University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Sunday, February 18
Charleston, SC
5:30 PM
UNC Asheville
19-10 (12-4)
85
at
80
Charleston Southern
12-15 (7-9)
1
2
OT 1
F
UNC Asheville
38
36
11
85
Charleston So.
33
41
6
80
Photo by: Adrian Etheridge
Bulldogs Take Thrilling Overtime League Road Win at Charleston Southern
02.18.2018 | Men's Basketball
CHARLESTON, S.C. – In a game where the score was tied 10 times and the lead changed hands 14 times, it was UNC Asheville men's basketball that picked up a thrilling 85-80 overtime Big South Conference victory over Charleston Southern at the Buccaneer Field House.
The win allows UNC Asheville (19-10, 12-4 Big South Conference) to remain tied for first place in the Big South Conference with Winthrop (18-9, 12-4 Big South Conference), setting up a huge first-place showdown next at Kimmel Arena on Thursday, Feb. 22.
UNC Asheville men's basketball will once again be featured on ESPNU when the Bulldogs play host to Winthrop on Thursday, Feb. 22, at Kimmel Arena. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m. The rivalry renewal will mark the fourth straight head-to-head matchup on ESPNU between UNC Asheville and Winthrop.
The home regular-season finale for the Bulldogs will serve as Senior Day.
UNC Asheville is calling the game, "Operation Sell Out," with the Bulldogs hoping to fill every seat on the evening to show the national television audience just how special it is to be a Bulldog. It will also be another "Throwback Thursday" at Kimmel Arena with the Bulldogs turning back the clocks for "2000's Night."
UNC Asheville's win over Charleston Southern would open with Jonathan Baehre emphatically putting down a dunk less than 20 seconds into the game to give the Bulldogs a very early lead. The two teams would be all tied up at 8-8 with just over 16 minutes remaining in the first half.
UNC Asheville would be down 17-11 shortly thereafter, but an 11-0 run over a four-minute stretch garnered the Bulldogs a 22-17 lead with 8:40 left in the first half of action. The Bulldogs held the Buccaneers scoreless for almost five minutes during the stretch.
The Bulldogs would eventually hold Charleston Southern (12-15, 7-9 Big South Conference) to without a field goal for almost six minutes. Asheville would be up by as many as eight at 30-22 after a driving layup by Raekwon Miller with 5:10 remaining in half No. 1.
Charleston Southern would go on an 8-0 run a little while later to even things up at 32-32 with 2:09 to play in the first stanza.
The Bulldogs would close the half on a 6-1 run to own a 38-33 lead at the halftime break.
UNC Asheville shot 51.9 percent (14-of-27) as a team in the first half. The Bulldogs shot 60 percent (6-of-10) from beyond the arc. Charleston Southern shot 42.9 percent (12-of-28) from the field as a team in the first half.
MaCio Teague (15) and Ahmad Thomas (10) combined for 25 of Asheville's 38 points in the first half.
In the opening minutes of the second half the Buccaneers would get to within one at 44-43, but a Teague trey with 15:02 left in regulation gave the Bulldogs a four-point advantage at 47-43.
The two teams would keep battling back and forth over the next few minutes with Charleston Southern leading 56-53 after a Christian Keeling layup with just over 11 minutes to play in the second half.
The Bulldogs led 61-59 with just over nine minutes remaining in the second half after a vicious putback dunk by Donovan Gilmore. UNC Asheville would own a one-point advantage at 69-68 with under four minutes to play in regulation.
The two teams would keep battling back and forth over the final minutes with UNC Asheville and Charleston all tied up at 74-all with just under a minute remaining in the second half.
Neither team would be able to find a bucket in the last minute to send the game into overtime.
UNC Asheville would score four of the first six points in overtime to own a 78-76 lead after a Thomas jumper in the paint with just over a minute and a half left in the extra frame. UNC Asheville led 82-77 after a Kevin Vannatta reverse layup with 35 seconds left in overtime.
UNC Asheville would never trail again in its five-point overtime road win.
Four Bulldogs finished in double figures in the game with Teague leading the way with 24 points, five rebounds, two assists and one steal. He made six three-pointers.
Thomas finished just behind Teague with 23 points on 7-of-12 shooting. He was a perfect 3-of-3 from beyond the arc and a 6-of-8 from the free throw line. Thomas also had seven rebounds and four assists.
Vannatta ended his night with 12 points, six rebounds and four assists, while Miller had 11 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals.
Keeling led three Bucs in double figures with 27 points.
As a team, UNC Asheville finished its win shooting 50 percent (28-of-56) as a team. The Bulldogs were a lethal 60 percent (12-of-20) from beyond the arc. UNC Asheville connected on 85 percent (17-of-20) of its free throw attempts.
Charleston Southern ended its loss to the Bulldogs shooting 47.7 percent (31-of-65) as a team. The Bulldogs limited the Bucs to 22.7 percent (5-of-22) shooting as a team from beyond the arc.
