 1-1 all-time in the state of California.
Quotable
"I didn't think we were locked in defensively in the first half. We didn't put enough pressure on the ball and in result I thought Saint Mary's was really comfortable. Giving up 56 points in a half, you just are not going to beat very many teams. I thought we did a nice job in the second half improving on that and continuing to battle, but you just can't spot a top-25 caliber team like Saint Mary's a 20-point lead at halftime." – Head Coach Nick McDevitt
Up Next
UNC Asheville will next open Big South Conference play by hosting Campbell at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 30. The game will be televised locally by WMYA-TV, My 40 and also streamed live by the Big South Network. The game will also be available on the radio on 570 WWNC-Asheville/1440 WMXF-Waynesville.
Saint Mary's (11-2) opened the game by connecting on five of its first seven shots in the contest to own a 15-9 lead over UNC Asheville (7-6) after an Ahmad Thomas jumper with just under 15 minutes left in the first half. Thomas had eight of UNC Asheville's first nine points in the game.
The Bulldogs would make five of its first 10 shots in the game overall, but it would be Saint Mary's that owned a 24-11 lead with 12:55 to play in the first half. UNC Asheville's MaCio Teague knocked down a three-pointer seconds later though to pull the Bulldogs back to within 10 at 24-14.
The score would still be just 10 in favor of Saint Mary's after another Thomas driving layup with around five minutes left in the first half. Thomas opened the game by connecting on eight of his first 10 field goal attempts.
The Gaels would close the half on a run to take a 56-37 lead over the Bulldogs into the halftime break.
UNC Asheville shot 53.3 percent (16-of-30) in the first half as a team, while Saint Mary's shot 58.3 percent (21-of-36).
Thomas was the top scorer at the halftime break with 16 points for the Bulldogs. Teague had 12 at the break for the Bulldogs.
The second half commenced with UNC Asheville scoring five of the first six points in the half to trail by 15 at 57-42 after two Kevin Vannatta free throws with 17:40 to play.
The Bulldogs would go on to outscore Saint Mary's 14-13 over the first almost eight minutes of the second half, but Saint Mary's would own a 72-51 lead.
That would prove to be as close as the Bulldogs could get in their loss to the Gaels.
Thomas led UNC Asheville in the game with 22 points. Teague finished his efforts with 18 points and five rebounds.
Preseason All-American Jock Landale led Saint Mary's in its win with 23 points and 10 rebounds.
As a team, UNC Asheville shot 46.6 percent (27-of-58) in the loss to Saint Mary's. Saint Mary's finished its win shooting 52.3 percent (34-of-65) as a team.
BULLDOG BITES
First Loss in the Golden State
The game against Saint Mary's was UNC Asheville's first-ever against the Gaels and it marked the Bulldogs second-ever game in the Golden State. The Bulldogs are now 1-1 all-time in the state of California.
Quotable
"I didn't think we were locked in defensively in the first half. We didn't put enough pressure on the ball and in result I thought Saint Mary's was really comfortable. Giving up 56 points in a half, you just are not going to beat very many teams. I thought we did a nice job in the second half improving on that and continuing to battle, but you just can't spot a top-25 caliber team like Saint Mary's a 20-point lead at halftime." – Head Coach Nick McDevitt
Up Next
UNC Asheville will next open Big South Conference play by hosting Campbell at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 30. The game will be televised locally by WMYA-TV, My 40 and also streamed live by the Big South Network. The game will also be available on the radio on 570 WWNC-Asheville/1440 WMXF-Waynesville.
Team Stats
AVL
SMC
FG%
.466
.523
3FG%
.182
.469
FT%
.867
.706
RB
24
40
TO
6
8
STL
5
4
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
22
FGM
10
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
18
FGM
7
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Pts
8
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Pts
6
FGM
2
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
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