University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
Virginia University of Lynchburg
GAME PREVIEW: Asheville Closes Out Five-Game Home Stretch Against VUL on Thursday
12.18.2024 | Men's Basketball
GAME DETAILS
- UNC Asheville (7-4) vs. Virginia University of Lynchburg (0-15)
- Thursday, December 19, 2024
- 6:30 p.m.
- Asheville, N.C. || Kimmel Arena
- Watch: ESPN+ (Matt Stradley, play-by-play; Coty Jude, analyst)
- 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
Asheville enters Thursday's contest following Tuesday's 95-81 win against North Florida. Tuesday's win marked Asheville's second victory over the Ospreys this season and the Bulldogs' fourth consecutive win. It was also the sixth game this season in which the Bulldogs have secured a double-digit victory.
North Florida entered Tuesday's contest at No. 1 in the nation in 3-pointers per game, averaging 13.7, and the Bulldogs held the Ospreys to 12. The Ospreys are also No. 6 in scoring, as they are averaging 88.5 points a game, and the Bulldogs held them at 81.
The Bulldogs held the lead for 38:49 of Tuesday's contest, led by Toyaz Solomon, who had a career-high 24 points, going 9-13 from the field, 6-8 from the free-throw line, with nine rebounds and three steals. The Ospreys secured the first points before Fletcher Abee equalized with a 3-pointer, followed by a layup from Solomon 1:11 into the game. Solomon's layup secured the lead for Asheville for the remainder of the contest.
BULLDOGS ON THE COURT
Solomon is leading Asheville's offense, averaging 15.1 points per game. He leads the team with 7.4 boards a game, has a team-high 12 blocks, and a team-high .582 field goal percentage, as he is 71-122 from the field.
Josh Banks closely follows, averaging 15 points per game. He is second on the team with a .397 3-point shooting percentage, shooting 23-58 from distance.
Jordan Marsh is right behind Banks with 14.5 points a game and leads the team with 44 assists and 15 steals. Abee is the final Bulldog averaging double figures with 11.9 points per game. He leads the team with a .465 3-point shooting percentage, as he is 33-71 from distance.
Among Big South leaders, Abee and Banks lead the league in 3-point field goal percentage and 3-point field goals per game (3.0 and 2.6). Abee is No. 25 in the nation in 3-point percentage. Marsh leads the league in free throw percentage with a .895 and is No. 3 in assists (4.0 apg). Greg Gantt Jr. leads the league in assist/turnover ratio (2.2), and Solomon is No. 3 in field goal percentage.
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 .292 3-point shooting percentage. The Bulldogs also lead the league in assists with 15 per game.
LAST YEAR AGAINST THE DRAGONS
Asheville's last game against VUL featured Abee breaking the school record for most 3-pointers in a single game. He finished with nine 3-pointers and 32 points to help Asheville to a 114-59 victory over Virginia University of Lynchburg. Abee's nine triples also led the team to tie the program record for most team 3-pointers in a game with 19.
Abee's 3-point record was short-lived as Banks reset the record with 10 3-pointers nearly a month later against App State.
THE REMAINING 2024 PORTION OF THE SEASON
- Thursday concludes Asheville's five-game home stretch after the Bulldogs opened the season with seven road games.
- 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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