University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
UT Martin
Men’s basketball travels to UT Martin Tuesday
12.13.2021 | Men's Basketball
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Coming off its victory at Western Carolina, the UNC Asheville men's basketball team will remain on the road, visiting the University of Tennessee at Martin (UT Martin) on Tuesday evening. The game will tip at 8:00 p.m. eastern time.
The Matchup
Who: UNC Asheville (6-4) vs. UT Martin (3-7)
When: Tuesday (12/14) at 8:00 p.m. EST
Where: Martin, Tennessee
How to Follow
Watch: ESPN+
Live tracking: Stats
Snapping the Streak
The Bulldogs are riding high after a 73-72 win at Western Carolina on Saturday, snapping a four-game losing streak in the series and collecting the first win in Cullowhee since 2007. Drew Pember and LJ Thorpe powered Asheville to the win, each scoring 19 points. As a unit, Asheville held a Catamount team that averaged 12.3 3-pointers per game entering the weekend to just 6-of-22 shooting from behind the arc.
Scouting the Skyhawks
UT Martin holds a record of 3-7 this season, but is 2-1 in its home arena (Kathleen and Tom Elam Center). The Skyhawks most recently capped off a home-and-home with Middle Tennessee, falling 84-75 on Saturday. Martin's last win came over Carver College (11/24), with its lone Division I win coming against North Dakota (77-72) back on November 21. KJ Simon is a stat-stuffer for the Skyhawks, leading the team in points (16.7), steals (18) and blocks (T-1 with 13). A junior guard, Simon is hauling in 6.1 rebounds per game, while KK Curry leads UT Martin with 6.4 rebounds per contest.
Series History
The schools have met three times, all within the last six years, Asheville dropped the first two meetings, but was victorious on December 14, 2021 when they topped the Skyhawks 91-72. Tajion Jones totaled 21 points in the win, with Coty Jude scoring 13 and LJ Thorpe adding 12. The trio nearly all registered double-doubles, with Thorpe grabbing 10 rebounds while Jones and Jude each snagged nine.
Player of the Week
Drew Pember was named the Big South Player of the Week by the conference office on Monday after averaging a double-double for the Bulldogs last week. Against the SoCon-favorite Chattanooga, Pember scored a career-high 19 points on 6-of-12 shooting from the field adding seven rebounds and two blocks. The Tennessee transfer had an even better performance in a win at Western Carolina Saturday, scoring 19 points and grabbing a career-high 13 rebounds including two key free throws late to help seal the game. Pember was a force defensively, swatting five shots to give him 37 on the season. A junior, Pember ranks fifth in the nation in blocks and blocks per game (3.7).
