University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
5-6
Mercer
8-5
UNC Asheville Concludes Non-Conference Play with Loss at Mercer
12.30.2018 | Women's Basketball
MACON, Ga. – To wrap up the 2018-19 non-conference slate, the UNC Asheville women's basketball team fell to Mercer, 61-47, on Sunday inside Hawkins Arena.
BULLDOG BITES
Game Highlights
The first quarter was a back-and-forth affair, which included runs from both teams. Mercer gained a 12-7 lead with three-and-a-half minutes left in the first stanza, but the Bulldogs pulled the deficit to only one point (18-17) with a last-second shot from Nadiria Evans.
The Bears started to pull away in the second quarter, as they held a 12-4 advantage in the 10-minute quarter.
At the halftime break, Mercer held a 30-21 lead. At the intermission, Evans had a team-high seven points on 3-for-5 shooting. Zip Scott added five points and two rebounds.
Mercer extended its lead again, as it outscored the Bulldogs by eight points (16-8) in the third quarter. Juliet Esadah led Asheville in the third stanza with four points.
In the final 10-minute session, UNC Asheville outscored the Bears by three points, 18-15. However it was too late for UNC Asheville, as Mercer claimed the 61-47 victory.
Jessica Wall was electric in the final 10 minutes of action, as she drilled four 3-pointers.
In the second half, Ali Trani and Esadah combined for nine points.
Overall, Wall led the Bulldogs with 15 points, as she connected on five 3-pointers. She also grabbed four rebounds in 36 minutes of action.
Scott and Evans added seven points each, as the duo combined for six made field goals.
Redshirt senior Tiffany Wilson was UNC Asheville's leading rebounder with seven boards. Trani corralled a team-high four offensive boards, which guided Asheville to 12 second-chance points.
UNC Asheville concludes non-conference play with a 5-6 record, while Mercer advances to 8-5 overall with a pair of non-conference games left on its schedule.
What's Next?
UNC Asheville ends its four-game road swing and opens Big South Conference play with a trip to Radford on Saturday, Jan. 5. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. inside the Dedmon Center.
