University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Wednesday, March 1
Charlotte, NC (Bojangles Coliseum)
12 pm
UNC Asheville
12-18,7-11Big South
59
vs
58
Winthrop
8-22,6-12Big South
1
2
3
4
F
Winthrop
16
21
12
9
58
UNC Asheville
14
9
15
21
59
Bulldogs Complete Massive Comeback over Winthrop in the First Round of the Big South Conference Tournament
03.01.2023 | Women's Basketball
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The UNC Asheville women's basketball team completed a comeback for the ages in the first round of the Big South Conference tournament on Wednesday (Mar. 1), rallying from a 17-point deficit for a 59-58 win over ninth-seeded Winthrop at Bojangles Coliseum. Â
The teams played a back and forth first quarter, which saw Winthrop take a 16-14 lead to the second.
Winthrop seemed to take control in the second quarter, using a 19-4 run through seven and a half minutes to take a 37-23 lead to the break.
The Bulldogs were able to win the third quarter 15-12, using a timely Winthrop drought to cut into the deficit. Despite the cold spell, Winthrop led by as many as 17 in the third quarter. The Bulldogs battled to get the deficit down to nine, but Winthrop tallied a late score to get the lead back up to double-digits, leading 49-38 as the game headed to the fourth.
The deficit would fluctuate in the early goings of the fourth quarter for Asheville, sitting at 10 points with four and a half minutes to play in the game. Back-to-back buckets from McKinley Brooks-Sumpter would cut the deficit to six, as the Bulldogs would turn up the pressure in the final few minutes forcing several Winthrop turnovers. Heading into the final minute, the Bulldogs trailed by five. A pair of Faith Adams free throws got the game to within three, before on the next possession Abigail Wilson knocked down a clutch jumper to get Asheville back within two. After a pair of Winthrop free throws got the Eagles lead back up to four with just 17 seconds left, Brooks-Sumpter scored a layup and a free throw to get the Bulldogs back within one with 13 seconds left. After another Winthrop turnover forced by the Asheville defense, Brooks-Sumpter drove the lane and scored with just three seconds left to push the Bulldogs ahead. A last-second heave for Winthrop came up empty and the Bulldogs celebrated on the floor with the comeback complete.
Asheville outscored Winthrop 16-11 off turnovers, 28-24 in the paint, 11-3 on second chances and 11-8 off the bench. Brooks-Sumpter led the Bulldogs with a game-high 21 points, while Mallory Bruce added 12 and Jordaynia Ivie also had 11. Jamaya Blanks chipped in nine points, while Adams, Nycerra Minnis and Wilson each had two. Asheville out-rebounded Winthrop 36-35 in the game, led by eight from Brooks-Sumpter and seven from Blanks. Wilson pulled down five rebounds in the game, while Bruce and Minnis each had four and Adams had two and Jamia Blake also had one. Brooks-Sumpter, Blake and Ivie each dished out two assists in the game, while Blanks, Wilson, Bruce and Dakota McCaughan each had one assist in the game. Ivie and Adams each had two steals in the game, while Brooks-Sumpter and Millie Brown each had one steal. Ivie and Brooks-Sumpter each registered a block in the game for Asheville.
The Bulldogs continue their tournament run tomorrow (Thursday, Mar. 2) in the Big South Conference tournament quarterfinals against top-seeded Gardner-Webb. Tip-off is set for 11:30 a.m. from Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, N.C., with video, live stats and audio available at www.uncabulldogs.com.
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The teams played a back and forth first quarter, which saw Winthrop take a 16-14 lead to the second.
Winthrop seemed to take control in the second quarter, using a 19-4 run through seven and a half minutes to take a 37-23 lead to the break.
The Bulldogs were able to win the third quarter 15-12, using a timely Winthrop drought to cut into the deficit. Despite the cold spell, Winthrop led by as many as 17 in the third quarter. The Bulldogs battled to get the deficit down to nine, but Winthrop tallied a late score to get the lead back up to double-digits, leading 49-38 as the game headed to the fourth.
The deficit would fluctuate in the early goings of the fourth quarter for Asheville, sitting at 10 points with four and a half minutes to play in the game. Back-to-back buckets from McKinley Brooks-Sumpter would cut the deficit to six, as the Bulldogs would turn up the pressure in the final few minutes forcing several Winthrop turnovers. Heading into the final minute, the Bulldogs trailed by five. A pair of Faith Adams free throws got the game to within three, before on the next possession Abigail Wilson knocked down a clutch jumper to get Asheville back within two. After a pair of Winthrop free throws got the Eagles lead back up to four with just 17 seconds left, Brooks-Sumpter scored a layup and a free throw to get the Bulldogs back within one with 13 seconds left. After another Winthrop turnover forced by the Asheville defense, Brooks-Sumpter drove the lane and scored with just three seconds left to push the Bulldogs ahead. A last-second heave for Winthrop came up empty and the Bulldogs celebrated on the floor with the comeback complete.
Asheville outscored Winthrop 16-11 off turnovers, 28-24 in the paint, 11-3 on second chances and 11-8 off the bench. Brooks-Sumpter led the Bulldogs with a game-high 21 points, while Mallory Bruce added 12 and Jordaynia Ivie also had 11. Jamaya Blanks chipped in nine points, while Adams, Nycerra Minnis and Wilson each had two. Asheville out-rebounded Winthrop 36-35 in the game, led by eight from Brooks-Sumpter and seven from Blanks. Wilson pulled down five rebounds in the game, while Bruce and Minnis each had four and Adams had two and Jamia Blake also had one. Brooks-Sumpter, Blake and Ivie each dished out two assists in the game, while Blanks, Wilson, Bruce and Dakota McCaughan each had one assist in the game. Ivie and Adams each had two steals in the game, while Brooks-Sumpter and Millie Brown each had one steal. Ivie and Brooks-Sumpter each registered a block in the game for Asheville.
The Bulldogs continue their tournament run tomorrow (Thursday, Mar. 2) in the Big South Conference tournament quarterfinals against top-seeded Gardner-Webb. Tip-off is set for 11:30 a.m. from Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, N.C., with video, live stats and audio available at www.uncabulldogs.com.
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Team Stats
Win
AVL
FG%
.460
.350
3FG%
.308
.158
FT%
.667
.824
RB
35
36
TO
18
13
STL
9
6
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
21
FGM
9
3FGM
0
FTM
3
Pts
12
FGM
3
3FGM
1
FTM
5
Pts
11
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Pts
9
FGM
2
3FGM
1
FTM
4
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballG/F
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
F
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