University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Thursday, February 22
Asheville, NC
7:00 PM
UNC Asheville
20-10, 13-4BSC
89
vs
75
Winthrop
18-10, 12-5BSC
1
2
F
Winthrop
37
38
75
UNC Asheville
43
46
89
Photo by: Adrian Etheridge
Big South Champs! UNC Asheville Clinches at Least Share of Big South Regular-Season Title with Home Win Over Winthrop
02.22.2018 | Men's Basketball
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – UNC Asheville men's basketball was predicted to win the Big South Conference before the season even started.
The Bulldogs delivered.
UNC Asheville's 89-75 victory over Winthrop (18-10, 12-5 Big South Conference) on Thursday, Feb. 22, before a near capacity crowd at Kimmel Arena allowed the Bulldogs to claim at least a share of the 2017-18 Big South men's basketball regular-season title.
The Bulldogs led for 36:17 of the contest with Winthrop's largest lead just four points less than two minutes into the contest.
UNC Asheville (20-10, 13-4 Big South Conference) would lead by as many as 21 in the game before emerging with the 14-point win.
The Bulldogs finished its championship-clinching win shooting 55 percent (33-of-60) as a team. UNC Asheville shot 54.2 percent (13-of-24) from beyond the arc in the win and 83.3 percent (10-of-12) from the free throw line.
Winthrop shot 48.3 percent (29-of-60) from the field in its loss to the Bulldogs. UNC Asheville limited the Eagles to just 27.8 percent (5-of-18) shooting from beyond the arc. Winthrop shot just 57.1 percent (12-of-21) from the free throw line.
Four Bulldogs finished in double figures with MaCio Teague and Ahmad Thomas both scoring over 20 in a game for the second consecutive game. Teague finished with a game-high 23 points to go along with eight rebounds and three assists, while Thomas scored 21 to go along with five assists, a rebound and a steal.
Raekwon Miller continued his tear in league play in the Bulldog win with 19 points, eight rebounds, six assists and two steals.
The final Bulldog in double figures was Jonathan Baehre, who truly put on an exhibition in front of the Bulldog faithful with 16 points, 13 rebounds, five blocks, two assists and one steal.
Winthrop had four in double figures as well with Anders Broman leading the Eagles with 22 points.
BULLDOG BITES
A Special Senior Day for a Special Senior Class
With 80 wins in their career after the win over Winthrop, the UNC Asheville senior class of Alec Wnuk, Kevin Vannatta, Raekwon Miller and Ahmad Thomas extended their own record of the most wins in program history over a four-year stretch. The Bulldogs had entered the road win over Charleston Southern a few days earlier tied with the senior class that started in the 1982-83 season with 78 career wins. The Bulldog senior class, who were honored prior to the win over Winthrop, now have 80 career wins. In addition, the Bulldog senior class has three championships currently with the 2016-17 and 2017-18 Big South regular-season titles and the 2016 Big South Tournament title. The Bulldogs also played in the 2016 NCAA Tournament.
Record Third-Straight 20-Win Season
UNC Asheville men's basketball for the first time in program history has now won 20 or more games for three straight seasons. UNC Asheville won 22 games in the 2015-16 season, 23 in 2016-17 and entering the final game of the 2017-18 regular season the Bulldogs have won 20 games.
20 for 20
For the fifth time this season, UNC Asheville impressively had two players finish a game with over 20 points with MaCio Teague ending his efforts with 23 points and Ahmad Thomas posting 21. One game earlier, Teague collected 24 points and Thomas finished with 23 in the road win at Charleston Southern. It has now happened four 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.
Home Sweet Home
UNC Asheville is now 81-17 overall and 56-11 against Big South foes within the friendly confines of Kimmel Arena inside the Sherrill Center. The Bulldogs finished the 2017-18 regular season at Kimmel Arena 13-1. UNC Asheville is 26-2 over the last two seasons during the regular season at Kimmel Arena. The Bulldogs have won 22 of their last 23 at Kimmel Arena overall.
1,000-Point Scorer
The 2016-17 Big South Conference Freshman of the Year last year, MaCio Teague's 23 points in the home win over Winthrop allowed him to surpass 1,000 points in just his sophomore season. Teague ended his first year as a Bulldog with 509 and he now has 496 points this season to have 1,005 points in his career. Teague is just the fourth in Big South history to surpass 1,000 points as a sophomore.
Strong Stretch
After starting Big South play at 1-2, UNC Asheville has now won nine of its last 10 and 12 of its last 14 games to move to 20-10 overall and 13-4 in league play.
Up Next
UNC Asheville will next close out its regular season by traveling to Boiling Springs, N.C. to take on Big South Conference foe Gardner-Webb at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 24. The game will be featured on ESPN3.
