University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
9-9 (6-1)
Charleston Southern
7-11 (2-5)
Bulldogs Conclude Road Swing Undefeated; Down Charleston Southern 78-61
01.23.2018 | Women's Basketball
CHARLESTON, S.C. –To conclude its two-game road swing, the UNC Asheville women's basketball team downed Charleston Southern 78-61 on Tuesday night at the Buc Dome.
The win is the fifth straight victory for the Bulldogs, which is one shy from matching last year's six-game win streak that earned the team a berth to the NCAA Tournament.
BULLDOG BITES
Game Highlights
Jessica Wall started the game red-hot for the Bulldogs as the junior made back-to-back three pointers within the first five minutes of the contest. Asheville pushed its lead to six points (10-4) before the media timeout in the first quarter, but Charleston Southern made it a one-point game as it ended the first 10 minutes on an 11-6 run.
For the first several minutes in the second quarter, the two clubs went back-and-forth. CSU even tied the game at 21-21 with 7:32 remaining in the stanza. However, the Bulldogs posted a 7-0 run mid-way through the second stanza as it made four straight field goals. The Bucs out-scored the Bulldogs by two points in the remaining minutes of the first half. However, Asheville held the lead 37-33 after 20 minutes of play.
Three minutes into the second half, the Bulldogs made three 3-pointers to push their lead to 46-37. UNC Asheville's defense was strong for the remaining seven and a half minutes as it held the CSU offense to only two made field goals to conclude the stanza. The Bulldogs took advantage of the quiet Buccaneer offense as it ended the third quarter with a 57-48 lead.
Asheville concluded the contest out-scoring Charleston Southern 21-13 in the fourth quarter. The Bucs were limited to six made field goals including going 0-for-2 behind the three-point arc. The Bulldogs were fouled 10 times in the final stanza, and they went .667 percent from the free-throw line to seal the 78-61 victory.
Khaila Webb dropped 20 points to lead both teams as 16 of her points came in the second half. The Spartanburg, S.C. native went 5-for-8 from the field in the final 20 minutes of play including 5-for-6 from the charity stripe. She concluded the contest with a pair of assists and a steal.
Wall totaled 17 points as she went 6-for-11 from the hardwood. Beyond the three-point arc, the Chapel Hill, N.C. native shot .556 percent as she knocked down five three pointers. The five made three pointers was the most for the junior since making six versus Appalachian State on Dec. 21. She also concluded the game with two assists and a steal in 31 minutes of play.
Bronaza Fitzgerald added 13 points for the Bulldogs on 5-for-8 shooting. It was the 13th game in the last 15 she has scored in double-figures. She also added 11 rebounds, which marks the 11th double-double of her career and the sixth of the season.
Forward Tiffany Wilson had a career night as she grabbed a game-high 12 rebounds (five offensive and seven defensive). Her previous single-game best was last year versus Longwood where she totaled nine boards. The Forest Park, Ga. native connected with eight points and a steal in 24 minutes of action.
Corpening added six points for the Bulldogs, while Nadiria Evans and Juliet Esadah each tallied five points in Tuesday's contest.
As a team, the Bulldogs shot 50 percent (7-for-14) behind the three-point arc including 49 percent (27-for-55) from the floor. The Bulldogs dominated the paint 38-28 while also corralling three more steals than the opposition.
With the 17-point win, UNC Asheville moves to 9-9 overall and 6-1 in Big South Conference play. It is the first time the Bulldogs have been .500 percent or higher this season. Charleston Southern falls to 7-11 overall and 2-5 in league play.
What's Coming Up For UNC Asheville?
It's going to be a special Saturday, Jan. 27, for UNC Asheville athletics. The day will start with UNC Asheville swimming hosting their final home meet of the year at 11 a.m. against North Florida. The meet will serve as Senior Day for the Bulldogs with the festivities scheduled to get underway at approximately 10:40 a.m. at the Justice Center Pool.
Later that same day, UNC Asheville women's tennis will also play host to future Big South Conference rival USC Upstate at 3 p.m. at the Asheville Racquet Club Downtown. The UNC Asheville men's tennis team is on the road on Saturday to face Charlotte at 12 p.m.
The full day of Bulldog action also features a Big South Conference basketball doubleheader inside Kimmel Arena. The UNC Asheville women's basketball team will play host to Presbyterian College at 2 p.m. before the UNC Asheville men's basketball team closes out the day by hosting High Point at approximately 4:30 p.m. Both of the games will be featured on ESPN3.
There are tons of fun promotions at the Bulldog basketball doubleheader with the day allowing UNC Asheville athletics to honor all of the elementary and middle school students from the area with A's on their report cards as part of the annual "Bring Your A Game" promotion. The doubleheader will also serve as "Special Olympics Saturday" with UNC Asheville athletics honoring all Special Olympic athletes and volunteers from the area. UNC Asheville will also honor those who served in the local military and ROTC as part of a special "Salute to Service Saturday." All military are free with ID. In addition, the AC Reynolds Rocket Rumble will perform at halftime of the men's basketball game.