BULLDOG BITES
A Truly Special Senior Class That Stands Alone
With 79 wins in their career currently, the UNC Asheville senior class of Alec Wnuk, Kevin Vannatta, Raekwon Miller and Ahmad Thomas now have the most wins in program history over a four-year stretch. The Bulldogs had entered the game with Charleston Southern tied with the senior class that started in the 1982-83 season with 78 career wins.
20 for 20
For the fourth time this season, UNC Asheville impressively had two players finish a game with over 20 points with MaCio Teague collecting 24 points and Ahmad Thomas finishing with 23. It has now happened three times in league play with Thomas (23) and Teague (21) both having over 20 in the home win over High Point and Kevin Vannatta (23) and Thomas (23) both ending their efforts with over 20 in the road win at Liberty. Thomas (24) and Teague (22) both also had over 20 points in UNC Asheville's home win over USC Upstate earlier this season.
Still at the Top
UNC Asheville remains tied for the league lead in the Big South Conference at 12-4. To see the full standings, please visit HERE.
Quotable on Overtime Win over Charleston Southern
"I thought that was a really good basketball game. The teams played really well and neither team could really get any separation. I think early we were down six and we responded and went up eight and once they made a run to tie the game up, I don't think either team was ever up more than three or four points the rest of the game. It was just a nip and tuck late conference season battle. Now, we have Winthrop coming to our place. It should be a fun environment. It's going to be a nationally-televised game on ESPNU and you cannot ask for much more than that to put yourself in that kind of situation this late in the season." - Head Coach Nick McDevitt
Quotable on Packing Kimmel Arena for Nationally-Televised Showdown
"Having Kimmel Arena packed on Thursday would really help our club. Winthrop's really good and to continue to make Kimmel Arena the homecourt advantage it is would be huge for our team." – Head Coach Nick McDevitt
Up Next
UNC Asheville men's basketball will once again be featured on ESPNU when the Bulldogs play host to Winthrop on Thursday, Feb. 22, at Kimmel Arena. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m. The rivalry renewal will mark the fourth straight head-to-head matchup on ESPNU between UNC Asheville and Winthrop.
The home regular-season finale for the Bulldogs will serve as Senior Day.
UNC Asheville is calling the game, "Operation Sell Out," with the Bulldogs hoping to fill every seat on the evening to show the national television audience just how special it is to be a Bulldog. It will also be another "Throwback Thursday" at Kimmel Arena with the Bulldogs turning back the clocks for "2000's Night."
The win allows UNC Asheville (19-10, 12-4 Big South Conference) to remain tied for first place in the Big South Conference with Winthrop (18-9, 12-4 Big South Conference), setting up a huge first-place showdown next at Kimmel Arena on Thursday, Feb. 22.
UNC Asheville men's basketball will once again be featured on ESPNU when the Bulldogs play host to Winthrop on Thursday, Feb. 22, at Kimmel Arena. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m. The rivalry renewal will mark the fourth straight head-to-head matchup on ESPNU between UNC Asheville and Winthrop.
The home regular-season finale for the Bulldogs will serve as Senior Day.
UNC Asheville is calling the game, "Operation Sell Out," with the Bulldogs hoping to fill every seat on the evening to show the national television audience just how special it is to be a Bulldog. It will also be another "Throwback Thursday" at Kimmel Arena with the Bulldogs turning back the clocks for "2000's Night."
UNC Asheville's win over Charleston Southern would open with Jonathan Baehre emphatically putting down a dunk less than 20 seconds into the game to give the Bulldogs a very early lead. The two teams would be all tied up at 8-8 with just over 16 minutes remaining in the first half.
UNC Asheville would be down 17-11 shortly thereafter, but an 11-0 run over a four-minute stretch garnered the Bulldogs a 22-17 lead with 8:40 left in the first half of action. The Bulldogs held the Buccaneers scoreless for almost five minutes during the stretch.
The Bulldogs would eventually hold Charleston Southern (12-15, 7-9 Big South Conference) to without a field goal for almost six minutes. Asheville would be up by as many as eight at 30-22 after a driving layup by Raekwon Miller with 5:10 remaining in half No. 1.
Charleston Southern would go on an 8-0 run a little while later to even things up at 32-32 with 2:09 to play in the first stanza.
The Bulldogs would close the half on a 6-1 run to own a 38-33 lead at the halftime break.
UNC Asheville shot 51.9 percent (14-of-27) as a team in the first half. The Bulldogs shot 60 percent (6-of-10) from beyond the arc. Charleston Southern shot 42.9 percent (12-of-28) from the field as a team in the first half.
MaCio Teague (15) and Ahmad Thomas (10) combined for 25 of Asheville's 38 points in the first half.
