University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
5-3,0-0Big South
Johnson University (Tenn.)
0-1
Bulldogs defeat Royals 97-51
12.01.2023 | Men's Basketball
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Five Bulldogs found their way into the double-digit scoring column to help the UNC Asheville men's basketball team to a 97-51 victory over Johnson University (Tenn.) Friday evening in Kimmel Arena.
Asheville was led by Fletcher Abee and Drew Pember, who scored 15 points each. Abee's points all came from behind the 3-point arc. Pember added eight rebounds and five assists to his stat line and was 5-for-7 from the field.
Josh Banks and Davion Cunningham scored 11 points, each registering five boards. Cunningham led the team with three steals. Nick McMullen and Caleb Burgess nearly recorded double-doubles with 10 points, eight boards for McMullen, nine points, and eight assists for Burgess, while Toyaz Solomon led the team with three blocks and registered nine points.
Trent Stephney took sole possession of sixth on the all-time program steals list as he recorded his 163rd career steal.
As a team, Asheville shot 48.3% from the field and 39.4% from the 3-point arc. At the charity stripe, Asheville shot 70%. The Bulldogs shot 14-for-29 from the field in both the first and second half to finish 28-for-58.
The Bulldogs took a 3-2 lead following a Burgess triple, but the Royals stayed close behind through the first seven minutes of action, trailing by no more than eight points, until a jumper from Pember with 12:20 remaining extended Asheville's lead out to 10 (20-10). A Pember dunk gave the Bulldogs a 21-point lead with 4:14 remaining (37-16). At the half, Asheville led 44-20.
In the second half, the Bulldogs opened with a 15-0 run, extending their lead by 39 points (59-20), and continued to extend their lead to as many as 48 points.
With Friday night's win, Asheville extends its record to 5-3.
The Bulldogs will return to action on Tuesday, Dec. 5, as they travel to Kennesaw, Ga., to face Kennesaw State at 7 p.m.
