University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Bulldogs Set for Big South Tournament Quarterfinal With Campbell at 6 p.m. Friday
03.10.2017 | Women's Basketball
UNC Asheville-Campbell Big South Tournament Quarterfinal Notes Update (PDF - Click Link to Access)
THE MATCHUP
Teams: No. 7 UNC Asheville  (16-14, 9-9 Big South)
No. 2 Campbell (21-8, 13-5 Big South)
Location: Lynchburg, Va. / Vines Center
When: Friday, March 10, 2017 / 6 p.m.
Live Video: ESPN3
Live Audio: 100.3 FM (Asheville, N.C.)
Live Stats: www.uncabulldogs.com
Twitter: @ashevilledogs #ThePursuit
BULLDOG BITES
ASHEVILLE IN THE BIG SOUTH TOURNAMENT: UNC Asheville is 15-28 in the Big South Tournament. The Bulldogs have reached the championship game four times, including winning the crown in 2007 and 2016. The Bulldogs were runners up in 1998 and 2005. As the No. 7 Seed, UNC Asheville is now 1-4, but in first-round games of the tournament, UNC Asheville is now 4-2. The Bulldogs won first-round games in 1994, 2014, 2015 and 2017.
SERIES WITH CAMPBELL: Campbell owns a 38-9 all-time series lead over UNC Asheville. The two teams are 1-1 against one another in the Big South Tournament.Â
PROGRAM-BEST: The win over Longwood in the opening round of the 2017 Big South Women's Basketball Championship was Asheville's fourth straight league tournament win, which is the best in program history.
CORRALLING THEM IN: In collecting the double-double with 13 rebounds and 11 points against Longwood, senior center KJ Weaver moved into sixth all-time in school history in total rebounds with 725. The 725 rebounds are fourth in Asheville's NCAA Division I era. Weaver's 244 rebounds this season are a career-best.
A POSITIVE RECORD: For the seventh time in program history, the UNC Asheville Bulldogs will finish with a positive record. UNC Asheville's win over Longwood guaranteed the Bulldogs a winning record in the 2016-17 season. The first winning record came during the 1996-97 season (14-13). The Bulldogs then rattled off four in a row from 2003-2007 (19-9, 18-12, 15-13, 21-12). Last season, head coach Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick guided the Bulldogs to a 26-7 record.
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 the regular-season finale last Saturday, March 4, Major now has 69 three-pointers on the year. Her 69 treys eclipses her previous career-high of 61 for three-pointers in a season set last year as a junior.
ALL-CONFERENCE SELECTIONS: UNC Asheville senior women's basketball players Chatori Major and KJ Weaver were honored by the Big South Conference Tuesday afternoon as both earned all-conference honors. Major earned her second first-team plaudits in as many years and was named to the All-Academic Team. Weaver was named an honorable mention selection. Major becomes just the fourth UNC Asheville women's basketball player to earn multiple All-Big South first team honors. She joins Jessica Guarneri (2000-01, 2001-02), Vicki Giffin (1994-95, 1995-96, 1996-97) and Wendy Beecher (1986-87, 1987-88) in the honor.
