University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Saturday, December 14
Asheville, NC
2 p.m.
UNC Asheville
vs
UT Martin
Photo by: Adrian Etheridge
Bulldogs Make Return to Kimmel Arena to Face UT Martin
12.12.2019 | Men's Basketball
GAME NOTES | vs UT MARTIN
ASHEVILLE – After a break for the Thanksgiving holiday and a three-game road swing, UNC Asheville's men's basketball team will make its return to Kimmel Arena when it hosts UT Martin in a 2 p.m., Saturday contest.
The Bulldogs (4-4) are 2-0 this season inside their home venue. They will be looking to rebound after a defeat at South Carolina State in overtime, 90-85, Wednesday in Orangeburg. Redshirt sophomore Lavar Batts, Jr. stole the show with 40 points, becoming the first Bulldog to reach that mark in six seasons.
The Skyhawks (3-5) are coming off an 84-75 loss at Central Michigan, December 6, and we will be playing their first game in more than a week. They battled Big South Conference foe Gardner-Webb, November 26, falling 81-64.
UT Martin owns a 2-0 advantage in the all-time series that dates back only a few seasons. The teams first met in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament, March 16, 2017 in Martin in a game that saw the Skyhawks emerge with an 89-75 victory. The Bulldogs made a return trip to Martin last season, falling 87-70, despite 21 points from Coty Jude and 20 points from DeVon Baker.
The game will be live streamed on ESPN+ HERE, while Brian Hall and Mike Gore will have the radio call on News Radio 570 AM, which can also be found streaming HERE. Live stats will also be available HERE.
Â
NOTABLY
ASHEVILLE – After a break for the Thanksgiving holiday and a three-game road swing, UNC Asheville's men's basketball team will make its return to Kimmel Arena when it hosts UT Martin in a 2 p.m., Saturday contest.
The Bulldogs (4-4) are 2-0 this season inside their home venue. They will be looking to rebound after a defeat at South Carolina State in overtime, 90-85, Wednesday in Orangeburg. Redshirt sophomore Lavar Batts, Jr. stole the show with 40 points, becoming the first Bulldog to reach that mark in six seasons.
The Skyhawks (3-5) are coming off an 84-75 loss at Central Michigan, December 6, and we will be playing their first game in more than a week. They battled Big South Conference foe Gardner-Webb, November 26, falling 81-64.
UT Martin owns a 2-0 advantage in the all-time series that dates back only a few seasons. The teams first met in the CollegeInsider.com Tournament, March 16, 2017 in Martin in a game that saw the Skyhawks emerge with an 89-75 victory. The Bulldogs made a return trip to Martin last season, falling 87-70, despite 21 points from Coty Jude and 20 points from DeVon Baker.
The game will be live streamed on ESPN+ HERE, while Brian Hall and Mike Gore will have the radio call on News Radio 570 AM, which can also be found streaming HERE. Live stats will also be available HERE.
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NOTABLY
- With 40 points against South Carolina State, guard Lavar Batts, Jr. became the first Bulldog to score at least 40 since Andrew Rowsey had 41 against Radford, Feb. 13, 2014. He connected on 14-of-17 shots from the field, including 3-of-5 from three, and 9-of-9 free throws.
- The Bulldogs have not turned the ball over more than their opponent in any game so far this season and rank second in the country in turnover margin at plus-7.5 per game. They rank 56th in the country in fewest total turnovers.
- The Bulldogs force their opponents into 21.1 turnovers per game, which ranks fourth in the country. They also average 10.3 steals per game, ranking 11th in the nation. Lavar Batts, Jr. and LJ Thorpe are averaging 2.1 steals per game, tied for the lead in the Big South and tied for 57th nationally.
- The Bulldogs are averaging 22.9 more points per game this season than last season. Their 82.8 points per game rank 19th in the country and first in the Big South. The Dogs rank 64th nationally and first in the Big South, hitting 46.8 percent of their shots from the field.
- Tajion Jones (15.4 points per game) and DeVon Baker (15.0 points per game) rank fifth and sixth, respectively, in scoring in the Big South. With 20-point games at The Citadel and Wake Forest, Jones joined Baker as the only players with career back-to-back 20-plus point games.
- 3 – With three blocks against Western Carolina, freshman Jamon Battle became the only player on the roster to record three blocks in a single game. Two of his blocks came in quick succession protecting the rim in the second half.
- 9 – Despite returning 83.6 percent of its minutes from a season ago, UNC Asheville still possesses one of the 10 youngest rosters in the country, ranking as the ninth-youngest team, according to Ken Pom.
- 12.4 – The Dogs rank second in the Big South and 60th in the country in offensive rebounds, averaging 12.4 on the offensive glass per game. Tajion Jones leads the way with 15 offensive rebounds this season.
- 14 – The Bulldogs rank 14th in turnover percentage defense, forcing opponents into turnovers on 25.4 percent of their possessions, according to KenPom
- 40 – With 40 points against SC State, Lavar Batts, Jr. came up just four points shy of tying the program's single-game record of 44 points by Mickey Gibson against William & Lee in the 1969-70 season.
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