In the opening minutes of the second half the Buccaneers would get to within one at 44-43, but a Teague trey with 15:02 left in regulation gave the Bulldogs a four-point advantage at 47-43.
The two teams would keep battling back and forth over the next few minutes with Charleston Southern leading 56-53 after a Christian Keeling layup with just over 11 minutes to play in the second half.
The Bulldogs led 61-59 with just over nine minutes remaining in the second half after a vicious putback dunk by Donovan Gilmore. UNC Asheville would own a one-point advantage at 69-68 with under four minutes to play in regulation.
The two teams would keep battling back and forth over the final minutes with UNC Asheville and Charleston all tied up at 74-all with just under a minute remaining in the second half.
Neither team would be able to find a bucket in the last minute to send the game into overtime.
UNC Asheville would score four of the first six points in overtime to own a 78-76 lead after a Thomas jumper in the paint with just over a minute and a half left in the extra frame. UNC Asheville led 82-77 after a Kevin Vannatta reverse layup with 35 seconds left in overtime.
UNC Asheville would never trail again in its five-point overtime road win.
Four Bulldogs finished in double figures in the game with Teague leading the way with 24 points, five rebounds, two assists and one steal. He made six three-pointers.
Thomas finished just behind Teague with 23 points on 7-of-12 shooting. He was a perfect 3-of-3 from beyond the arc and a 6-of-8 from the free throw line. Thomas also had seven rebounds and four assists.
Vannatta ended his night with 12 points, six rebounds and four assists, while Miller had 11 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two steals.
Keeling led three Bucs in double figures with 27 points.
As a team, UNC Asheville finished its win shooting 50 percent (28-of-56) as a team. The Bulldogs were a lethal 60 percent (12-of-20) from beyond the arc. UNC Asheville connected on 85 percent (17-of-20) of its free throw attempts.
Charleston Southern ended its loss to the Bulldogs shooting 47.7 percent (31-of-65) as a team. The Bulldogs limited the Bucs to 22.7 percent (5-of-22) shooting as a team from beyond the arc.
BULLDOG BITES
A Truly Special Senior Class That Stands Alone
With 79 wins in their career currently, the UNC Asheville senior class of Alec Wnuk, Kevin Vannatta, Raekwon Miller and Ahmad Thomas now have the most wins in program history over a four-year stretch. The Bulldogs had entered the game with Charleston Southern tied with the senior class that started in the 1982-83 season with 78 career wins.
20 for 20
For the fourth time this season, UNC Asheville impressively had two players finish a game with over 20 points with MaCio Teague collecting 24 points and Ahmad Thomas finishing with 23. It has now happened three times in league play with Thomas (23) and Teague (21) both having over 20 in the home win over High Point and Kevin Vannatta (23) and Thomas (23) both ending their efforts with over 20 in the road win at Liberty. Thomas (24) and Teague (22) both also had over 20 points in UNC Asheville's home win over USC Upstate earlier this season.
Still at the Top
UNC Asheville remains tied for the league lead in the Big South Conference at 12-4. To see the full standings, please visit HERE.
Quotable on Overtime Win over Charleston Southern
"I thought that was a really good basketball game. The teams played really well and neither team could really get any separation. I think early we were down six and we responded and went up eight and once they made a run to tie the game up, I don't think either team was ever up more than three or four points the rest of the game. It was just a nip and tuck late conference season battle. Now, we have Winthrop coming to our place. It should be a fun environment. It's going to be a nationally-televised game on ESPNU and you cannot ask for much more than that to put yourself in that kind of situation this late in the season." - Head Coach Nick McDevitt
Quotable on Packing Kimmel Arena for Nationally-Televised Showdown
"Having Kimmel Arena packed on Thursday would really help our club. Winthrop's really good and to continue to make Kimmel Arena the homecourt advantage it is would be huge for our team." – Head Coach Nick McDevitt
Up Next
UNC Asheville men's basketball will once again be featured on ESPNU when the Bulldogs play host to Winthrop on Thursday, Feb. 22, at Kimmel Arena. Game time is scheduled for 7 p.m. The rivalry renewal will mark the fourth straight head-to-head matchup on ESPNU between UNC Asheville and Winthrop.
The home regular-season finale for the Bulldogs will serve as Senior Day.
UNC Asheville is calling the game, "Operation Sell Out," with the Bulldogs hoping to fill every seat on the evening to show the national television audience just how special it is to be a Bulldog. It will also be another "Throwback Thursday" at Kimmel Arena with the Bulldogs turning back the clocks for "2000's Night."
Team Stats
AVL
CSU
FG%
.500
.477
3FG%
.600
.227
FT%
.850
.765
RB
33
31
TO
11
8
STL
3
5
Game Leaders
Pts
24
FGM
9
3FGM
6
FTM
0
Pts
23
FGM
7
3FGM
3
FTM
6
Pts
12
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
3
Pts
11
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
4
Players Mentioned
F
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's Basketball
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