OPENING ROUND (3/9/17): Seventh-seeded UNC Asheville women's basketball advanced to the quarterfinal round of the 2017 Big South Conference Women's Basketball Championship with a 65-59 opening round win over 10th-seeded Longwood on Thursday, March 9, at the Vines Center. Longwood would open the game by leading 7-4 with 3:39 left in the first quarter, but a 4-0 run by UNC Asheville over the next just over a minute garnered the Bulldogs an 8-7 advantage with 2:18 left in the opening quarter. Longwood would go on from there to score the final two points of the quarter to own a 9-8 lead after the conclusion of the first quarter. Four different Bulldogs combined to score the first eight points of the game for Asheville. The second quarter would commence with Longwood going on an 8-4 run to take a 17:12 lead with 5:07 remaining in the first half. The Lancers would own a 24-20 lead at the halftime break. The Bulldogs would start the third quarter on an 8-4 run and after a mid-range jumper by senior guard Chatori Major the two teams would be all tied up at 28-28 with 7:19 left in the quarter. Asheville would eventually go on a 14-6 run to get things going in the third quarter to own a 34-30 advantage with just under three minutes to go in the quarter. In total, the Bulldogs outscored the Lancers, 20-14, in the third quarter to take a 40-38 lead into the fourth and final quarter. To get things going in the fourth quarter, UNC Asheville would hold Longwood scoreless for well over three minutes at one point while at the same time going on an 8-2 run to own a 48-40 lead after a layup by senior center KJ Weaver with 7:06 remaining in the game. Asheville would control things over the next few minutes, but the Lancers kept inching closer and with just 37 seconds remaining the score would be just 60-59 in the Bulldogs' favor. The Lancers would not be able to get any closer with the Bulldogs picking up the six-point win. Sophomore Sonora Dengokl scored a career-best 20 points to lead three Bulldogs in double figures. Dengokl was 9-of-12 from the field overall and 2-of-2 from the charity stripe. She also had five rebounds, three steals and one assist. Weaver picked up her fourth double-double of the season in the Bulldog win with 13 rebounds and 11 points. She picked up an impressive seven of her 13 rebounds on the offensive glass. The final Bulldog in double figures, junior guard Khaila Webb had 10 points in the Asheville win. Longwood was led in its loss by Khaila Hall's game-best 21 points. As a team, the Bulldogs finished their evening shooting 36.2 percent (21-of-58) as a team. Longwood shot 40.4 percent (23-for-57) from the field as a team in its loss to Asheville.
SCOUTING CAMPBELL: Picked eighth in the preseason Big South poll, Campbell (21-8, 13-5 Big South Conference) as the No. 2 seed has its highest seed since the 2000-01 season. MaKala Rouse was chosen as the Big South Defensive Player of the Year. Campbell head coach Ronny Fisher was tabbed the league's Coach of the Year, while Summer Price was selected to the All-Big South second-team. Rouse was also tabbed as an all-conference honorable mention selection.
LAST MEETING (2/11/17): The UNC Asheville women's basketball team came close to knocking off Campbell on the road Saturday, Feb. 11, but despite some late-game theatrics and a lot of resolve by the Bulldogs, the Camels were able to hold on for a 61-60 win inside Gore Arena in Big South Conference action. The Bulldogs fell behind 11-0 early in the opening minutes and were trailing 21-10 after the first quarter, but the second period saw Asheville close the gap to just four, 29-25 with just over 2:00 left in the first half of regulation, including an 8-0 run halfway through the period. But the Camels were able to take a six-point, 35-29 lead into locker room at halftime. Jessica Wall opened the third quarter with a three-pointer off a feed from Sonora Dengokl to pull the Bulldogs to within three at 35-32, and that would set the tone for much of the second half as UNC Asheville continued to fight. With 3:18 to go in the third, Dengokl converted a layup to again draw the Bulldogs to within three, 42-39 of the Camels, but Campbell ended the third quarter on a 6-0 run, capped by a Bria Emanuel layup to lead 50-41 heading into the fourth quarter. The fourth quarter saw plenty of action as Khaila Webb and Wall hit back-to-back three-pointers with just over five minutes to go in regulation, pulling the Bulldogs to within two at 53-51. A few minutes later, Chatori Major hit a layup to set the score at 56-53 in favor of Campbell with just under 2:00 left in regulation. The Bulldogs trailed just 58-55 with 50.9 left in the fourth quarter when Webb hit a reverse layup, but the Camels' Briana Cribb scored on the other end to set the score at 60-55 with 25 seconds to go. A few seconds later, with Asheville trailing by just two, the Bulldogs fouled Summer Price and sent her to the line with just 10.2 on the clock. Price hit one of her two free throws, giving UNC Asheville the ball back. The Camels fouled on the inbounds, forcing the clock to stop with 6.6 on the clock. The Camels fouled UNC Asheville again, sending Wall to the line. She hit one of two free throws and on the missed second shot a technical foul was issued to Campbell, sending Webb to the line with just over a second remaining. Webb missed the first free throw but hit the second, giving UNC Asheville the ball back trailing 61-60 with just one second on the clock. The Bulldogs managed to get the ball in, but the final shot was off the mark, allowing Campbell to escape with the win. Major led three Bulldogs in double figure points, scoring a game-high 17 points off 6-for-8 (.750) shooting from the field. She converted two of her three three-point attempts and three of her four free throws and also added two assists and a game-high four steals. Wall ended her 37 minutes of work with 15 points off 5-for-10 shooting. The sophomore guard converted a game-high four three-pointers and also had two assists while Webb chipped in 12 points and three assists. Three Camels also scored double-digit points, including a double-double by Hannah Long. Long ended the game with 12 points and 12 rebounds while Hayley Barber led the way with 15 points. For the game, Campbell shot 52.2 percent (24-for-46) from the field and 41.7 percent (5-for-12) from three-point range while the Bulldogs converted 42.3 percent (22-of-52) of their attempts from the field. Asheville ended the game 7-of-14 from beyond the arc.
