University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
South Carolina State
GAME PREVIEW: Bulldogs return to Kimmel Arena to host South Carolina State
12.17.2023 | Men's Basketball
GAME DETAILS
- UNC Asheville (5-6) vs. South Carolina State (3-9)
- Monday, December 18, 2023
- Kimmel Arena; Asheville, N.C.
- Time: 6 p.m.
- Watch Live: ESPN+ | Matt Stradley, play-by-play; Betsy Blose, analyst
- Listen: Bulldog Radio Network (570 WWNC AM) | Brian Hall, play-by-play; Mike Gore, analyst
- Live Stats
- Tickets
GAME PROMOTION
The first 500 fans to Monday's doubleheader will receive a UNC Asheville Bulldog stocking.
ASHEVILLE'S LAST TIME OUT
Monday's matchup will be Asheville's first game in Kimmel since Dec. 1, as the Bulldogs have been on the road for their last three games. The Bulldogs' final road contest was a neutral site game against Auburn on Wednesday, Dec. 13, in Huntsville, Ala., where Asheville fell 87-62.
Drew Pember led all scorers with 23 points, going 7-for-14 from the field and 3-for-6 behind the 3-point arc.
Neither team immediately took control as Auburn took the first lead of the game, but a 3-pointer from Pember eight seconds later put Asheville ahead. This lead would be shortlived, as Auburn extended out to a seven-point lead over the next 6:24. A triple from Jamon Battle would help Asheville tie the score at 17, and a layup from Caleb Burgess would regain the lead for the Bulldogs.
After the Tigers tied the score at 19, Battle reextended Asheville's lead to 21 following a fastbreak dunk, and that would end up being Asheville's final lead of the night, as Auburn responded with a 9-0 run to jump ahead 28-21 and never looked back.
BULLDOG LEADERBOARD
Pember continues to lead Asheville's offense, averaging 18.6 points per game, and leads the team with 6.7 rebounds per game and 17 blocks. Pember is 10 blocks away from 200 career blocks at Asheville.
Fletcher Abee averages the second most points with 12.3 points per game and leads the team and Big South with a .456 3-point percentage. Josh Banks is the final Bulldog, averaging double-digit points with 11.5 points per game. Caleb Burgess leads the team with 56 assists and leads the Big South, averaging 5.1 a game.
SCOUTING SOUTH CAROLINA STATE
SC State enters Monday's contest after falling to Pittsburgh 86-50.
SC State's scoring leader is Davion Everett, who averages 10.4 points per game and leads the team with 7.2 rebounds. Mitchell Taylor leads with 31 assists and is second in the scoring column with 9.2 points per game.
BULLDOG vs. BULLDOG
Monday will be the ninth time these two teams have squared off, with the series tied 4-4. The Bulldogs earned the last two victories, winning on Dec. 13, 2022, in Orangeburg, S.C., 94-84, and winning on Dec. 5, 2020, in Kimmel Arena 77-56. These two teams first met during the 1970-71 season, and the Bulldogs won 99-90.
STATISTICAL COMPARISON
2023-24 Season AVL SC STATE
Scoring Average 82.4 70.7
Opp. Scoring Average 75.0 81.8
Scoring Margin 7.4 -11.1
FG Percentage .456 .402
3PT Percentage .346 .270
FT Percentage .684 .640
Rebounding Average 35.8 39.8
Assists Per Game 17.3 13.5
Steals Per Game 6.4 8.5
Blocks Per Game 3.8 3.0
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