Asheville, ETSU face off at Harrah’s Cherokee Center Tuesday

ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The UNC Asheville men's basketball team will meet ETSU at the Harrah's Cherokee Center in Asheville on Tuesday for a 7 p.m. tip off.

It Takes All of Us
The Bulldogs (1-2) got into the win column for the first time on Saturday, defeating South Carolina State 77-56. Asheville shot 51.8 percent from the floor and 40.9 percent from 3-point range, with 10 different players scoring in the win. While the Bulldogs have not seen DeVon Baker yet (31 starts last season), fellow junior Coty Jude saw his first action against South Carolina State, knocking down a 3-pointer moments after entering the game. Four of the five starters are averaging double figures right now for the Bulldogs, while Asheville's bench has outscored opposing reserves 59-39 on the season.

Three for Three
After struggling from downtown in the opener, redshirt junior Tajion Jones has been locked in the past two games, scoring 24 points against both Western Carolina and South Carolina State. The 6-foot-5 guard went 11-for-20 from 3-point range in his past two outings and currently ranks in the top 30 in the NCAA in 3-point field goals per game (3.67). Jones' 24 points on Saturday gave the Oak Ridge, Tennessee, native an even 800 points for his career.

Bulldogs on the Block
Graduate transfer Evan Clayborne has made an immediate impact since arriving in Asheville, averaging 11.3 points and swatting six shots through three games. Against South Carolina State, Clayborne, who spent last season at N.C. Central, exploded for a career-high 15 points on 7-of-8 shooting, blocking three shots in the process. After swatting just 73 shots in 31 games last season, Asheville has totaled 20 through three games. The Bulldogs are also hauling in 39.0 rebounds per game so far, up from 30.6 last year.

Scouting ETSU
Like Asheville, the Bucs enter Tuesday just 1-2 on the season, with their lone win coming against Middle Tennessee State on November 27. ETSU is under the tutelage of first-year head coach Jason Shay, a longtime assistant for former coach Steve Forbes in Johnson City. Ledarrius Brewer has been the main source of offense so far, averaging 15.3 points per contest. The Bucs have struggled from downtown, shooting just 22.2 percent from 3-point range and are averaging 19.3 turnovers per game so far.

Series History
Asheville and ETSU have met 22 times over the years, with the Bucs leading 16-6 all-time. Asheville, however, won the first overall matchup in 1974-75, and won the last matchup in 2015, taking down ETSU 84-64.

How to Follow
The game can be viewed on ESPN+ and can be heard on 570 WNNC. Live stats are also available here.