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 two more elite groups, becoming the 74th player in Big South history to eclipse the 600 rebound mark and the 50th player in league history to eclipse the 700 rebound mark.
BLOCK PARTY: KJ Weaver currently has 157 career blocks. That mark has her currently in the top-five in program history. This season, she has recorded multiple blocks in a game 17 times, including five in a row from Saturday, Feb. 4, through Saturday, Feb. 18. She had a season-high five blocked shots on Friday, Nov. 25 against Tennessee Tech.Â
1,000 CAREER POINTS: Chatori Major became the 106th Big South Conference player and 16th UNC Asheville women's basketball player to eclipse the 1,000-point mark in the Bulldogs' win over Winthrop on Feb. 21. The senior guard from Camp Lejeune, N.C., needed just five entering the game against Winthrop to hit the mark, and she accomplished that less than five minutes in. Major enters Friday's game with 1,069 career points, 15th-most by a Bulldog.
SEEING DOUBLE: When 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.
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. ended her playing career with 1,129 points, the 10th-most in program history.
FORDHAM HOLIDAY TOURNAMENT: UNC Asheville dropped both of its games last week against a top-notch field at the 10th Annual Fordham Holiday Classic. In its first game at the event in the Bronx, UNC Asheville battled until the very end against ESPNW Mid-Major ninth-ranked Harvard, but it would be the Crimson who would pick up a 79-62 win over the Bulldogs. Three Bulldogs finished in double figures in Asheville's 55-42 loss to host Fordham in the consolation game of the tournament at the Rose Hill Gym.
SPARTANBURG SATURDAY SWEEP: The month of December featured two sraight Saturday wins for UNC Asheville over teams from Spartanburg, S.C. On Saturday, Dec. 10, the Bulldogs tallied an 84-65 win over Wofford at Kimmel Arena before picking up the 70-59 road win over USC Upstate on Saturday, Dec. 17.
FLIRTING WITH HISTORY: In UNC Asheville's resounding win over Wofford, Khaila Webb posted 22 points on 10-of-13 shooting. Â Webb just missed on a triple-double in the game as she also had eight rebounds and six assists to go along with her 22 points.Â
AN EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE FOR ALL: It was a historic day at Kimmel Arena on Tuesday, Nov. 29, as a record 2,257 were in the stands to witness UNC Asheville tally an impressive 113-51 win over Warren Wilson. The 113 points were the most scored by the Bulldogs in their NCAA Division I era.Â
KNUCKLES NAMED BIG SOUTH PLAYER OF THE WEEK (Nov. 21): Tianna Knuckles, a senior guard from Wendell, N.C., of the UNC Asheville women's basketball team was named the Big South Conference Player of the Week on Monday, Nov. 21. Knuckles set a career high 25 points, in 25 minutes played, in a victory over UNC Greensboro, going 8-of-11 from the field and 5-of-8 from beyond the arc. She also grabbed two rebounds and was 4-of-5 from the free throw line. Â Knuckles also helped the Bulldogs defeat Western Carolina. She compiled seven points, nine rebounds, two steals and one block.
