University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
USC Upstate
GAME PREVIEW: Men’s basketball hosts USC Upstate to kick off Big South Conference action
01.02.2024 | Men's Basketball
GAME DETAILS
- UNC Asheville (8-7) vs. USC Upstate (5-8)
- Wednesday, January 3, 2024
- Asheville, N.C.; Kimmel Arena
- Time: 6 p.m.
- Watch Live: ESPN+ & CW62 | Pete Yanity & Richmond Weaver
- Listen: Bulldog Radio Network (ESPN Asheville) | Brian Hall, play-by-play; Mike Gore, analyst
- Live Stats
- Tickets
- Game Day Central
- Game Presented by Ingles
PROMOTION
Per the Ingles I-26 Rivalry between Asheville and Upstate, the Bulldogs will be collecting canned food items for Eblen Charities Hoops Against Hunger. Fans can drop canned food items off at Kimmel Arena between Jan. 3 and Feb. 10.
ABOUT THE INGLES I-26 RIVALRY
The Bulldogs and Spartans compete throughout the year utilizing a points system, awarding on-field success. Programs will also be able to earn points through volunteering with Ingles to help battle food insecurity in both Asheville, N.C., and Spartanburg, S.C.
Three points will be awarded for regular season victories this basketball season, and the school with the most three-point shots will be awarded one point. Ingles makes a $3 contribution to Woodfin Elementary School for each three-point shot by the Bulldogs.
Asheville closed out the fall portion of the Ingles I-26 Rivalry, leading 12-6.
ASHEVILLE'S LAST TIME OUT
The UNC Asheville men's basketball team traveled to face the University of Alabama Birmingham Blazers on Friday, Dec. 29, in the Bulldogs' final nonconference matchup of the season and fell to the Blazers 90-85.
The Bulldogs worked their way to a double-digit lead following a free throw from Drew Pember with 12:38 remaining in the first half (19-9). The Bulldogs did not trail by less than six for the remainder of the half and worked their way out to a 12-point lead before halftime.
Pember led all scorers at the half with 19 points.
The Blazers opened the second half on a 12-0 run, tipping the momentum in their favor. The Blazers secured their first lead of the night with a 3-pointer to put them ahead 47-44. A layup from Caleb Burgess a minute later put Asheville back on top (49-47), but that would end up being Asheville's final lead of the night as UAB went on to retake the lead and hold it for the remainder of the contest.
BULLDOG LEADERBOARD
Drew Pember– Pember leads Asheville, averaging 18.7 points per game, 14 steals and 29 blocks. In Friday's game against UAB, Pember recorded his 200th career block as a Bulldog. Pember is No. 1 in the Big South and No. 33 in the NCAA in blocks per game (2.07). He also leads the Big South in free throws (94) and free throw attempts (114) and ranks No. 4 in the nation in both categories. Pember is No. 1 in the league in points per game.
Pember was named Big South Player of the Week on Jan. 2 for his efforts against UAB on Dec. 29. Pember recorded a game-high and season-high 30 points, three blocks, and six rebounds. He went 9-for-14 from the field and 12-for-13 from the charity stripe. Pember's weekly honor marks the first time since Dec. 2021 that the Bulldogs have earned back-to-back player of the week honors, as Josh Banks was named Player of the Week on Dec. 27.
Nick McMullen– McMullen closed the 2023 portion of the season out on a hot streak as the senior forward recorded three consecutive double-doubles in his last three appearances. McMullen recorded 12 rebounds and points on Dec. 21, 19 points and 11 rebounds on Dec. 23, and 14 rebounds and points on Dec. 29. He is averaging 9.7 points per game, leads the team averaging 7.0 rebounds a game, and, alongside Pember, has 14 steals.
Fletcher Abee- Abee is averaging 11.9 points and leads the team with a .442 3-point percentage. Abee is No. 1 in the Big South and No. 20 in the NCAA in three-point percentage, No. 1 in the league in 3-pointers per game (2.80), and No. 1 in the league and No. 20 in the nation in total 3-point field goals made (42). Abee also checks in at No. 3 in the Big South in three-point attempts (95).
Josh Banks– Banks is averaging the second-most points for the Bulldogs with 13.1 points per game. He has a .417 three-point shooting percentage. Banks is No. 3 in the conference in 3-points per game (2.33), total 3-point field goals made (35), and No. 4 in three-point attempts (84).
Caleb Burgess- Burgess leads the team with 79 assists and averages 5.3 per game, earning him the top spot in the Big South in both categories. Burgess is No. 17 in the nation in assists and No. 37 in assists per game.
AS A TEAM
Asheville is No. 1 in the Big South in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.30), assists per game (16.7), and blocks per game (4.4). Asheville is No. 12 in the NCAA in free throw attempts per game (25.9) and No. 18 in free throws made per game (18.5).
SCOUTING THE SPARTANS
Upstate enters Wednesday's contest after defeating NCAA Division II Coker 96-76 on Saturday, Dec. 30. Saturday's win for Upstate snapped a 3-game losing streak, as the Spartans fell to Kennesaw State on Dec. 9, Western Carolina on Dec. 16, and Davidson on Dec. 21. Upstate's last NCAA Division I win was on Dec. 2, against North Carolina Central.
The Spartans are being led this season by Trae Broadnax, averaging 13.0 points a game and 46 assists. Under the basket, Ahmir Langlais leads Upstate with 6.8 rebounds a game, 13 steals, and a .527 field goal percentage. Justin Bailey leads the conference in steals per game, averaging 1.92. Upstate leads the Big South in steals per game as a team, averaging 8.4.
STATISTICAL COMPARISON
|
2023-24 Season |
AVL |
UPST |
|
Scoring Average |
81.7 |
72.2 |
|
Opp. Scoring Average |
74.9 |
70.5 |
|
Scoring Margin |
6.8 |
1.7 |
|
FG Percentage |
.455 |
.436 |
|
3PT Percentage |
.365 |
.354 |
|
FT Percentage |
.714 |
.652 |
|
Rebounding Average |
37.1 |
33.5 |
|
Assists Per Game |
16.7 |
14.0 |
|
Steals Per Game |
5.8 |
8.4 |
|
Blocks Per Game |
4.4 |
2.9 |
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