University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
13-8,5-1Big South
Radford
12-9,2-4Big South
Team Effort Guides Men’s Basketball to Victory Over Radford
01.24.2024 | Men's Basketball
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The UNC Asheville men's basketball team's starting five players reached double-digit scoring to help the Bulldogs defeat Radford University 81-69 Wednesday evening inside Kimmel Arena.
BY THE NUMBERS
Josh Banks recorded a game-high 19 points, going 8-for-13 from the field and 3-for-6 from 3-point shooting. Nick McMullen followed with 18 points, going 8-for-9 from the field.
Drew Pember finished with 14 points, adding eight rebounds, five assists, two steals, and a block to his stat line. Fletcher Abee finished with 12 points, going 4-for-7 and 2-for-3 from 3-point range. Caleb Burgess finished with 11 points and six assists.
As a team, the Bulldogs were 31-for-52 (.596%) from the field, 7-for-16 (.438%) from the perimeter, and 12-for-14 (.857%) from the charity stripe.
Radford also had five players reach double-digit scoring, with DaQuan Smith leading the way with 15 points. The Highlanders were 25-for-54 (.463%) from the field, 9-for-25 (.360%) from 3-point shooting, and 10-for-11 (.909%) from the charity stripe.
ON THE COURT
The Highlanders jumped out to a six-point lead in the opening minutes of the game before Asheville stormed back, tying the game at 13 following a triple from Banks. Radford once again extended their lead, going on an 8-0 run (21-13). Back-to-back triples from Banks and Abee quickly cut down on Radford's lead, and a successful trip to the free-throw line from Burgess tied the game at 21.
Tied at 31 with 5:09 remaining, Asheville went on an 11-2 run, sparked by a layup from Greg Gantt Jr. and a triple from Abee. Asheville's run helped the Bulldogs enter halftime leading 42-36.
Asheville's momentum carried over to the second frame, with Pember connecting for the first five points of the half, earning the Bulldogs their first double-digit lead (47-36). Asheville held a double-digit lead, extending it out by as many as 15 following a jumper in the paint from Banks, over five minutes of action before a triple from Smith helped the Highlanders cut Asheville's lead down to eight (59-51).
With 7:33 remaining, Radford made it a two-possession game, trailing the Bulldogs by four, before Burgess went on a 5-0 run. Burgess connected for a fastbreak jumper, drew a foul for a trip to the free throw line, and connected for another jumper to help Asheville retake a nine-point lead. Radford brought the game back within five with 2:22 remaining, but that was as close as the Highlanders would get, as Asheville closed the game out on a 10-3 run to earn the win.
UP NEXT
With Wednesday's win, the Bulldogs advance to 13-8 overall and 5-1 in Big South Conference play.
Asheville returns to the court on Saturday, Jan. 27, as they travel to Charleston Southern to play the Buccaneers at 5:30 p.m. The men's game will follow the women's game at 2 p.m.