BULLDOGS SIGN PROMISING TRIO: Amaryah Corpening signed with the Bulldogs during the early signing period out of Freedom High School in Morganton, N.C. The 5-foot-6 guard has compiled quite the high school resume. Her junior year she was named to the 3A/4A All Tournament Team in North Carolina, as well as the 3A/4A All Conference Team. In the same season, she helped lead Freedom High School to a 32-0 record and a NCHSAA 3A State Championship. Off the court, Corpening is involved in a multitude of different academic arenas including, National Honor Society and Anchor Club. Armanii Grice signed with the Bulldogs out of Ridge View High School in Columbia, S.C. The 5-foot-9 guard will bring the Bulldogs size at the guard spot and a vast amount of experience on the court. Grice is a four-time All Region Player in the Columbia area and has steadily improved statistically in her first three years of high school. Her junior year, Grice averaged 15.2 ppg, nine apg and five rpg. Most recently, Grice was one of eight players named to the 2016-2017 SCBCA (South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association) Preseason Elite Girls Team. As a member of FCA, BETA Club, and the high school's drama club, Armanii is a well-rounded student as well as an exemplary athlete. Juliet Esadah signed with the Bulldogs out of Jones County Junior College. The 6-foot post is a native of Warri, in the Delta region of Nigeria. She comes from a family of 11 children, seven sisters and four brothers. Esadah came to the United States to complete her final two years of high school at Hamilton Heights Christian Academy in Chattanooga, Tenn. At Hamilton Heights, Juliet was able to not only elevate her game – climbing up the ESPN rankings, but she also elevated to the top of her class. Esadah graduated salutatorian or her class. She is interested in studying economics at UNC Asheville, with the hopes of giving back to her country of Nigeria. Giving back is something that Juliet is already familiar with. She is a member of A2S (Access 2 Success) which is the basketball/educational program that brought Esadah to the States. Undoubtedly, her addition will strengthen the athleticism of the Bulldog's front court, and her personal values will be a reflection of our current team.Â
WEAVER NAMED BIG SOUTH PLAYER OF THE WEEK (Nov. 14): KJ Weaver, a senior center on the women's basketball team, was named the Big South Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Week on Monday, Nov. 14. Weaver was a rebound shy of a double-double in UNC Asheville's setback to ACC opponent Virginia Tech. The center dropped in 15 points on 6-for-10 from the field and also corralled nine rebounds to pace the Bulldogs in both categories. Her first 10 points came in the first half when Asheville held a 30-26 advantage after the opening 20 minutes.Â
CLEAR BAG POLICY: UNC Asheville athletics has introduced a new "clear bag" policy for its sporting events. The new guidelines have been put in place to maximize fan comfort and safety. Fans are encouraged to bring only necessary items to the game. Each ticketed attendee will be allowed to enter the Sherrill Center with one (1) clear plastic bag no larger than 12" x 6" x 12," or a one-gallon clear plastic bag. The only non-clear items that will be permitted are small clutch bags no larger than 4.5" x 6.5". An exception will be made for medically necessary items.
BULLDOGS PICKED ATOP BIG SOUTH PRESEASON POLL: The UNC Asheville women's basketball team was voted to finish top of the league for the first time in school history in the 2016 Big South Conference Preseason Poll. In addition, two Bulldogs picked up preseason conference honors in Chatori Major and Tianna Knuckles. The reigning 2015-16 Big South Conference Player of the Year and the Big South Conference Tournament MVP, Major was named the 2016-17 Preseason Player of the Year, while teammate Knuckles also earned preseason first-team All-Conference honors.
QUOTABLES
"They beat us by a total of six points this year. They're a tough team, obviously well-coached with the (Big South Conference) Coach of the Year. I voted him No. 1 as well. I think it was a well-deserving honor for him. They play tough defense, they execute and they don't turn the ball over, so it's going to be a tough matchup for us, but this time of year you've got to worry about that name across your chest more than you worry about game planning for somebody else." - Head Coach Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick
THE MATCHUP
Teams: No. 7 UNC Asheville  (16-14, 9-9 Big South)
No. 2 Campbell (21-8, 13-5 Big South)
Location: Lynchburg, Va. / Vines Center
When: Friday, March 10, 2017 / 6 p.m.
