University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
UAB
GAME PREVIEW: Men’s Basketball Back in Action with Road Test at UAB
12.28.2023 | Men's Basketball
GAME DETAILS
- UNC Asheville (8-6) vs. UAB (7-5)
- Friday, December 29, 2023
- Bartow Arena; Birmingham, Ala.
- Time: 8 p.m. EST
- Watch Live: ESPN+
- Live Stats
ASHEVILLE'S LAST TIME OUT
The Bulldogs went 3-0 the week of Dec. 18, snapping a 3-game losing streak and finishing the 2023 calendar year 13-1 inside Kimmel Arena. The Bulldogs ended App States' 8-game win streak on Thursday, Dec. 21, with a 76-63 victory and ended Kennesaw States' 5-game win streak on Saturday, Dec. 23, with a 79-70 victory. The Bulldogs started the week with a 79-75 victory against South Carolina State. Between all three games, Asheville was 31-for-69 in 3-point shooting, finishing with a .449 shooting percentage.
On Dec. 23, the Bulldogs rounded out the week by defeating Kennesaw State after falling to the Owls on Dec. 5. Right out the gate, a dunk from Nick McMullen tilted the momentum in Asheville's favor, as the Bulldogs opened the game on an 11-0 run.
A free throw from Banks would give Asheville its largest lead of the game at 23 points, and the Bulldogs held a 16-plus point lead for the remainder of the half.
The Owls opened the second half on a 17-9 run, cutting Asheville's lead down to 10. Back-to-back baskets from Burgess would extend Asheville's lead back out to 15, but that was the most the Bulldogs would lead by for the rest of the game.
A steal from Burgess and a dunk from Pember would give Asheville an 11-point lead before a technical foul would send Kennesaw's Simeon Cottle to the free-throw line, where he'd bring Asheville's lead down to nine. A layup would bring the Owls within seven, but that was as close as Kennesaw would get, as the Bulldogs were able to hold its lead for the remainder of the game.
BANKS EARNS POW HONOR
For the first time this season, a member of the men's basketball program earned Big South Conference Player of the Week honors, as Josh Banks was honored for his performance last week. On the week, Banks finished 19 for 43 (.442) from the field and 16 for 28 (.571) from the 3-point arc, averaging 21 points a game.
On Thursday (Dec. 21), Banks wrote his name into the record book as he broke the program record for most 3-pointers in a game with 10. Banks connected for nine three-pointers in the first half alone to tie the program's three-point record. Banks finished 10-for-18 from the field, with all 10 baskets coming from distance, and was a perfect 3-for-3 from the free throw line to finish with a career-high 33 points.
He recorded a double-double on Saturday against Kennesaw State with 13 points and 11 rebounds, the first double-double of his career.
Banks averages 13.6 points a game and has a .415 3-point shooting percentage.
PEMBER'S TRIPLE-DOUBLE
In Asheville's victory over App State, Drew Pember recorded the third triple-double in program history, finishing with 11 points, 15 rebounds, and 10 assists. Pember's triple-double is the 20th in Big South history on record, and is just the 13th player in the NCAA to record one this season.
Pember led the Bulldogs with 21 points against Kennesaw State, going 2-for-7 from the field, and was nearly perfect from the free throw line, going 17-for-18, a season-high for free throws and attempts. Pember is No. 7 in the NCAA in free throws and free throw attempts.
Pember leads Asheville, averaging 17.8 points a game, 7.0 rebounds, and 26 blocks.
ABEE LEADING THE CHARTS
Fletcher Abee is the third Bulldog averaging double-digit points, with 11.9 points per game. He leads the team and Big South with a .460 3-point shooting percentage and 40 3-pointers. In the NCAA, Abee is No. 10 in three-point percentage.
Abee and Banks led Asheville to victory on Dec. 18, scoring a team-high 17 points each.
McMULLEN'S STANDOUT WEEK
McMullen turned in a strong performance for the Bulldogs last week, as he averaged 11.7 points a game and 9.0 rebounds. He recorded back-to-back double-doubles on Dec. 21 and Dec. 23 and a season-high 19 points against Kennesaw State.
McMullen leads the team with a .616 field goal percentage and 14 steals, averaging 9.4 points a game and 6.5 rebounds.
BURGESS WITH THE HELPING HAND
Caleb Burgess remains on top of the Big South leaderboard with 71 assists, averaging 5.07 a game. He is No. 20 in the NCAA in assists and No. 53 in assists per game.
AS A TEAM
The Bulldogs lead the conference in assist/turnover ratio (1.29), assists per game (16.9) and blocks per game (4.2). Asheville is 17th in the nation in free throw attempts per game (25.7 and 22nd in free throws made per game (18.1).
SCOUTING THE BLAZERS
UAB enters Friday's contest following a 79-78 overtime victory against Drake on Dec. 22. The Blazers had a .509 field goal percentage and a .400 3-point shooting percentage. UAB had five players record double-figures in points, with Javian Davis leading the way with 15. Davis is second on the team in points, averaging 11.3 per game.
Eric Gaines leads UAB with 12.7 points per game, 59 assists, and 33 steals. Yaxel Lendeborg leads the Blazers with 7.9 rebounds per game and 25 blocks.
SERIES HISTORY
The Bulldogs last met the Blazers on Nov. 9, 2021, and fell 102-77. Birmingham has a 2-0 series lead over Asheville. UAB went 29-10 last season and lost to North Texas in the NIT Championship game.
STATISTICAL COMPARISON
|
2023-24 Season |
AVL |
UAB |
|
Scoring Average |
81.4 |
76.4 |
|
Opp. Scoring Average |
73.8 |
75.2 |
|
Scoring Margin |
7.6 |
1.2 |
|
FG Percentage |
.454 |
.447 |
|
3PT Percentage |
.367 |
.293 |
|
FT Percentage |
.706 |
.719 |
|
Rebounding Average |
37.2 |
37.8 |
|
Assists Per Game |
16.9 |
12.8 |
|
Steals Per Game |
6.0 |
7.8 |
|
Blocks Per Game |
4.2 |
4.4 |
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