Quotables
Highlights
The Bulldogs delivered.
UNC Asheville's 89-75 victory over Winthrop (18-10, 12-5 Big South Conference) on Thursday, Feb. 22, before a near capacity crowd at Kimmel Arena allowed the Bulldogs to claim at least a share of the 2017-18 Big South men's basketball regular-season title.
The Bulldogs led for 36:17 of the contest with Winthrop's largest lead just four points less than two minutes into the contest.
UNC Asheville (20-10, 13-4 Big South Conference) would lead by as many as 21 in the game before emerging with the 14-point win.
The Bulldogs finished its championship-clinching win shooting 55 percent (33-of-60) as a team. UNC Asheville shot 54.2 percent (13-of-24) from beyond the arc in the win and 83.3 percent (10-of-12) from the free throw line.
Winthrop shot 48.3 percent (29-of-60) from the field in its loss to the Bulldogs. UNC Asheville limited the Eagles to just 27.8 percent (5-of-18) shooting from beyond the arc. Winthrop shot just 57.1 percent (12-of-21) from the free throw line.
Four Bulldogs finished in double figures with MaCio Teague and Ahmad Thomas both scoring over 20 in a game for the second consecutive game. Teague finished with a game-high 23 points to go along with eight rebounds and three assists, while Thomas scored 21 to go along with five assists, a rebound and a steal.
Raekwon Miller continued his tear in league play in the Bulldog win with 19 points, eight rebounds, six assists and two steals.
The final Bulldog in double figures was Jonathan Baehre, who truly put on an exhibition in front of the Bulldog faithful with 16 points, 13 rebounds, five blocks, two assists and one steal.
Winthrop had four in double figures as well with Anders Broman leading the Eagles with 22 points.
BULLDOG BITES
A Special Senior Day for a Special Senior Class
With 80 wins in their career after the win over Winthrop, the UNC Asheville senior class of Alec Wnuk, Kevin Vannatta, Raekwon Miller and Ahmad Thomas extended their own record of the most wins in program history over a four-year stretch. The Bulldogs had entered the road win over Charleston Southern a few days earlier tied with the senior class that started in the 1982-83 season with 78 career wins. The Bulldog senior class, who were honored prior to the win over Winthrop, now have 80 career wins. In addition, the Bulldog senior class has three championships currently with the 2016-17 and 2017-18 Big South regular-season titles and the 2016 Big South Tournament title. The Bulldogs also played in the 2016 NCAA Tournament.
Record Third-Straight 20-Win Season
UNC Asheville men's basketball for the first time in program history has now won 20 or more games for three straight seasons. UNC Asheville won 22 games in the 2015-16 season, 23 in 2016-17 and entering the final game of the 2017-18 regular season the Bulldogs have won 20 games.
20 for 20
For the fifth time this season, UNC Asheville impressively had two players finish a game with over 20 points with MaCio Teague ending his efforts with 23 points and Ahmad Thomas posting 21. One game earlier, Teague collected 24 points and Thomas finished with 23 in the road win at Charleston Southern. It has now happened four 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.
Home Sweet Home
UNC Asheville is now 81-17 overall and 56-11 against Big South foes within the friendly confines of Kimmel Arena inside the Sherrill Center. The Bulldogs finished the 2017-18 regular season at Kimmel Arena 13-1. UNC Asheville is 26-2 over the last two seasons during the regular season at Kimmel Arena. The Bulldogs have won 22 of their last 23 at Kimmel Arena overall.
1,000-Point Scorer
The 2016-17 Big South Conference Freshman of the Year last year, MaCio Teague's 23 points in the home win over Winthrop allowed him to surpass 1,000 points in just his sophomore season. Teague ended his first year as a Bulldog with 509 and he now has 496 points this season to have 1,005 points in his career. Teague is just the fourth in Big South history to surpass 1,000 points as a sophomore.
Strong Stretch
After starting Big South play at 1-2, UNC Asheville has now won nine of its last 10 and 12 of its last 14 games to move to 20-10 overall and 13-4 in league play.
Up Next
UNC Asheville will next close out its regular season by traveling to Boiling Springs, N.C. to take on Big South Conference foe Gardner-Webb at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 24. The game will be featured on ESPN3.
Quotables
Highlights
Team Stats
WINTHROP
AVL
FG%
.483
.550
3FG%
.278
.542
FT%
.571
.833
RB
25
42
TO
9
14
STL
9
5
Game Leaders
Pts
23
FGM
7
3FGM
6
FTM
3
Pts
21
FGM
9
3FGM
1
FTM
2
Pts
19
FGM
5
3FGM
4
FTM
5
Pts
16
FGM
7
3FGM
2
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
F
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/ Men's Basketball
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