Live Video: ESPN3
Live Audio: 100.3 FM (Asheville, N.C.)
Live Stats: www.uncabulldogs.com
Twitter: @ashevilledogs #ThePursuit
BULLDOG BITES
ASHEVILLE IN THE BIG SOUTH TOURNAMENT: UNC Asheville is 15-28 in the Big South Tournament. The Bulldogs have reached the championship game four times, including winning the crown in 2007 and 2016. The Bulldogs were runners up in 1998 and 2005. As the No. 7 Seed, UNC Asheville is now 1-4, but in first-round games of the tournament, UNC Asheville is now 4-2. The Bulldogs won first-round games in 1994, 2014, 2015 and 2017.
SERIES WITH CAMPBELL: Campbell owns a 38-9 all-time series lead over UNC Asheville. The two teams are 1-1 against one another in the Big South Tournament.Â
PROGRAM-BEST: The win over Longwood in the opening round of the 2017 Big South Women's Basketball Championship was Asheville's fourth straight league tournament win, which is the best in program history.
CORRALLING THEM IN: In collecting the double-double with 13 rebounds and 11 points against Longwood, senior center KJ Weaver moved into sixth all-time in school history in total rebounds with 725. The 725 rebounds are fourth in Asheville's NCAA Division I era. Weaver's 244 rebounds this season are a career-best.
A POSITIVE RECORD: For the seventh time in program history, the UNC Asheville Bulldogs will finish with a positive record. UNC Asheville's win over Longwood guaranteed the Bulldogs a winning record in the 2016-17 season. The first winning record came during the 1996-97 season (14-13). The Bulldogs then rattled off four in a row from 2003-2007 (19-9, 18-12, 15-13, 21-12). Last season, head coach Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick guided the Bulldogs to a 26-7 record.
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 the regular-season finale last Saturday, March 4, Major now has 69 three-pointers on the year. Her 69 treys eclipses her previous career-high of 61 for three-pointers in a season set last year as a junior.
ALL-CONFERENCE SELECTIONS: UNC Asheville senior women's basketball players Chatori Major and KJ Weaver were honored by the Big South Conference Tuesday afternoon as both earned all-conference honors. Major earned her second first-team plaudits in as many years and was named to the All-Academic Team. Weaver was named an honorable mention selection. Major becomes just the fourth UNC Asheville women's basketball player to earn multiple All-Big South first team honors. She joins Jessica Guarneri (2000-01, 2001-02), Vicki Giffin (1994-95, 1995-96, 1996-97) and Wendy Beecher (1986-87, 1987-88) in the honor.
