GAME PREVIEW: Asheville Hosts CIU in Final Home Game of 2024

GAME DETAILS

UNC Asheville (8-5) vs. Columbia International (11-1)
Monday, December 30, 2024
6:30 p.m.
Asheville, N.C. || Kimmel Arena
ESPN+ (Brian Hand, play-by-play; Betsy Blose, 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 will receive free admission to tomorrow's game.

LAST TIME OUT

The UNC Asheville men's basketball team made its final road trip of the 2024 calendar year on Saturday, Dec. 21, and despite out-scoring the Seahawks in the second half, the Bulldogs fell 85-74 to UNC Wilmington.
The Bulldogs' first basket from the field was Fletcher Abee's 300th career 3-pointer.

BULLDOG STAT LEADERS

Josh Banks leads Asheville, averaging 15.4 points per game. Banks is second on the team with a .395 3-point percentage.
Toyaz Solomon follows, averaging 14.9 points per game. He leads the team with a .590 field goal percentage, 7.8 rebounds per game, and 18 blocks.
Jordan Marsh is Asheville's third leading scorer, averaging 14.2 points per game. He leads the team with 53 assists and 19 steals.
Abee is the final Bulldog, averaging double figures with 11.5 points per game. He leads the team with a .455 3-point shooting percentage, as he is 35-77 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, with each individual averaging 2.9. Abee is No. 24 in the nation in 3-point percentage.
Marsh leads the league in free throw percentage with a .905, is No. 3 in assists (4.1 apg), and No. 5 in steals (1.5 avg/g).
Greg Gantt Jr. leads the league in assist/turnover ratio (2.3).
Solomon is No. 1 in the league in field goal percentage and No. 3 in rebounding.
As a team, Asheville leads the Big South in 3-point field goals made (8.9), assists (15.46) and blocked shots (4.23).

A LOOK AT CIU

The Rams enter Monday's game after a tough 95-89 loss to Big South Conference foe Charleston Southern on Saturday (Dec. 28).
CIU currently has the best start in program history with an 11-1 record. The Rams are tied for first in the Appalachian Athletic Conference at 6-1.
The Rams received 41 votes in the most recent edition of the NAIA Coaches Top 25 Poll.
CIU is currently ranked as the top team in the National Christian College Athletic Association's (NCCAA) Coaches' Top Ten ranking.
CIU returns just one starter from the 2023-2024 season, senior forward Christian Howard.
Junior Will Kelly is currently averaging 16.4 ppg and has two games over 30 points this season. Kelly is shooting 47% from beyond the arc and has two games with seven made threes.
Junior JJ Vaughan scored 24 points in just 19 minutes, including six 3-pointers versus Charleston Southern.

STATISTICAL COMPARISON

A LOOK AT 2025

Monday marks Asheville's final nonconference contest of the season.
The Bulldogs open Big South Conference play on Saturday, Jan. 4, at 2 p.m. in Kimmel Arena against High Point University. Kids get free entry into Asheville's Jan. 4 game, and adults can receive 25% off their ticket with the coupon code BACK2SCHOOL.
Tickets to the Big South Conference Basketball Championships are now on sale, and can be purchased HERE.

To stay updated with Asheville men's basketball, follow the team on 𝕩.

University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics