University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
High Point
GAME PREVIEW: Bulldogs Set for Battle Atop Big South Standings with High Point
02.06.2024 | Men's Basketball
GAME DETAILS
- UNC Asheville (15-9, 7-2) vs. High Point (20-4, 9-0)
- Wednesday, February 7, 2024
- Asheville, N.C. || Kimmel Arena
- Time: 6:30 p.m.
- Watch Live: ESPN+
- Listen: Bulldog Radio Network (ESPN Asheville)
- Live Stats
- Game Day Central
- Tickets
- Game Presented by Virtelle Hospitality
PROMOTIONS
- Wednesday is the final men's basketball game fans can bring canned food items to donate to the Ingles I-26 Rivalry food drive. Both Asheville and USC Upstate are collecting canned food items as a part of the rivalry with the school that brings in the most items, earning a point in the competition. Fans who bring a canned food item on Wednesday will receive a half-priced ticket. For more information, contact the Box Office at 828-258-7900.
- If Kimmel Arena has 3,000 fans in attendance this season, Kimmel and Associates will donate $3,000 to the Bulldog Scholarship Fund.
ASHEVILLE'S LAST TIME OUT
For the first time since the 2011-12 season, the UNC Asheville men's basketball team has swept Winthrop during the regular season, as Asheville defeated Winthrop 82-78 on Saturday, Feb. 3, in Kimmel Arena.
Asheville's offense connected for four consecutive 3-pointers to get on the board, with Fletcher Abee scoring the first and third baskets, Drew Pember scoring the second, and Trent Stephney rounding out the run to help Asheville jump ahead 10-2. Winthrop brought the score back within three before a layup and triple from Pember extended Asheville's lead back out to eight (17-9).
The Eagles responded by once again bringing the score back within three (17-14), but the Bulldogs answered with a 9-2 run to go ahead by 10 (26-16). Asheville earned its largest lead of the game at 15 points following a jumper over the backboard from Pember with 7:23 remaining (34-19). In the final minutes of the first half, Winthrop went on a 7-0 run to bring the score back within three before Pember closed the half with a 3-pointer to enter the second frame ahead 42-36.
Winthrop opened the second half on a 17-4 run to take a seven-point lead with 13:50 remaining (53-46). Winthrop extended its lead to nine over the next three minutes of action before a triple from Abee helped tip the momentum back in Asheville's favor. Nearly two minutes later, Pember connected for a 3-pointer to bring the score back within three and went on to tie the game at 63 with 7:05 remaining. Five ties and five lead changes would spark over the next five minutes of action, with Caleb Burgess earning Asheville the lead for good following a successful trip to the free-throw line. Pember helped extend the lead to five following a 3-pointer with 39 seconds remaining. Winthrop worked its way back within two, but Pember helped provide some insurance for the Bulldogs with a trip to the free-throw line, and Asheville went on to earn the regular season sweep.
PEMBER EARNS BIG SOUTH HONORS
Pember averaged 24.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 4.0 assists while shooting 59.3 percent from the floor (16-of-27) and 50.0 from beyond the arc (7-of-14) against Gardner-Webb (Jan. 31) and Winthrop (Feb. 3) to earn Big South Co-Player of the Week honors.
Pember matched his season-high of 36 points, posted a season-high six threes, tallied seven assists, and recorded his sixth double-double with 11 rebounds in Asheville's victory over Winthrop. Pember has earned weekly honors in the league twice this season and 10 times throughout his career.
On the season, Pember leads Asheville, averaging 21.0 points, 7.6 boards, and 44 blocks. Pember is No. 1 in the Big South and No. 30 in the nation in blocks and ranks No. 1 in the league in blocks per game (1.91). He is No. 1 in the league and No. 9 in the nation in points (483), top of the conference, and No. 14 in the NCAA in points per game. On the defensive side, Pember leads the league in defensive boards, averaging 6.13 a game.
ABEE & BANKS LEADING FROM DISTANCE
Abee and Banks are No. 2 and No. 3 in the league in 3-pointers per game and total 3-point field goals made. Abee is averaging 2.25 threes and has 54, and Banks is averaging 2.17 and has 52 on the season.
Banks is averaging 13.3 points per game, and Abee is averaging 10.3.
McMULLEN DOMINATING UNDER THE BASKET
Nick McMullen is the fourth Bulldog averaging double-digit points with 10.5 points per game. McMullen leads the team with a .607 field goal percentage, 49 offensive rebounds, and 24 steals.
MR. HELPING HAND
Burgess leads the team and the Big South with 115 assists and 4.8 assists per game.
Burgess and Banks are the only two Bulldogs who have started and played in all 24 games.
AS A TEAM
The Bulldogs are No. 1 in the Big South in assist/turnover ratio (1.27), assists per game (15.8), blocks per game (4.2), effective field goal percentage (.542), and three-point percentage (.376).
The Bulldogs are No. 9 in the nation in free throws made per game (18.3) and No. 11 in free throw attempts per game (24.9).
LAST TIME AGAINST THE PANTHERS
The Bulldogs fell in their first matchup with the Panthers this season 84-79 on Wednesday, Jan. 10.
High Point entered the second half leading by three after Asheville closed the first half out by cutting HPU's lead down from double-digits.
The Panthers opened the second frame on a 13-5 run, extending their lead to 11 (53-42). High Point did not lead by more than 11 and held no less than a two-possession lead until 2:22 left in the game. Abee was fouled and sent to the free throw line, with his second shot bringing the score within three points (76-73). Less than 10 seconds later, Pember appeared at the free throw line, sinking both of his shots to bring the score within one; however, this would be as close as Asheville would get, as the Panthers answered with back-to-back field goals, and the Bulldogs were unable to perform the comeback.
SCOUTING HIGH POINT
High Point enters Wednesday's contest after defeating Presbyterian 78-68 on Feb. 3.
The Panthers are led this season by Duke Miles, averaging 19.1 points and a .574 field goal percentage.
Kezza Giffa, who also earned Big South Co-Player of the Week honors, is second on the team in scoring as he is averaging 16.9 points and leads the team averaging 3.6 assists. Giffa leads the team from the charity stripe with a .876 free throw percentage and is No. 1 in the league and NCAA in free throws with 177. Giffa is No. 1 in the Big South and No. 3 in the nation in free throw attempts with 202.
Juslin Bodo Bodo is High Point's leading rebounder, averaging 8.2 a game.
As a team, the Panthers are the top team in the nation in free throws and free throw attempts, as High Point is No. 1 with 27.5 free throw attempts per game and 21.5 free throws made per game. High Point is No. 1 in the league and No. 12 in the NCAA in free throw percentage, shooting .782 as a team.
The Panthers rank No. 1 in the league in scoring margin (11.2), scoring offense (84.9), three-point attempts per game (23.9), three-pointers per game (8.5), turnovers per game (10.9) and winning percentage (.833).
On the defensive end, High Point is No. 1 in the Big South in defensive rebounds per game with 27.25 and No. 1 in rebounds per game with 40.08.
SERIES HISTORY
- Overall- Asheville leads 37-26
- Morrell vs. High Point- 5-5
- First Meeting- L 82-94 1967-68 | First D1 Meeting- W 92-67 Jan. 24, 1998
- Last Meeting- L 84-79 Jan. 10, 2024
- Last UNC Asheville Win- Feb. 2, 2023 (89-63)
- Last High Point Win- Jan. 10, 2024
- Series Record at High Point- 9-16 (D1 era)
- Series Record at UNC Asheville- 20-7 (D1 era)
- Series Streak- High Point W1
- Last 10 Matchups- 5-5
- Largest Margin of Victory- 88-58 Jan. 7, 2017
STATISTICAL COMPARISON
|
2023-24 Season |
AVL |
HPU |
| Scoring Average | 80.7 | 84.9 |
| Opp. Scoring Average | 74.3 | 73.7 |
| Scoring Margin | 6.4 | 11.2 |
| FG Percentage | .469 | .469 |
| 3PT Percentage | .376 | .356 |
| FT Percentage | .736 | .782 |
| Rebounding Average | 35.3 | 40.1 |
| Assists Per Game | 15.8 | 12.2 |
| Steals Per Game | 5.8 | 5.0 |
| Blocks Per Game | 4.3 | 3.4 |
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