OPENING ROUND (3/9/17): Seventh-seeded UNC Asheville women's basketball advanced to the quarterfinal round of the 2017 Big South Conference Women's Basketball Championship with a 65-59 opening round win over 10th-seeded Longwood on Thursday, March 9, at the Vines Center. Longwood would open the game by leading 7-4 with 3:39 left in the first quarter, but a 4-0 run by UNC Asheville over the next just over a minute garnered the Bulldogs an 8-7 advantage with 2:18 left in the opening quarter. Longwood would go on from there to score the final two points of the quarter to own a 9-8 lead after the conclusion of the first quarter. Four different Bulldogs combined to score the first eight points of the game for Asheville. The second quarter would commence with Longwood going on an 8-4 run to take a 17:12 lead with 5:07 remaining in the first half. The Lancers would own a 24-20 lead at the halftime break. The Bulldogs would start the third quarter on an 8-4 run and after a mid-range jumper by senior guard Chatori Major the two teams would be all tied up at 28-28 with 7:19 left in the quarter. Asheville would eventually go on a 14-6 run to get things going in the third quarter to own a 34-30 advantage with just under three minutes to go in the quarter. In total, the Bulldogs outscored the Lancers, 20-14, in the third quarter to take a 40-38 lead into the fourth and final quarter. To get things going in the fourth quarter, UNC Asheville would hold Longwood scoreless for well over three minutes at one point while at the same time going on an 8-2 run to own a 48-40 lead after a layup by senior center KJ Weaver with 7:06 remaining in the game. Asheville would control things over the next few minutes, but the Lancers kept inching closer and with just 37 seconds remaining the score would be just 60-59 in the Bulldogs' favor. The Lancers would not be able to get any closer with the Bulldogs picking up the six-point win. Sophomore Sonora Dengokl scored a career-best 20 points to lead three Bulldogs in double figures. Dengokl was 9-of-12 from the field overall and 2-of-2 from the charity stripe. She also had five rebounds, three steals and one assist. Weaver picked up her fourth double-double of the season in the Bulldog win with 13 rebounds and 11 points. She picked up an impressive seven of her 13 rebounds on the offensive glass. The final Bulldog in double figures, junior guard Khaila Webb had 10 points in the Asheville win. Longwood was led in its loss by Khaila Hall's game-best 21 points. As a team, the Bulldogs finished their evening shooting 36.2 percent (21-of-58) as a team. Longwood shot 40.4 percent (23-for-57) from the field as a team in its loss to Asheville.
SCOUTING CAMPBELL: Picked eighth in the preseason Big South poll, Campbell (21-8, 13-5 Big South Conference) as the No. 2 seed has its highest seed since the 2000-01 season. MaKala Rouse was chosen as the Big South Defensive Player of the Year. Campbell head coach Ronny Fisher was tabbed the league's Coach of the Year, while Summer Price was selected to the All-Big South second-team. Rouse was also tabbed as an all-conference honorable mention selection.
LAST MEETING (2/11/17): The UNC Asheville women's basketball team came close to knocking off Campbell on the road Saturday, Feb. 11, but despite some late-game theatrics and a lot of resolve by the Bulldogs, the Camels were able to hold on for a 61-60 win inside Gore Arena in Big South Conference action. The Bulldogs fell behind 11-0 early in the opening minutes and were trailing 21-10 after the first quarter, but the second period saw Asheville close the gap to just four, 29-25 with just over 2:00 left in the first half of regulation, including an 8-0 run halfway through the period. But the Camels were able to take a six-point, 35-29 lead into locker room at halftime. Jessica Wall opened the third quarter with a three-pointer off a feed from Sonora Dengokl to pull the Bulldogs to within three at 35-32, and that would set the tone for much of the second half as UNC Asheville continued to fight. With 3:18 to go in the third, Dengokl converted a layup to again draw the Bulldogs to within three, 42-39 of the Camels, but Campbell ended the third quarter on a 6-0 run, capped by a Bria Emanuel layup to lead 50-41 heading into the fourth quarter. The fourth quarter saw plenty of action as Khaila Webb and Wall hit back-to-back three-pointers with just over five minutes to go in regulation, pulling the Bulldogs to within two at 53-51. A few minutes later, Chatori Major hit a layup to set the score at 56-53 in favor of Campbell with just under 2:00 left in regulation. The Bulldogs trailed just 58-55 with 50.9 left in the fourth quarter when Webb hit a reverse layup, but the Camels' Briana Cribb scored on the other end to set the score at 60-55 with 25 seconds to go. A few seconds later, with Asheville trailing by just two, the Bulldogs fouled Summer Price and sent her to the line with just 10.2 on the clock. Price hit one of her two free throws, giving UNC Asheville the ball back. The Camels fouled on the inbounds, forcing the clock to stop with 6.6 on the clock. The Camels fouled UNC Asheville again, sending Wall to the line. She hit one of two free throws and on the missed second shot a technical foul was issued to Campbell, sending Webb to the line with just over a second remaining. Webb missed the first free throw but hit the second, giving UNC Asheville the ball back trailing 61-60 with just one second on the clock. The Bulldogs managed to get the ball in, but the final shot was off the mark, allowing Campbell to escape with the win. Major led three Bulldogs in double figure points, scoring a game-high 17 points off 6-for-8 (.750) shooting from the field. She converted two of her three three-point attempts and three of her four free throws and also added two assists and a game-high four steals. Wall ended her 37 minutes of work with 15 points off 5-for-10 shooting. The sophomore guard converted a game-high four three-pointers and also had two assists while Webb chipped in 12 points and three assists. Three Camels also scored double-digit points, including a double-double by Hannah Long. Long ended the game with 12 points and 12 rebounds while Hayley Barber led the way with 15 points. For the game, Campbell shot 52.2 percent (24-for-46) from the field and 41.7 percent (5-for-12) from three-point range while the Bulldogs converted 42.3 percent (22-of-52) of their attempts from the field. Asheville ended the game 7-of-14 from beyond the arc.
