University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
2-3,0-0Big South
Central Arkansas
2-4,0-0ASUN
Bulldogs Edged in Double Overtime Despite Abee Matching Career-High
11.24.2024 | Men's Basketball
CONWAY, Ark. – It was an all-out battle Sunday afternoon in the Farris Center as the UNC Asheville men's basketball team and the Central Arkansas Bears went into double overtime, with the Bears coming out on top 92-83 to give Asheville its third loss of the season.
At the end of regulation, the teams were locked up at 71, and at the end of the first overtime period, the score was tied at 79. In the second overtime period, UCA outscored Asheville 13-4.
Fletcher Abee matched his career-high in 3-pointers with nine, as he went 9-19 from distance for a game-high 27 points. Josh Banks followed with 17 points, going 5-12 from distance. Toyaz Solomon turned in his second consecutive double-double with 15 points and rebounds, and Jordan Marsh was the final Bulldog in double figures with 14 points, adding six assists to his stat line.
Asheville got a hot start, with Abee and Banks hitting back-to-back 3-pointers to start the game. Banks gave Asheville its largest lead of the night with his second triple less than three minutes into the game to put Asheville ahead by seven (9-2). The Bears responded with a 7-0 run to even the score at nine. With 13:29 left in the first half, a jumper by UCA's Layne Taylor put the Bears ahead 13-11, and UCA held the lead for the remainder of the half. With 3:54 left in the opening frame, Abee tied the score at 27 with a 3-pointer, but Central Arkansas closed the half on an 11-3 run to enter the second half ahead 38-30.
Abee had 12 points at the half with four 3-pointers, and Banks had nine points with three 3-pointers.
UCA opened the second half with a 3-pointer to help the Bears to their largest lead of the game at 11 points. The Bears led by five points or more over the next six minutes of action before a jumper from Jemal Davis put Asheville within four, and a 3-pointer from Abee made it a one-point game (53-52). Less than a minute later, Abee connected for another triple to put Asheville back in the lead 55-53. The Bears managed to get back out front, extending their lead by eight points with 2:18 left in the game. Trailing 71-63, Marsh closed the second half out with eight points to tie the game at 71 and send it into overtime. Marsh made four free throws and two layups to ultimately send the game into overtime.
Marsh's terror on the court continued as he opened the first overtime period with a layup for his 10th consecutive point. With 3:30 left in the period, Central Arkansas took a one-point lead following a layup and extended it to a 3-point lead. Trailing by three with 33 remaining, Abee connected for his ninth 3-pointer to tie the game at 79 and send it into a second overtime period.
In the second overtime, Central Arkansas opened the period with two layups and a 3-pointer to jump ahead 86-79. The Bulldogs were unable to make up the distance, and UCA went on to earn the victory.
Asheville will be back in action next Sunday (Dec. 1) as the Bulldogs travel to Tennessee State to take on the Tigers at 2 p.m. in Nashville.
