University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Thursday, January 2
Clinton, SC
7 p.m.
UNC Asheville
6-6,0-1Big Sout
77
at
79
Presbyterian
4-10,1-0Big Sou
1
2
F
UNC Asheville
29
48
77
Presbyterian
33
46
79
Late Bucket Stuns Bulldogs in Big South Opener
01.02.2020 | Men's Basketball
CLINTON, S.C. – UNC Asheville's men's basketball team battled back in the second half of its Big South Conference opener at Presbyterian, but ultimately fell, 79-77, on a basket by the Blue Hose with just 0.2 seconds remaining in regulation, Thursday night at the Templeton Center.
The Bulldogs (6-6, 0-1 Big South) trailed by seven points on a pair of occasions during the second half, including with about eight minutes remaining. The Dogs took the lead on a pair of occasions down the stretch, pushing it to a four-point advantage, 72-68, on a 3-pointer from Coty Jude with 2:17 remaining in the game.
The Blue Hose (4-10, 1-0 Big South) scored four in a row to tie the game at 72 apiece, but Jude hit another three with 1:35 remaining to push the Bulldogs' lead back to three. Presbyterian took a one-point lead, 76-75, with 0:35 remaining and would push it to 77-75 on a 1-of-2 effort at the free throw line by Kody Shubert with 0:12 left on the clock.
On the ensuing possession, Lavar Batts, Jr. took the onus and drove hard along the left side and finished with his left hand at the rim with just four second remaining to tie the game at 77 apiece. But PC's Chris Martin took the inbounds pass, sprinted along the right sideline, and laid in the go-ahead shot with fractions of a second left on the clock.
Tajion Jones led the way in scoring, finishing with 21 points on 7-of-12 shooting for his sixth 20-plus point effort of the season. All five starters finished in double figures, with Batts and Jude scoring 15 points each. LJ Thorpe added 13 points and DeVon Baker chipped in 10.
Presbyterian took a 33-29 lead into halftime. Jones led all scorers in the first half with 11 points, including a 3-of-4 effort from beyond the arc. His lone 2-pointer of the first half was impressive as well, hitting a contested shot over his right shoulder. Batts chipped in nine points, including 2-of-3 shooting from beyond the arc.
The Blue Hose pushed their lead to seven points in the beginning of the second half, 38-31, but Thorpe helped bring the Bulldogs back into it with six early points, showing off strong drives to the basket. Later in the period, Baker converted an and-one and Jude followed with a step-back three for a quick 6-0 run that put Asheville up by seven points, equaling the largest lead of the game for either team.
Jude and Thorpe led the scoring in the second half with 11 points each and Jones added 10.
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NOTABLY
UP NEXT
The Bulldogs host Campbell in their Big South home opener with a 6 p.m. contest set for Wednesday, January 8, at Kimmel Arena.
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The Bulldogs (6-6, 0-1 Big South) trailed by seven points on a pair of occasions during the second half, including with about eight minutes remaining. The Dogs took the lead on a pair of occasions down the stretch, pushing it to a four-point advantage, 72-68, on a 3-pointer from Coty Jude with 2:17 remaining in the game.
The Blue Hose (4-10, 1-0 Big South) scored four in a row to tie the game at 72 apiece, but Jude hit another three with 1:35 remaining to push the Bulldogs' lead back to three. Presbyterian took a one-point lead, 76-75, with 0:35 remaining and would push it to 77-75 on a 1-of-2 effort at the free throw line by Kody Shubert with 0:12 left on the clock.
On the ensuing possession, Lavar Batts, Jr. took the onus and drove hard along the left side and finished with his left hand at the rim with just four second remaining to tie the game at 77 apiece. But PC's Chris Martin took the inbounds pass, sprinted along the right sideline, and laid in the go-ahead shot with fractions of a second left on the clock.
Tajion Jones led the way in scoring, finishing with 21 points on 7-of-12 shooting for his sixth 20-plus point effort of the season. All five starters finished in double figures, with Batts and Jude scoring 15 points each. LJ Thorpe added 13 points and DeVon Baker chipped in 10.
Presbyterian took a 33-29 lead into halftime. Jones led all scorers in the first half with 11 points, including a 3-of-4 effort from beyond the arc. His lone 2-pointer of the first half was impressive as well, hitting a contested shot over his right shoulder. Batts chipped in nine points, including 2-of-3 shooting from beyond the arc.
The Blue Hose pushed their lead to seven points in the beginning of the second half, 38-31, but Thorpe helped bring the Bulldogs back into it with six early points, showing off strong drives to the basket. Later in the period, Baker converted an and-one and Jude followed with a step-back three for a quick 6-0 run that put Asheville up by seven points, equaling the largest lead of the game for either team.
Jude and Thorpe led the scoring in the second half with 11 points each and Jones added 10.
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NOTABLY
- All five starters scored in double digits for the fourth time this season (Tajion Jones, 21; Lavar Batts, Jr. 15; Coty Jude 15; LJ Thorpe 13; DeVon Baker, 10). The Bulldogs are now 3-1 in those games.
- The Bulldogs forced 21 PC turnovers while turning it over 13 times themselves. The Bulldogs have not turned the ball over more than their opponent in any game this season.
- With 21 turnovers forced, the Bulldogs have forced seven of their past nine opponents into 20 or more turnovers.
- The Bulldogs recorded 10 steals against the Blue Hose, marking the eighth game they have recorded double-digit steals. DeVon Baker led the way with three.
- Tajion Jones led the Bulldogs in scoring with 21 points on 7-of-12 shooting including 5-of-8 from three. It is his sixth 20-plus point effort of the season and his team-leading fifth game that he's led the team in scoring.
- The five made 3-pointers for Jones set his season-high and were one off of his career-high of six set last season against High Point.
- Jones has scored at least 12 points in 11 consecutive games.
UP NEXT
The Bulldogs host Campbell in their Big South home opener with a 6 p.m. contest set for Wednesday, January 8, at Kimmel Arena.
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Team Stats
AVL
PRESB
FG%
.456
.653
3FG%
.480
.429
FT%
.684
.692
RB
22
30
TO
13
21
STL
10
7
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
21
FGM
7
3FGM
5
FTM
2
Pts
15
FGM
4
3FGM
3
FTM
4
Players Mentioned
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