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 two more elite groups, becoming the 74th player in Big South history to eclipse the 600 rebound mark and the 50th player in league history to eclipse the 700 rebound mark.
BLOCK PARTY: KJ Weaver currently has 157 career blocks. That mark has her currently in the top-five in program history. This season, she has recorded multiple blocks in a game 17 times, including five in a row from Saturday, Feb. 4, through Saturday, Feb. 18. She had a season-high five blocked shots on Friday, Nov. 25 against Tennessee Tech.Â
1,000 CAREER POINTS: Chatori Major became the 106th Big South Conference player and 16th UNC Asheville women's basketball player to eclipse the 1,000-point mark in the Bulldogs' win over Winthrop on Feb. 21. The senior guard from Camp Lejeune, N.C., needed just five entering the game against Winthrop to hit the mark, and she accomplished that less than five minutes in. Major enters Friday's game with 1,069 career points, 15th-most by a Bulldog.
SEEING DOUBLE: When 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.
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. ended her playing career with 1,129 points, the 10th-most in program history.
FORDHAM HOLIDAY TOURNAMENT: UNC Asheville dropped both of its games last week against a top-notch field at the 10th Annual Fordham Holiday Classic. In its first game at the event in the Bronx, UNC Asheville battled until the very end against ESPNW Mid-Major ninth-ranked Harvard, but it would be the Crimson who would pick up a 79-62 win over the Bulldogs. Three Bulldogs finished in double figures in Asheville's 55-42 loss to host Fordham in the consolation game of the tournament at the Rose Hill Gym.
SPARTANBURG SATURDAY SWEEP: The month of December featured two sraight Saturday wins for UNC Asheville over teams from Spartanburg, S.C. On Saturday, Dec. 10, the Bulldogs tallied an 84-65 win over Wofford at Kimmel Arena before picking up the 70-59 road win over USC Upstate on Saturday, Dec. 17.
FLIRTING WITH HISTORY: In UNC Asheville's resounding win over Wofford, Khaila Webb posted 22 points on 10-of-13 shooting. Â Webb just missed on a triple-double in the game as she also had eight rebounds and six assists to go along with her 22 points.Â
AN EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE FOR ALL: It was a historic day at Kimmel Arena on Tuesday, Nov. 29, as a record 2,257 were in the stands to witness UNC Asheville tally an impressive 113-51 win over Warren Wilson. The 113 points were the most scored by the Bulldogs in their NCAA Division I era.Â
KNUCKLES NAMED BIG SOUTH PLAYER OF THE WEEK (Nov. 21): Tianna Knuckles, a senior guard from Wendell, N.C., of the UNC Asheville women's basketball team was named the Big South Conference Player of the Week on Monday, Nov. 21. Knuckles set a career high 25 points, in 25 minutes played, in a victory over UNC Greensboro, going 8-of-11 from the field and 5-of-8 from beyond the arc. She also grabbed two rebounds and was 4-of-5 from the free throw line. Â Knuckles also helped the Bulldogs defeat Western Carolina. She compiled seven points, nine rebounds, two steals and one block.
BULLDOGS SIGN PROMISING TRIO: Amaryah Corpening signed with the Bulldogs during the early signing period out of Freedom High School in Morganton, N.C. The 5-foot-6 guard has compiled quite the high school resume. Her junior year she was named to the 3A/4A All Tournament Team in North Carolina, as well as the 3A/4A All Conference Team. In the same season, she helped lead Freedom High School to a 32-0 record and a NCHSAA 3A State Championship. Off the court, Corpening is involved in a multitude of different academic arenas including, National Honor Society and Anchor Club. Armanii Grice signed with the Bulldogs out of Ridge View High School in Columbia, S.C. The 5-foot-9 guard will bring the Bulldogs size at the guard spot and a vast amount of experience on the court. Grice is a four-time All Region Player in the Columbia area and has steadily improved statistically in her first three years of high school. Her junior year, Grice averaged 15.2 ppg, nine apg and five rpg. Most recently, Grice was one of eight players named to the 2016-2017 SCBCA (South Carolina Basketball Coaches Association) Preseason Elite Girls Team. As a member of FCA, BETA Club, and the high school's drama club, Armanii is a well-rounded student as well as an exemplary athlete. Juliet Esadah signed with the Bulldogs out of Jones County Junior College. The 6-foot post is a native of Warri, in the Delta region of Nigeria. She comes from a family of 11 children, seven sisters and four brothers. Esadah came to the United States to complete her final two years of high school at Hamilton Heights Christian Academy in Chattanooga, Tenn. At Hamilton Heights, Juliet was able to not only elevate her game – climbing up the ESPN rankings, but she also elevated to the top of her class. Esadah graduated salutatorian or her class. She is interested in studying economics at UNC Asheville, with the hopes of giving back to her country of Nigeria. Giving back is something that Juliet is already familiar with. She is a member of A2S (Access 2 Success) which is the basketball/educational program that brought Esadah to the States. Undoubtedly, her addition will strengthen the athleticism of the Bulldog's front court, and her personal values will be a reflection of our current team.Â
WEAVER NAMED BIG SOUTH PLAYER OF THE WEEK (Nov. 14): KJ Weaver, a senior center on the women's basketball team, was named the Big South Conference Women's Basketball Player of the Week on Monday, Nov. 14. Weaver was a rebound shy of a double-double in UNC Asheville's setback to ACC opponent Virginia Tech. The center dropped in 15 points on 6-for-10 from the field and also corralled nine rebounds to pace the Bulldogs in both categories. Her first 10 points came in the first half when Asheville held a 30-26 advantage after the opening 20 minutes.Â
CLEAR BAG POLICY: UNC Asheville athletics has introduced a new "clear bag" policy for its sporting events. The new guidelines have been put in place to maximize fan comfort and safety. Fans are encouraged to bring only necessary items to the game. Each ticketed attendee will be allowed to enter the Sherrill Center with one (1) clear plastic bag no larger than 12" x 6" x 12," or a one-gallon clear plastic bag. The only non-clear items that will be permitted are small clutch bags no larger than 4.5" x 6.5". An exception will be made for medically necessary items.
BULLDOGS PICKED ATOP BIG SOUTH PRESEASON POLL: The UNC Asheville women's basketball team was voted to finish top of the league for the first time in school history in the 2016 Big South Conference Preseason Poll. In addition, two Bulldogs picked up preseason conference honors in Chatori Major and Tianna Knuckles. The reigning 2015-16 Big South Conference Player of the Year and the Big South Conference Tournament MVP, Major was named the 2016-17 Preseason Player of the Year, while teammate Knuckles also earned preseason first-team All-Conference honors.
QUOTABLES
"They beat us by a total of six points this year. They're a tough team, obviously well-coached with the (Big South Conference) Coach of the Year. I voted him No. 1 as well. I think it was a well-deserving honor for him. They play tough defense, they execute and they don't turn the ball over, so it's going to be a tough matchup for us, but this time of year you've got to worry about that name across your chest more than you worry about game planning for somebody else." - Head Coach Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick
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/ Women's BasketballThursday, March 14
Thursday, March 14
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Monday, February 26