University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Photo by: Adrian Etheridge
Bulldogs to Battle Liberty in Big South Tournament Semifinals Friday at Kimmel Arena
03.02.2018 | Men's Basketball
Semifinal Notes Update
2017-18 UNC Asheville Men's Basketball Media Guide
2018 Big South Men's Basketball Championship SemifinalsTeams: UNC Asheville (21-11)
Liberty (19-13)
Location: Asheville, N.C./Kimmel Arena
Date/Time: Friday, March 2/8 p.m.
TV/Video: ESPN3
Talent - Mike Hogewood (PBP), Ralph Patterson (Analyst)
Radio: 570 WWNC-Asheville/1440 WMXF-Waynesville
Talent - Brian Hall (PBP), Mike Gore (Analyst)
Live Stats: uncabulldogs.com
Twitter: @ashevilledogs #ThePursuit
ASHEVILLE, N.C. - Top-seeded UNC Asheville advanced to the semifinals of the 2018 Big South Conference Men's Basketball Championship with a thrilling 71-66 victory over eighth-seeded Charleston Southern on Thursday, March 1, at Kimmel Arena.
With the win, UNC Asheville moves on to face fifth-seeded Liberty at approximately 8 p.m. on Friday, March 2, at Kimmel Arena. The game will be streamed live on ESPN3.
To purchase your tickets for the semifinal round of the championship, please visit HERE.
You can also purchase tickets by visiting the UNC Asheville box office at Kimmel Arena. You can call the UNC Asheville ticket office at 828-258-7900.
UNC Asheville men's basketball earned the right to host the 2018 Big South Championship by claiming the league title outright.
The Bulldogs picked up their seventh Big South Conference regular-season title (1996-97, 1997-98, 2001-02, 2007-08, 2011-12, 2016-17 and 2017-18) this season. Asheville head coach Nick McDevitt has been a part of six of the seven Big South Conference regular-season crowns either as a player, assistant coach or head coach (1997-98, 2001-02, 2007-08, 2011-12, 2016-17 and 2017-18).
UNC Asheville is hosting the Big South Men's Basketball Championship for the first time since 2012.
The Bulldogs as the No. 1 seed are hosting the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds on March 1 and 2. The highest remaining seed will host the championship game at 1 p.m. on Sunday, March 4, on ESPN.
Tickets for the semifinal round of the Big South Men's Basketball Championship for adults are $20 and $15 for seniors who are 65 and older with valid ID. Groups of 10-plus will also be able to purchase tickets for $15. Children and college students will be able to purchase tickets for just $5.
UNC Asheville fans and season ticket holders, please note that this is a Big South Championship event, meaning that new tickets will have to be purchased for the championship.
There is no designated fan parking. Fans are asked to park in designated spots and any lot that is available. Shuttles for fans from parking areas will be running all day.
To learn more about the 2018 Big South Men's Basketball Championship, please visit the official championship website HERE.
BULLDOG BITES
RAEKWON THE CHEF KEEPS DISHING: Raekwon Miller's career-high nine assists in the quarterfinal win over Charleston Southern tied UNC Asheville's Big South Tournament program record last set in UNC Asheville's Big South Tournament championship-clinching 93-78 win by Maurice Caldwell on March 4, 1989.
FLIRTING WITH HISTORY ONCE AGAIN: Raekwon Miller became the second Bulldog this season to nearly capture a triple-double with his 12 points, nine rebounds and nine assists in the quarterfinal win over Charleston Southern. Ahmad Thomas nearly had one himself with 24 points, 14 rebounds and nine assists in UNC Asheville's win over Presbyterian College on Feb. 3.
NEARING 100: UNC Asheville head coach Nick McDevitt needs two more wins to reach 100 for his career.
HOME SWEET HOME: UNC Asheville is now 82-17 overall and 57-11 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 27-2 over the last two seasons at Kimmel Arena. The Bulldogs have won 23 of their last 24 at Kimmel Arena overall.
THOMAS AGAINST LIBERTY: Ahmad Thomas continued his strong play in his career against Liberty on Feb. 15 with his 30 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals. Thomas has now scored over 20 against Liberty five times in his career. His career-best of 31 points came in UNC Asheville's home win over Liberty on Feb. 25, 2017, meaning that Thomas has posted 30 or more against the Flames in his last two home games against Liberty.
NEARING NO. 1: UNC Asheville senior guard Ahmad Thomas with 246 career steals is just two steals from tying and three steals away from becoming the all-time steals leader at UNC Asheville. J.P. Primm (2008-12) is the current all-time leader with 248 career steals.
20TH APPEARANCE: UNC Asheville's quarterfinal win over Charleston Southern allowed the Bulldogs to move into the semifinal round of the league championship for the 20th time since 1986.
BULLDOGS HEAVILY FEATURED IN BIG SOUTH ALL-CONFERENCE AWARDS: Big South Conference regular-season champion UNC Asheville was heavily featured when the league office unveiled the 2017-18 Big South Conference Men's Basketball Awards on Monday, Feb. 26, 2018. For the third time in the last four years, it was a UNC Asheville student-athlete that took home the prestigious Big South Men's Basketball Scholar-Athlete of the Year award in Kevin Vannatta. Former teammate Giacomo Zilli also won the award in 2014-15 and 2016-17. UNC Asheville's Ahmad Thomas was chosen as the Big South Defensive Player of the Year for the second consecutive season. He is the second Bulldog to win the award with Kenny George earning the honor in 2007-08. Thomas is just the fourth in Big South history to win the award twice. In addition, for the second consecutive season UNC Asheville had two first-team selections with Thomas and MaCio Teague earning the honor.
BIG SOUTH TITLE NO. 7: UNC Asheville men's basketball picked up its seventh Big South Conference regular-season title (1996-97, 1997-98, 2001-02, 2007-08, 2011-12, 2016-17 and 2017-18) this season. Asheville head coach Nick McDevitt has been a part of six of the seven Big South Conference regular-season crowns either as a player, assistant coach or head coach (1997-98, 2001-02, 2007-08, 2011-12, 2016-17 and 2017-18).
A TRULY SPECIAL SENIOR CLASS: With 81 wins in their career after the win over Charleston Southern in the quarterfinals, 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 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 Big South Tournament semifinals the Bulldogs have won 21 games.
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 on Feb. 22 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 507 points this season to have 1,033 points in his career. Teague at the time became just the fourth in Big South history to surpass 1,000 points as a sophomore. Charleston Southern's Christian Keeling joined him and became the fifth on Feb. 24.
To see the full semifinal notes update, please visit HERE.
Series/Against Liberty in Big South Tournament
SERIES: UNC Asheville and Liberty will meet for the 62nd time on Friday. The Bulldogs own a 40-21 all-time series advantage with Asheville having won 13 of the last 14 meetings.
AGAINST LIBERTY IN THE BIG SOUTH TOURNAMENT: UNC Asheville owns a 6-3 advantage over Liberty in Big South Tournament games.
Follow it Live
You can watch UNC Asheville's semifinal matchup with Liberty live on ESPN3 HERE. You can listen to the radio broadcast live HERE. You can also follow along via live stats HERE.
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