Bulldogs Host Stetson in Tuesday Night Showdown

GAME NOTES | vs. STETSON

ASHEVILLE – UNC Asheville's men's basketball team will return to action for the second of three straight home games when it hosts Stetson in a 6 p.m., Tuesday, matchup at Kimmel Arena.

For Tuesday's contest against Stetson, all kids 12-and-under will get into Kimmel Arena FREE with a paying adult.

The Bulldogs (5-4) defeated UT Martin, 91-72, Saturday for their fifth victory of the season, surpassing their win total from all of last season in just nine games. The Bulldogs are 3-0 in Kimmel Arena to start the year and are defeating their opponents by an average score of 91.7-63.3.

The Hatters (5-7) faced off against Big South Conference foe Longwood, Sunday afternoon, in their home gym. Longwood had a one-point advantage going into the final minute into the game, and was able to hit critical free throws down the stretch to defeat the Hatters, 76-72.

It is the second straight season UNC Asheville and Stetson will square off, as the Hatters secured a narrow 80-74 victory last season in DeLand. DeVon Baker scored a then-career-high 31 points to lead the Bulldogs, while Coty Jude set his career mark with six made 3-pointers and Jeremy Peck scored a career-best 10 points. The Bulldogs held a nine-point lead with nine minutes remaining, but Stetson was able to make a run at the end of the game for the six-point victory.

Tuesday's game will be live streamed on ESPN+ with Matt Stradley and UNC Asheville great John Williams on the call 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.

NOTABLY

Sophomore DeVon Baker scored a career-high 37 points on 15-of-21 shooting, including 6-of-7 from beyond the arc. The 15 made field goals and six made 3-pointers also represent career-bests for Baker. It is the second 30-point game of his career and first since scoring 31 last season against Stetson. He is the only player on the roster with multiple 30-point games in his career.
With their victory against UT Martin, the Bulldogs won their fifth game of the season, eclipsing their win total of four during the 2018-19 season. They are one of only two teams to eclipse their win total from last year, joining Chicago State, who has four wins after three a year ago. The Bulldogs have three Division I victories, including two on the road, compared to just one for Chicago State.
Four Bulldogs rank inside the Top 15 in scoring in the Big South Conference (DeVon Baker – 5th, 17.4; Tajion Jones – 6th, 16.0; Lavar Batts, Jr. – 12th, 12.6; LJ Thorpe – 15th, 12.2). No other team has more than two players in the Top 15.
With 37 points from DeVon Baker and 21 from Tajion Jones against UT Martin, the duo both scored at least 20 points in the same game for the second time this season (The Citadel, 11/9/19) and third time in their careers (Milligan, 12/21/18). The Bulldogs are 3-0 in those games.
The Bulldogs have not turned the ball over more than their opponent in any game so far this season and rank third in the country in turnover margin at plus-7.2 per game. They rank 60th in the country in fewest total turnovers.
The Bulldogs force their opponents into 20.1 turnovers per game, which ranks sixth in the country. They also average 9.6 steals per game, ranking 12th in the nation. Lavar Batts, Jr. and LJ Thorpe are averaging 2.0 steals per game, tied for the lead in the Big South and tied for 62nd nationally.
The Bulldogs are averaging 23.8 more points per game this season than last season. Their 83.7 points per game rank 12th in the country and first in the Big South. The Dogs rank 61st nationally and first in the Big South, hitting 47.0 percent of their shots from the field.
The Bulldogs outrebounded UT Martin 44-32, marking the largest rebounding margin of the season at plus-12. The Bulldogs have outrebounded their opponents five times this season and are 5-0 in those games.
LJ Thorpe set a career-high with 10 rebounds against UT Martin, becoming the first Bulldog with double-digit rebounds in a game since Stephen Edoka in the 2018-19 season opener against St. Andrews. Coty Jude and Tajion Jones each set career-bests with nine rebounds, and each pulled down five on the offensive glass.

Bulldogs Host Stetson in Tuesday Night Showdown

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Players Mentioned

DeVon Baker

Lavar Batts, Jr.

Stephen Edoka

Tajion Jones

Coty Jude

Jeremy Peck

LJ Thorpe

University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics