University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
12-11 (9-3)
High Point
14-9, (8-4)
UNC Asheville Extends Road Winning Streak to Seven; Bulldogs Race Past Panthers, 78-59
02.11.2018 | Women's Basketball
HIGH POINT, N.C. – To make it seven straight road victories, the UNC Asheville women's basketball team raced past High Point, 78-59, as Bronaza Fitzgerald, Jessica Wall and Khaila Webb combined for 63 of the team's points on Sunday inside the Millis Center.
Ali Trani set a new single-game career mark in rebounds (eight), and Fitzgerald, Wall and Zip Scott each matched at least one career high in the 19-point victory at High Point.
BULLDOG BITES
Game Highlights
The first half was led by senior center Fitzgerald, as she ended the first 20 minutes with 16 points and nine rebounds. Wall poured in 11 points and three boards, while Webb dropped nine points and three rebounds for UNC Asheville.
In the first quarter, the Bulldogs were shooting lights out, as they were an impressive 55 percent from the field (11-for-20). In the opening quarter, the Bulldogs dominated the paint early, as they tallied 18 of UNC Asheville's 32 total points in the paint. UNC Asheville also controlled the glass, as it corralled 13 rebounds (a game-high in a quarter), including six offensive rebounds that led to nine second-chance points.
The Bulldogs didn't stop there, as they continued to control the tempo of the game. They shot 54.5 percent from the hardwood in the second stanza, including an unblemished 2-for-2 behind the three-point arc. UNC Asheville continued to dominate the offensive boards, as it grabbed 12 rebounds to bring its first half total to 25.
With its 40-31 lead at half, UNC Asheville limited High Point to only 11 rebounds and only one three-pointer made on six attempts.
Out of halftime, the Panthers pushed their deficit to only three points (40-37), as they opened the second half on a 6-0 run. However, Trani drilled a three-pointer with two minutes left in the stanza to give Asheville a seven-point advantage.
Behind a 6-0 run, the Bulldogs again pushed their lead to double-digits (57-46) with only nine and a half minutes remaining in regulation.
After exchanging baskets for four minutes, Asheville went on an impressive 14-2 run that spanned almost four minutes. During that stretch, Fitzgerald netted five points, while Scott dropped four.
The late run sealed the 78-59 road victory for UNC Asheville, as it extends its road winning streak to seven straight.
Despite only playing 23 minutes because of foul trouble, Fitzgerald matched a career high in points, as she dropped 23. The Danville, Va. native didn't miss a basket, as she went an impressive 10-for-10 from the field. The 10 made field goals matches a career high for the center. She also corralled 13 rebounds (five offensive and eight defensive), which marks her 14th career and 10th double-double of her senior season.
Wall also matched a career best in points, as the junior guard totaled 22 points. She was dangerous behind the three-point arc on Sunday, as she went a game-best 6-for-7. She was only one 3-pointer away from matching a career-best. In total, the Chapel Hill, N.C. native went 7-for-10 in 39 minutes of action, while also grabbing five rebounds and tallying a pair of assists.
Webb dropped 18 points in 35 minutes of action. She was second on the squad with two 3-pointers, and the Spartanburg, S.C. native was tied for the team-lead in assists with five.
Scott finished the game with eight points. She also tallied five assists, which matches a career best for the guard.
Trani - who started in her first game since taking on High Point on Feb. 6 - set a new career high with eight boards. Of those eight, three came on the offensive glass. The Moseley, Va. native earned three assists and a steal in 34 minutes of play.
The dominant 19-point win at High Point ended a three-game head-to-head skid versus the Panthers. The win also marked the first victory inside the Millis Center since the 82-81 victory during the 2015-16 season.
Now in a tie for second place with Radford in the Big South Conference, UNC Asheville moves to 12-11 overall and 9-3 in league play. HPU falls to 14-9 overall and 8-4 in Big South contests.
What's Next?
With only a day off, UNC Asheville returns home on Tuesday, Feb. 13, as the Bulldogs square off with Charleston Southern. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. inside Kimmel Arena.
