University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Monday, February 27
Lynchburg, Va
7:00 p.m.
UNC Asheville
14-14, 8-9BSC
57
at
53
Liberty
12-16, 11-6BSC
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNC Asheville | 12 | 17 | 11 | 17 | 57 |
| Liberty | 16 | 10 | 11 | 16 | 53 |
Photo by: UNC Asheville
Bulldog Women Go On the Road to Beat Liberty 57-53
02.27.2017 | Women's Basketball
LYNCHBURG, Va. – The UNC Asheville women's basketball team kept the current streak against Liberty alive Monday night by downing the flames 57-53 on the road in a tough Big South Conference game inside the Vines Center.
The win is the third in the last four games of this season for Asheville (14-14, 8-9 Big South) and marks the fourth win in a row over Liberty (12-16, 11-6 Big South) dating back to last season.
The game was a close one from start to finish, featuring seven lead changes.
Asheville was able to claim a 29-26 lead after the first half as Liberty didn't make a single field goal in the final 6:02 of the second quarter. Part of Liberty's drought saw the Flames hit just two of their last 11 shots of the half.
Liberty opened the second half by breaking the scoreless drought with a 6-0 run in the third quarter to retake a short lead, but Asheville never gave up and took a 40-37 lead into the fourth quarter.
With 3:14 to go in regulation, Liberty retook the lead when Keyen Green hit a layup with 3:14 to go, breaking a 44-44 tie. Iva Ilic then hit a three-pointer to give the Flames a 49-44 lead with 3:00 to go in regulation.
With under 2:00 to play, the Bulldogs clawed their way back to the lead with four free throws in a row from Chatori Major and a layup from Zip Scott to take a 50-49 lead, but Liberty responded with a layup by Audrey Rettstatt with 58 seconds remaining.
KJ Weaver gave Asheville back the lead for good with 38 seconds to go with a layup that set the score at 52-51. Bronaza Fitzgerald was then fouled a few seconds later and hit both free throws, setting the score at 54-51. While the Flames attempted to do the impossible, the Bulldogs didn't flinch and claimed the 57-53 road win.
Major led Asheville with 13 points, including hitting six of her seven free throw attempts. The senior guard also had three rebounds and four assists in the win.
Jessica Wall also finished in double-digit scoring with 10 points off 4-for-6 shooting, including hitting a pair of three-pointers. Scott came off the bench to score nine points off 4-for-4 shooting.
Liberty was led by Ola Makurat's game-high 19 points and Green's 10. Makurat went 7-for-16 from the field and finished the game with five rebounds and a pair of steals.
As a team, Asheville shot 40.4 percent (19-for-47) from the field while Liberty converted just 33.3 percent (19-for-57 of their attempts. Asheville converted Liberty's 14 turnovers into 20 points.
BULLDOG BITES
THREE FOR THREE: Senior guard Chatori Major is chasing teammate Tianna Knuckles for history. Last season, Knuckles set the school record for most three-pointers made in a single season with 73 treys. It was a mark that had stood for 25 years prior to Knuckles' junior year. After Monday night's game in Lynchburg, Major now has 67 three-pointers on the year.
CLOSE GAMES WITH LIBERTY: In the last four meetings, the games between UNC Asheville and Liberty have been decided by 10 points or less, including Monday night's game. Last season, both of UNC Asheville's wins over Liberty in the second and third meetings were by five points or less, including the Big South Conference Championship-winning 64-62, double-overtime win. Prior to that, during the regular season, the Bulldogs won 56-51. Earlier this season, the Bulldogs won 64-54 in Asheville.
FLIPPING THE SCRIPT: Liberty may control the overall record with Asheville (52-12), but the Bulldogs have now claimed the last four meetings over the Flames. That streak includes downing Liberty 64-62 in last season's Big South Conference Championship game to earn the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
CORRALLING THEM IN: Senior KJ Weaver finished Monday's win over Liberty with 11 rebounds, giving her 704 over her illustrious career, including 223 this season. That mark has her fifth in Asheville's NCAA Division I era and seventh all-time. The next milestone will be 720 career rebounds for sixth all-time and fourth in the D-1 era. Tonisha Jackson (1999-2004) currently holds those marks. Weaver's 223 rebounds as a senior are a career-high for rebounds in a season for her.
UP NEXT
Asheville returns home for the regular-season finale on Saturday, March 4 against Gardner-Webb. The 2 p.m. game against the Runnin' Bulldogs will serve as Senior Day for Tianna Knuckles, Ja'Da Brayboy, Chatori Major and KJ Weaver.
QUOTABLES
"This was a battle of attrition in the paint tonight. It wasn't a particularly fluid offensive game and we anticipated coming in that the flow of the game would be like this. I liked our girls' effort once again and also our response after a tough loss. To be able to bounce back after a double-overtime loss to Radford on Saturday and get a result against a talented and tough team on their home court says a lot about these young ladies. I am proud of them as well as my staff who are also doing a tremendous job." – Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick
The win is the third in the last four games of this season for Asheville (14-14, 8-9 Big South) and marks the fourth win in a row over Liberty (12-16, 11-6 Big South) dating back to last season.
