University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
Radford
GAME PREVIEW: Men’s Basketball Welcomes Radford to Kimmel Arena
01.23.2024 | Men's Basketball
GAME DETAILS
- UNC Asheville (12-8, 4-1) vs. Radford (12-8, 2-3)
- Wednesday, January 24, 2024
- Asheville, N.C. || Kimmel Arena
- Time: 6:30 p.m.
- Watch Live: ESPN+ | PxP: Matt Stradley, Analyst: John Williams
- Listen: Bulldog Radio Network (ESPN Asheville) | PxP: Brian Hall, Analyst: Mike Gore
- Live Stats
- Tickets
- Game Presented by Safelight/Stuller Power
- Game Day Central
PROMOTIONS
- PAINT KIMMEL BLUE (Blue Out)
- First 800 fans to the game will receive a replica basketball jersey
- Big South Trophy Tour
- Coaches vs. Cancer
- If Kimmel Arena has 3,000 fans in attendance, Kimmel & Associates will donate $3,000 to the scholarship fund
ASHEVILLE'S LAST TIME OUT
In one of the more intense rivalries in the Big South Conference, the UNC Asheville Bulldogs defeated Winthrop University 82-77 on Thursday evening (Jan. 18). Asheville's victory in Rock Hill is the Bulldogs' second victory in the coliseum since 2011. The Bulldogs defeated Winthrop in Rock Hill on Jan. 29, 2021, when fan attendance was not allowed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Asheville's victory on Thursday was the first victory for the Bulldogs with a crowd in attendance since Dec. 31, 2011.
Winthrop opened Thursday's contest on an 8-2 run, but the Bulldogs would follow with an 11-3 run to tie the game at 12. The Eagles would go on to retake the lead and hold it for the remainder of the half, going on an 8-0 run to extend their lead out to 10 with 4:34 remaining. Trent Stephney would end Winthrop's run with a three-pointer, but the Eagles went into the break leading by seven (43-36).
Asheville made quick work out of the break, bringing Winthrop's lead down to two. Asheville tied the game at 49 following a jumper from Fletcher Abee. Winthrop regained its lead before Abee sank a triple to help the Bulldogs earn their first lead of the half (52-51).
Over the next three minutes, there would be two ties and three lead changes before both teams went scoreless for over two minutes. With 7:59 remaining, Stephney connected for back-to-back triples to help cut Winthrop's lead down to one (66-65). The Eagles retook the lead before Caleb Burgess' driving layup evened the score at 70. Following a missed free throw from Burgess, Drew Pember secured the rebound and found Banks on the perimeter, where he connected for the lead-securing basket.
PEMBER ON TOP OF THE CHARTS
Drew Pember recorded his fifth double-double of the season against Winthrop, scoring 29 points and 10 boards. Against the Eagles, he was a perfect 12-for-12 from the charity stripe and is 57-for-59 from the free throw line in conference play.
Drew Pember leads the Bulldogs, averaging 20.5 points per game, 7.5 rebounds a game, a .873 free throw percentage, and 38 blocks. Pember is the third player in Big South history with 1,600 points (1,611), 600 rebounds (668), and 200 blocked shots (211).
Pember is No. 1 in the nation in free throws with 151 and No. 2 in attempts with 173. Pember ranks first in the conference and 15th in the nation in points with 390, first in the conference, and 20th in the nation in points per game. Pember leads the league in blocks and blocks per game with 38 and 2.00.
BANKS AND ABEE FIND SUCCESS FROM LONG-RANGE
Josh Banks finished Thursday's contest with 14 points, going 4-for-7 from the field and 2-for-3 from distance. With the game tied at 70, Banks connected for a triple to secure the Bulldogs' lead for the remainder of the contest.
Banks is second on the team in scoring, averaging 13.1 points per game.
Banks and Burgess are the only two Bulldogs who have played and started in all 20 games this season.
Fletcher Abee finished with 10 points and went 4-for-13 from the field, with two baskets coming from distance against Winthrop. Abee averages 10.4 points per game and leads the team with a .420 three-point shooting percentage.
McMULLEN ON HOT STREAK
Nick McMullen is the fourth Bulldog averaging double-digit points per game, with 10.2. McMullen leads the team with a .606 field goal percentage and is second with 6.7 rebounds per game.
LENDING A HELPING HAND
Caleb Burgess leads the team with 95 assists and averages 4.8 per game, earning him the top spot in the Big South in both categories.
MR. PERFECT
Trent Stephney has had back-to-back perfect games from the field, as he is 6-for-6 from distance since Jan. 13. Stephney is averaging 4.7 points a game and is 18-for-34 from the 3-point arc.
AS A TEAM
Asheville is No. 1 in the Big South in assists per game (16.1), assist-to-turnover ratio (1.26), and blocks per game (4.2). Asheville is No. 4 in the NCAA in free throws made per game (19.3) and No. 7 in free throw attempts per game (26.2).
SCOUTING THE HIGHLANDERS
Radford enters Wednesday's contest following a 64-61 victory over USC Upstate on Saturday, Jan. 20.
The Highlanders are led this season by Kenyon Giles, who is averaging 14.8 points a game and 59 assists. Giles leads the Big South in field goal attempts with 274. DaQuan Smith follows closely behind with 14.2 points a game. Bryan Antoine and Chandler Turner are the final Highlanders, averaging double figures with 10.9 and 10.8 points per game, respectively. Bryan leads the team with a .422 3-point shooting percentage and a .868 free-throw shooting percentage. Justin Archer is Highland's leading rebounder with 147 (7.7 per game).
As a team, the Highlanders are No. 1 in the conference in three-point percentage (.373).
SERIES HISTORY
- Overall- Asheville leads 41-39
- Morrell vs. Radford- 5-3
- First Meeting (D1 Era) - W 64-62 1985-86
- Last Meeting- W 63-54 Feb. 16, 2023
- Last UNC Asheville Win- Feb. 16, 2023
- Last Radford Win- Jan. 25, 2021
- Series Record at Radford- 12-23
- Series Record at UNC Asheville- 23-12
- Series Record at Neutral Sites- 6-2
- Series Streak- UNC Asheville W3
- Last 10 Matchups- 6-4
- Largest Margin of Victory- 105-76 Feb. 25, 1989
STATISTICAL COMPARISON
|
2023-24 Season |
AVL |
RU |
|
Scoring Average |
81.5 |
73.2 |
|
Opp. Scoring Average |
74.6 |
70.2 |
|
Scoring Margin |
6.9 |
3.2 |
|
FG Percentage |
.463 |
.459 |
|
3PT Percentage |
.368 |
.373 |
|
FT Percentage |
.737 |
.739 |
|
Rebounding Average |
36.3 |
35.0 |
|
Assists Per Game |
16.1 |
11.5 |
|
Steals Per Game |
6.2 |
6.1 |
|
Blocks Per Game |
4.2 |
3.6 |
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