University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
4-9, 1-1
High Point
8-5, 2-0
UNC Asheville Falls 58-45 to High Point in Defensive Battle
01.06.2018 | Women's Basketball
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – In a defensive battle, the UNC Asheville women's basketball team dropped its first Big South Conference contest of the season 58-45 to High Point on Saturday afternoon inside Kimmel Arena.
BULLDOG BITES
Game Highlights
Zip Scott started the game as the only scorer for either squad as she totaled back-to-back baskets in the first three minutes of play. Over the next two minutes, High Point knotted the game up 4-4 after Kennedy Currie scored her first basket of the contest.The two teams battled back-and-forth until one minute remaining in the quarter, and then UNC Asheville posted a 4-0 run to go up 13-12 after 10 minutes of play.
The two teams continued to battle in the second quarter as HPU out-scored Asheville 11-10 in the stanza. Neither team could find momentum as both teams exchanged baskets for over five minutes. High Point saw its lead go as high as five points, but the Bulldogs erased the deficit to tie the game 23-23 right before halftime.
At the start of the third, the Bulldogs pushed their lead up to five - 28-23 - as Khaila Webb and Jessica Wall each knocked down shots to start the quarter. UNC Asheville saw its largest lead of the contest (seven points) midway through the third, but High Point turned the tables as it concluded the stanza on a 14-4 run to make it a 42-39 advantage.
The Panthers continued to ride the hot-hand as they pushed the lead to 12 points at the 3:50 mark. The Bulldogs tried to rally late, but High Point concluded the game on a 5-0 run to seal the 58-45 victory.
Webb posted a team-high 10 points as she grabbed a season-high seven boards. Ali Trani added nine points and six boards (a season high), and Bronaza Fitzgerald totaled eight points and tied a season-high in rebounds with 12. It was the second straight game the senior center grabbed double-digit rebounds.
Scott scored nine points as she had the best shooting percentage on the squad (.571, 4-for-7). She went 1-for-2 behind the three-point arc and added four rebounds.
As a team, UNC Asheville out-rebounded High Point 36-33 and shot .727 (8-for-11) from the free throw line.
High Point out-scored Asheville 26-9 in points off turnovers and 23-6 in bench points.
With its first loss in Big South play, UNC Asheville falls to 4-9 overall and 1-1 in league play. HPU moves to 8-5 and 2-0 as it sits tied for first in the Big South.
Quotable
Highlights
What's Next?
The Bulldogs travel to Radford on Tuesday, Jan. 9. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. in Radford, Va.