The game was a close one from start to finish, featuring seven lead changes.
Asheville was able to claim a 29-26 lead after the first half as Liberty didn't make a single field goal in the final 6:02 of the second quarter. Part of Liberty's drought saw the Flames hit just two of their last 11 shots of the half.
Liberty opened the second half by breaking the scoreless drought with a 6-0 run in the third quarter to retake a short lead, but Asheville never gave up and took a 40-37 lead into the fourth quarter.
With 3:14 to go in regulation, Liberty retook the lead when Keyen Green hit a layup with 3:14 to go, breaking a 44-44 tie. Iva Ilic then hit a three-pointer to give the Flames a 49-44 lead with 3:00 to go in regulation.
With under 2:00 to play, the Bulldogs clawed their way back to the lead with four free throws in a row from Chatori Major and a layup from Zip Scott to take a 50-49 lead, but Liberty responded with a layup by Audrey Rettstatt with 58 seconds remaining.
KJ Weaver gave Asheville back the lead for good with 38 seconds to go with a layup that set the score at 52-51. Bronaza Fitzgerald was then fouled a few seconds later and hit both free throws, setting the score at 54-51. While the Flames attempted to do the impossible, the Bulldogs didn't flinch and claimed the 57-53 road win.
Major led Asheville with 13 points, including hitting six of her seven free throw attempts. The senior guard also had three rebounds and four assists in the win.
Jessica Wall also finished in double-digit scoring with 10 points off 4-for-6 shooting, including hitting a pair of three-pointers. Scott came off the bench to score nine points off 4-for-4 shooting.
Liberty was led by Ola Makurat's game-high 19 points and Green's 10. Makurat went 7-for-16 from the field and finished the game with five rebounds and a pair of steals.
As a team, Asheville shot 40.4 percent (19-for-47) from the field while Liberty converted just 33.3 percent (19-for-57 of their attempts. Asheville converted Liberty's 14 turnovers into 20 points.
BULLDOG BITES
THREE FOR THREE: Senior guard Chatori Major is chasing teammate Tianna Knuckles for history. Last season, Knuckles set the school record for most three-pointers made in a single season with 73 treys. It was a mark that had stood for 25 years prior to Knuckles' junior year. After Monday night's game in Lynchburg, Major now has 67 three-pointers on the year.
CLOSE GAMES WITH LIBERTY: In the last four meetings, the games between UNC Asheville and Liberty have been decided by 10 points or less, including Monday night's game. Last season, both of UNC Asheville's wins over Liberty in the second and third meetings were by five points or less, including the Big South Conference Championship-winning 64-62, double-overtime win. Prior to that, during the regular season, the Bulldogs won 56-51. Earlier this season, the Bulldogs won 64-54 in Asheville.
FLIPPING THE SCRIPT: Liberty may control the overall record with Asheville (52-12), but the Bulldogs have now claimed the last four meetings over the Flames. That streak includes downing Liberty 64-62 in last season's Big South Conference Championship game to earn the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
CORRALLING THEM IN: Senior KJ Weaver finished Monday's win over Liberty with 11 rebounds, giving her 704 over her illustrious career, including 223 this season. That mark has her fifth in Asheville's NCAA Division I era and seventh all-time. The next milestone will be 720 career rebounds for sixth all-time and fourth in the D-1 era. Tonisha Jackson (1999-2004) currently holds those marks. Weaver's 223 rebounds as a senior are a career-high for rebounds in a season for her.
UP NEXT
Asheville returns home for the regular-season finale on Saturday, March 4 against Gardner-Webb. The 2 p.m. game against the Runnin' Bulldogs will serve as Senior Day for Tianna Knuckles, Ja'Da Brayboy, Chatori Major and KJ Weaver.
QUOTABLES
"This was a battle of attrition in the paint tonight. It wasn't a particularly fluid offensive game and we anticipated coming in that the flow of the game would be like this. I liked our girls' effort once again and also our response after a tough loss. To be able to bounce back after a double-overtime loss to Radford on Saturday and get a result against a talented and tough team on their home court says a lot about these young ladies. I am proud of them as well as my staff who are also doing a tremendous job." – Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick
Team Stats
AVL
LIBERTY
FG%
.404
.333
3FG%
.267
.333
FT%
.625
.526
RB
36
37
TO
16
14
STL
6
5
Game Leaders
Pts
13
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
6
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
2
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
C
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballHighlights || Women's Basketball || #9 UNC Asheville vs #1 High Point (Big South Tournament)
Thursday, March 14
Highlights || Women's Basketball || #9 UNC Asheville vs #8 Gardner-Webb (Big South Tournament)
Thursday, March 14
Highlights || Women's Basketball || UNC Asheville vs Radford
Monday, March 04
Highlights || Women's Basketball || UNC Asheville at Gardner-Webb
Monday, February 26