University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Tuesday, November 29
Durham, NC
7 pm
UNC Asheville
4-3,0-0Big South
66
at
79
North Carolina Central
4-3,0-0MEAC
1
2
F
UNC Asheville
29
37
66
N.C. Central
34
45
79
Bulldogs battle but fall on the road at North Carolina Central
11.29.2022 | Men's Basketball
DURHAM, N.C. – The UNC Asheville men's basketball team fell on the road to North Carolina Central on Tuesday night by a score of 79-66.
Alex Caldwell, who played for North Carolina Central last season, led Asheville in scoring on Tuesday with 16 points on an efficient 5-for-6 day from the field. Tajion Jones also had an efficient night going 6-for-9 on field goals, which included a 3-for-5 tally from 3-point range to finish with 15 points. Drew Pember also scored 15 points and added a team-high eight rebounds, while Nick McMullen chipped in 12 points and grabbed six rebounds.
Asheville had one of its better shooting nights of the season so far shooting 52.2 percent from the field and 50 percent from 3-point range on 18 attempts. The Bulldogs also set a season-high with 19 assists on Tuesday, which was their most assists in a game since December 21, 2021 vs. Milligan when they totaled 20. Caleb Burgess led this charge with six assists with Trent Stephney not far behind with five of his own.
The first half was one of sizable runs by both teams. North Carolina Central got things rolling with a 12-0 run to quickly turn a 5-5 score into a 17-5 lead. NCCU, which was aided by eight early Asheville turnovers, continued to grow its lead to as many as 20 points (28-8).
Facing a sizable deficit, Asheville would battle back. Jones (12 points) and Pember (seven points) would help fuel the Bulldog comeback to get Asheville back within two possessions in the final minutes of the half. A 3-pointer from Caldwell briefly got Asheville back within three, 32-29, before a made basket from NCCU finished up the first half with the Eagles holding a five-point lead, 34-29. The Bulldogs finished the opening half on a 21-6 run.
As the second half got underway, the Bulldogs continued to chip away at the Eagle lead. A layup from Fletcher Abee made the score 34-33 with just under 19 minutes to go in the second half. Quick to answer, NCCU promptly went on a 14-2 run to rebuild its lead back to double digits.
The Bulldogs continued to shoot well from the field in the second half (53.8 percent from field, 55.6 from 3-point range). North Carolina Central nearly matched those numbers though (50 percent from the field, 62.5 percent from 3-point range). The Eagles also went a perfect 16-for-16 from the free throw line in the final 20 minutes to help curtail another Bulldog comeback as they went on to win Tuesday's contest, 79-66.
Asheville, now 4-3 on the 2022-23 season, will be back in action on Saturday when it welcomes UT Martin to Kimmel Arena. At Saturday's game, which will be on ESPN+ and locally on CW62 at 2 p.m., the athletic department will continue its toy drive. All donations will go to the Eblen Charities Saint Nicholas Project.
Alex Caldwell, who played for North Carolina Central last season, led Asheville in scoring on Tuesday with 16 points on an efficient 5-for-6 day from the field. Tajion Jones also had an efficient night going 6-for-9 on field goals, which included a 3-for-5 tally from 3-point range to finish with 15 points. Drew Pember also scored 15 points and added a team-high eight rebounds, while Nick McMullen chipped in 12 points and grabbed six rebounds.
Asheville had one of its better shooting nights of the season so far shooting 52.2 percent from the field and 50 percent from 3-point range on 18 attempts. The Bulldogs also set a season-high with 19 assists on Tuesday, which was their most assists in a game since December 21, 2021 vs. Milligan when they totaled 20. Caleb Burgess led this charge with six assists with Trent Stephney not far behind with five of his own.
The first half was one of sizable runs by both teams. North Carolina Central got things rolling with a 12-0 run to quickly turn a 5-5 score into a 17-5 lead. NCCU, which was aided by eight early Asheville turnovers, continued to grow its lead to as many as 20 points (28-8).
Facing a sizable deficit, Asheville would battle back. Jones (12 points) and Pember (seven points) would help fuel the Bulldog comeback to get Asheville back within two possessions in the final minutes of the half. A 3-pointer from Caldwell briefly got Asheville back within three, 32-29, before a made basket from NCCU finished up the first half with the Eagles holding a five-point lead, 34-29. The Bulldogs finished the opening half on a 21-6 run.
As the second half got underway, the Bulldogs continued to chip away at the Eagle lead. A layup from Fletcher Abee made the score 34-33 with just under 19 minutes to go in the second half. Quick to answer, NCCU promptly went on a 14-2 run to rebuild its lead back to double digits.
The Bulldogs continued to shoot well from the field in the second half (53.8 percent from field, 55.6 from 3-point range). North Carolina Central nearly matched those numbers though (50 percent from the field, 62.5 percent from 3-point range). The Eagles also went a perfect 16-for-16 from the free throw line in the final 20 minutes to help curtail another Bulldog comeback as they went on to win Tuesday's contest, 79-66.
Asheville, now 4-3 on the 2022-23 season, will be back in action on Saturday when it welcomes UT Martin to Kimmel Arena. At Saturday's game, which will be on ESPN+ and locally on CW62 at 2 p.m., the athletic department will continue its toy drive. All donations will go to the Eblen Charities Saint Nicholas Project.
Team Stats
AVL
NCCU
FG%
.522
.529
3FG%
.500
.500
FT%
.563
.941
RB
24
27
TO
20
16
STL
4
9
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
16
FGM
5
3FGM
3
FTM
3
Pts
15
FGM
6
3FGM
3
FTM
0
Pts
15
FGM
4
3FGM
3
FTM
4
Pts
12
FGM
5
3FGM
0
FTM
2
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballG
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's BasketballF
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's BasketballHighlights || Men's Basketball || #2 UNC Asheville vs #5 Longwood (Big South Tournament)
Monday, March 18
Highlights || Men's Basketball || #2 UNC Asheville vs #3 Gardner-Webb (Big South Tournament)
Monday, March 18
Highlights || Men's Basketball || #2 UNC Asheville vs #7 Charleston Southern (Big South Tournament)
Thursday, March 14
Highlights || Men's Basketball || UNC Asheville at Radford
Monday, March 04