University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
11-8,3-1Big South
Longwood
13-6,1-3Big South
Resilient Bulldogs Defeat Longwood, 65-61
01.13.2024 | Men's Basketball
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Trent Stephney had a perfect day from the field, Drew Pember and Nick McMullen connected momentum-turning free throws, and the UNC Asheville men's basketball team defeated Longwood 65-61 Saturday afternoon in Kimmel Arena.
STEPHNEY'S STANDOUT PERFORMANCE
On Saturday, Stephney made his first appearance in the starting five this season, recording a game-high and season-high 15 points. Stephney recorded a season-high 36 minutes of action and went 3-for-3 from the field, with all three shots coming from distance. He also was 6-for-6 from the free throw line and added five assists, three rebounds, and one steal to his day.
BANKS' THREE TIPS MOMENTUM
Josh Banks finished with 13 points, going 4-for-10 from the field and connecting for one triple. Banks' triple was less than 30 seconds after a triple from Stephney to finish off an 8-0 run by Asheville to put the Bulldogs ahead by seven with seven minutes remaining in the first half (20-13).
The save, the pass, and the THREEEEEE! #ALLinAVL #IWWD pic.twitter.com/SgX2YBWs4P
— Asheville Basketball (@UNCAvlMBB) January 13, 2024
PEMBER & McMULLEN ANSWER THE CALL
Pember and McMullen rounded out the Bulldogs in double-digit scoring with 12 and 10 points, respectively. Pember was 2-for-14 from the field but went 7-for-8 from the charity stripe, with five free throws coming in the final 2:18 of the game. Pember led Asheville with six rebounds and four blocks and added three assists to his stat line.
McMullen went 4-for-7 from the field and 2-for-3 from the free throw line, with his final free throw of the day tying the score at 61 with less than a minute remaining.
Pember has now finished with double-digit points scored in 17 of the 18 games he's played, and McMullen has turned in double-digit outings for the last seven games.
AS A TEAM
The Bulldogs shot 20-for-46 from the field and 5-for-14 from the 3-point arc. At the free throw line, Asheville went 20-for-27 and was a perfect 10-for-10 from the free throw line entering the second half.
Asheville outshot Longwood, who finished with a .373 shooting percentage compared to the Bulldogs' .435 percentage. From the three-point arc, Longwood was 3-for-12, and from the charity stripe, the Lancers finished 8-for-13.
LONGWOOD'S STAT LINE
The Lancers were dominant under the basket, finishing with 44 rebounds, 20 being offensive, while the Bulldogs finished with 30. Longwood outscored Asheville 14-5 on fast breaks, 17-2 on second-chance shots, 40-24 from the paint, and 29-13 from the bench.
Longwood had three players finish with 13 points: Michael Christmas, Walyn Napper, and Szymon Zapala. Zapala recorded a double-double with 14 rebounds.
PHYSICAL FIRST HALF GOES IN FAVOR OF ASHEVILLE
Saturday's contest featured six ties and 16 lead changes. Caleb Burgess scored the first basket of the game before Longwood jumped ahead 9-5. The Bulldogs battled back, tying the game at 10 following a layup from Greg Gantt Jr. A layup from McMullen would help Asheville regain the lead 12-10. The Lancers would follow with a basket to tie, and a foul would send Longwood's Elijah Tucker to the free throw line, where he would help Longwood regain the lead 13-12.
Greg Gantt, need we say more? #ALLinAVL #IWWD pic.twitter.com/6V1NXVa5D2
— Asheville Basketball (@UNCAvlMBB) January 13, 2024
With 8:45 left in the first half, Davion Cunningham sparked an 8-0 run to put the Bulldogs ahead 20-13. Asheville held the lead for the remainder of the half, extending it out by as many as nine before entering the break ahead by five (33-28).
ASHEVILLE PERFORMS LATE GAME COMEBACK
Longwood's offense came out hot in the second frame, with back-to-back layups making it a one-point game a minute and a half back into action (33-32). The Bulldogs worked their way back out to a five-point lead with layups from Banks and McMullen, but the Lancers answered with back-to-back baskets to once again make it a one-point game (37-36).
McMullen would extend the Bulldogs back out to a four-point lead following a jumper and a made shot from the free throw line, but Longwood would follow by scoring back-to-back baskets to tie the game at 40. The lead would change nine times over the next five minutes of action, with Longwood extending their lead out to three, following a triple and a shot from the paint (53-50).
With 3:15 left in the game, the Lancers extended their lead out to six points, following a layup from Napper. This, however, would end up being Longwood's final basket of the night, as Asheville closed Saturday's contest on a 10-0 run. A jumper from McMullen started Asheville's comeback, and a free throw from Pember, followed by a layup from Gantt, would cut Longwood's lead down to one (61-60). McMullen went on to score the game-tying free throw, and Pember would close the game out with four free throws to help Asheville on to victory.
UP NEXT
Asheville moves to 3-1 in conference play and 11-8 overall. The Bulldogs will return to the court on Thursday, Jan. 18, as they travel to Winthrop for the second ESPNU game of the season. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
