University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
Presbyterian
Men’s Basketball Set for First Big South Road Test at Presbyterian
01.05.2024 | Men's Basketball
GAME DETAILS
- UNC Asheville (9-7, 1-0) vs. Presbyterian (9-7, 1-0)
- Saturday, January 6, 2024
- Clinton, S.C.; Templeton Center
- Time: 2 p.m.
- Watch Live: ESPN+
- Listen: Bulldog Radio Network (ESPN Asheville)
- Live Stats
ASHEVILLE'S LAST TIME OUT
Asheville opened Big South Conference play Wednesday evening with a 95-67 victory over USC Upstate in Kimmel Arena.
The Bulldogs tied the program and Big South record for the highest free throw percentage as the Bulldogs went 24-for-24 from the charity stripe. Asheville went 24-of-24 against High Point on Feb. 18, 2000, to set the program and conference record.
Upstate opened Wednesday's contest with back-to-back jumpers, but the Spartans' lead would be short-lived as a layup from McMullen sparked an 11-0 run to help the Bulldogs pull ahead by seven. A 3-pointer from Josh Banks would extend the Bulldogs to a 10-point lead with 14:37 remaining in the half (17-7).
Upstate would bring the score back within single digits twice but could not cut the Bulldogs' lead below eight. Asheville earned its largest lead of the half with 3:33 remaining, as McMullen connected for a jumper to put the Bulldogs ahead by 19 (41-22).
Upstate closed the first half on a 10-4 run, bringing Asheville's lead back down to 13, as the Bulldogs entered halftime leading 45-32.
Asheville did not hit the brakes entering the second half, as the Bulldogs extended their lead following a 13-0 run. A pair of free throws from Pember, followed by a made basket and a trip to the free throw line from Abee, sparked Asheville's run. Abee's made free throw gave the Bulldogs a 20-point lead (60-40). Back-to-back 3-pointers from Trent Stephney and Banks and a jumper from Burgess closed out Asheville's run.
Asheville's lead did not fall below 25 points for the rest of the contest, and the Bulldogs' largest lead of the night was 32 points, following a layup from Davion Cunningham.
BULLDOG LEADERBOARD
Drew Pember– Pember leads Asheville, averaging 18.9 points per game, 15 steals and 29 blocks. He recorded a game-high 22 points against Upstate and was a perfect 11-for-11 from the free throw line.
Pember is No. 1 in the Big South and No. 4 in the NCAA in free throws (105) and free throw attempts (125).
Fletcher Abee– Abee is averaging 11.8 points and leads the team with a .444 3-point percentage. Abee is No. 1 in the Big South and No. 18 in the NCAA in three-point percentage, No. 1 in the league in 3-pointers per game (2.75), and No. 1 in the league and No. 19 in the nation in total 3-point field goals made (44).
Josh Banks– Banks recorded 13 points against the Spartans and is averaging the second-most points for the Bulldogs with 13.1 points per game. He has a .420 three-point shooting percentage. Banks is No. 3 in the conference in total 3-point field goals made (37) and No. 4 in 3-pointers per game (2.31) and in three-point attempts (88).
Nick McMullen– McMullen recorded his fourth double-digit scoring outing on Wednesday, finishing with 14 points, adding seven rebounds and three steals to his stat line. McMullen is averaging 9.9 points a game.
Caleb Burgess– Burgess recorded a season-high 14 points and six field goals in Asheville's win against Upstate.
Burgess leads the team with 83 assists and averages 5.2 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. 38 in assists per game.
AS A TEAM
Asheville is No. 1 in the Big South in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.29), assists per game (16.6), and blocks per game (4.1). Asheville is No. 13 in the NCAA in free throw attempts per game (25.8) and No. 11 in free throws made per game (18.8).
SCOUTING THE BLUE HOSE
Presbyterian enters Saturday's contest 9-7 and 1-0 in conference play after defeating Charleston Southern 68-61 on Wednesday.
The Blue Hose started the season by upsetting Vanderbilt 68-62 in Nashville. Presbyterian has already surpassed their win total from the 2022-23 season, as the Blue Hose finished 5-27 and 1-17 in league play.
The Blue Hose are led this season by Marquis Barnett, averaging 13.3 points a game. He also leads the team in steals (30), blocks (14), and assists (45). Samage Teel is second on the team in scoring with 11.8 points a game and leads the team at the free throw line with a .840 percentage and 3-point shooting (.429). Jonah Pierce leads Presbyterian under the basket with a .606 field goal percentage and 88 rebounds, averaging 5.5 a game.
SERIES HISTORY
Asheville holds a 20-7 lead over the Blue Hose in the Division I era. The Bulldogs have won the last five games over Presbyterian, with two of their previous three games finishing in overtime.
The two teams' first meeting last season was in Kimmel Arena, with the Bulldogs winning 88-80 in overtime, with Pember breaking the school record for the most points scored in a game (48). Pember's outing was also the most points scored by any Division I men's basketball player last season.
The Bulldogs' other overtime victory against the Blue Hose was in Kimmel Arena on Feb. 26, 2022. The game went into triple overtime, the first time in program history, with Quay Kimble scoring the victory basket to help Asheville win 98-96.
STATISTICAL COMPARISON
|
2023-24 Season |
AVL |
PC |
|
Scoring Average |
82.5 |
77.7 |
|
Opp. Scoring Average |
74.4 |
71.6 |
|
Scoring Margin |
8.1 |
6.1 |
|
FG Percentage |
.463 |
.488 |
|
3PT Percentage |
.368 |
.346 |
|
FT Percentage |
.731 |
.647 |
|
Rebounding Average |
36.8 |
34.6 |
|
Assists Per Game |
16.6 |
14.2 |
|
Steals Per Game |
6.0 |
7.0 |
|
Blocks Per Game |
4.1 |
3.1 |
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