University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
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North Florida
GAME PREVIEW: Bulldogs Welcome Ospreys to Asheville for Second Half of Home-and-Home Series
12.16.2024 | Men's Basketball
GAME DETAILS
- UNC Asheville (6-4) vs. North Florida (7-4)
- Tuesday, December 17, 2024
- 6:30 p.m.
- Asheville, N.C. || Kimmel Arena
- Watch: ESPN+
- Listen: Bulldog Radio Network (570 WWNC) | (Brian Hall, play-by-play; Mike Gore, analyst)
- Live Stats
- Tickets
- Gameday Central
- Promotion: All K-12 students in the WNC Area receive free admission to tomorrow's game. Holiday stocking giveaway.
LAST TIME OUT
The annual Mountain Rivalry did not disappoint for the Bulldogs, as Asheville routed Western Carolina 78-61 on Saturday (Dec. 14). Josh Banks led Asheville's offensive charge as he scored a game-high 21 points, went 9-13 from the field and 1-2 from 3-point distance to shoot 69.2% from the field. He added five rebounds to his final stat line.
Neither team took a significant lead in the opening minutes of the contest until a jumper and 3-pointer from Banks put Asheville ahead by three and sparked a 15-2 run from the Bulldogs. A jumper from Fletcher Abee concluded Asheville's run as the Bulldogs took a 27-16 lead with under 10 minutes to go in the first half. Asheville led by eight points or more for the remainder of the contest.
BULLDOGS ON THE COURT
Banks is leading Asheville's offense, averaging 15.4 points per game. He is second on the team with a .415 3-point shooting percentage, as he is 22-53 from distance. Toyaz Solomon is the next Bulldog, averaging double figures with 14.2 points. He leads the team, averaging 7.2 boards a game, and has a team-high 12 blocks and a team-high .569 field goal percentage, as he is 62-109 from the field.
Jordan Marsh is right behind Solomon with 14.1 points a game and leads the team with 37 assists and 14 steals. Abee is the final Bulldog averaging double figures with 12 points per game. He leads the team with a .455 3-point shooting percentage and is 30-66 from distance.
Among Big South leaders, Abee leads the league in 3-point field goal percentage (.455) and 3-point field goals per game (3.0). Banks is second in both categories with a .425 3-point percentage and 2.8 3-point field goals per game. Marsh leads the league in free throw percentage with a .882.
As a team, Asheville leads the Big South in 3-point field goals made, averaging 8.5 per game, and opponent field goal percentage, as Asheville is limiting its opponents to a .291 3-point shooting percentage. The Bulldogs have the best assist-to-turnover ratio in the league, at 1.16. The Bulldogs also lead the league in assists, with 14.50 per game.
EARLIER THIS SEASON…
Tuesday marks the second time this season that Asheville and North Florida have faced each other, with the Bulldogs winning the contest in Jacksonville 89-75. Asheville's first win of the season was against the Ospreys back in November. Six Bulldogs found their way into double-digit scoring, with Toyaz Solomon leading with 20 points, Josh Banks with 17 points, Fletcher Abee with 13 points, Jordan Marsh with 13 points, Kameron Taylor with 11 points, and Jemal Davis with 10.
SCOUTING NORTH FLORIDA
Tuesday's contest marks the second meeting between the two programs.
The Ospreys have five individuals averaging double-digit points, with Josh Harris leading the way with 16.4 points per game. Harris has a .647 field goal shooting percentage, as he is 77-119 from the field. Against Asheville earlier this season, Harris had eight points and six rebounds.
Jasai Miles is averaging 14.1 points per game and 7.7 rebounds per game. He had 13 points and nine rebounds against the Bulldogs in November. Nate Lliteras is next, averaging 13.5 points per game, and has a team-high 12 blocks. He had a team-high 19 points for North Florida and went 5-8 from 3-point range against Asheville already. Liam Murphy is averaging 13.1 points per game and leads the team with 39 3-pointers for a .476 shooting percentage. The final Osprey averaging double-figures is Jaylen Smith, with 12.5 points per game. Smith leads the team with 70 assists.
North Florida is currently tied for first in the ASun with North Alabama, with a 7-4 record.
STATISTICAL COMPARISON
2024-25 Season Asheville North Florida
Scoring Offense 80.0 88.5Scoring Defense 74.2 81.5
Scoring Margin 6.6 7.0
FG Percentage 46.1% 46.3%
FG Pct. Defense 43.9% 46.8%
3PT Percentage 35.9% 37.0%
FT Percentage 67.5% 64.8%
Rebounds Per Game 37.1 40.3
Assists Per Game 14.5 17.6
Steals Per Game 7.5 6.0
Blocks Per Game 3.5 3.0
THE REMAINING 2024 PORTION OF THE SEASON
- Tuesday marks the fourth of five home games for the Bulldogs after opening the season with seven road games.
- Asheville will close its five-game home stretch by hosting Virginia University of Lynchburg on Thursday, Dec. 19. Asheville defeated the Dragons 114-59 last season.
- The Bulldogs travel to face UNC Wilmington next Saturday, Dec. 21, for Asheville's final road game of 2024.
- The Bulldogs' final game of the calendar year is against Columbia International University on Monday, Dec. 30, in Kimmel Arena.
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