University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
USC Upstate
GAME PREVIEW: Bulldogs Set for Second Installment of Ingles I-26 Rivalry Against Spartans
02.09.2024 | Men's Basketball
GAME DETAILS
- UNC Asheville (16-9, 8-2) vs. USC Upstate (8-15, 3-7)
- Saturday, February 10, 2024
- Spartanburg, S.C. || G.B. Hodge Center
- Time: 4 p.m.
- Watch Live: ESPN+
- Listen: Bulldog Radio Network (WWNC)
- Live Stats
ASHEVILLE'S LAST TIME OUT
It was an electric Wednesday evening in Kimmel Arena as the UNC Asheville men's basketball team defeated High Point 86-81, giving the Panthers their first Big South Conference loss of the season.
Fletcher Abee set the tone out of the gate with a jumper, followed by a layup from McMullen to give the Bulldogs a 4-0 lead. High Point tied the game three times over the opening 3:27 of play but was unable to take the lead, as a jumper from Banks put Asheville ahead 11-9 and sparked a 9-1 run to help the Bulldogs take a 10-point lead. Five of Asheville's points during the run came from free throws.
A jumper from Abee helped Asheville earn its largest lead of the night at 12 points with 11:57 remaining in the half, but High Point answered with a 10-0 run to bring the score within two (24-22). The Bulldogs responded with a run of their own, pushing their lead back out to eight, courtesy of Banks and Trent Stephney. Banks and Stephney recorded back-to-back old-fashioned triples to help cushion Asheville's lead (30-22).
Asheville's extended lead was short-lived, as High Point tied the game with an 8-0 run. Tied at 32, Asheville closed the first half on a 10-2 run, with a triple from Abee sending Asheville into the second half ahead 42-34. At the half, Abee led the Bulldogs with 12 points.
The Bulldogs remained in the lead through the opening 9:48 of action until back-to-back jumpers from High Point tied the game at 57. This would be the first of four ties over the next minute of action, with Duke Miles earning High Point its first lead of the night following a free throw (64-63). Banks retook the lead for Asheville before a triple from High Point gave the Panthers a two-point lead.
A jumper in the paint followed by a trip to the free throw line from McMullen put Asheville back in the lead 68-67. Asheville would hold its lead for the remainder of the game, with McMullen recording 11 of the 18 points Asheville scored in the final seven minutes of play.
BULLDOG STRONG FIVE
Against High Point, Asheville's starting five all reached double-digit scoring for the second time this season.
Nick McMullen led the Bulldogs on Wednesday with 19 points after scoring only two in the first half. McMullen went 6-for-8 from the field and 7-for-8 from the charity stripe. McMullen added seven rebounds to his stat line. McMullen averages 10.8 points per game and leads Asheville with a .614 field-goal percentage and 50 offensive rebounds.
The reigning Big South Co-Player of the Week, Drew Pember, finished Wednesday's contest with 13 points, eight rebounds, five assists and two blocks. The fifth-year senior leads Asheville with 20.7 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 46 blocks. Pember is No. 2 in the nation and the conference in free throws with 174 and No. 6 in the nation and No. 2 in the league in free throw attempts (201).
Pember is No. 1 in the conference in blocks, blocks per game (1.92), points (496), points per game, and defensive rebounds (6.17). Pember is No. 10 in the nation in points and No. 18 in points per game.
Pember and McMullen lead Asheville with 24 steals each.
Fletcher Abee finished Wednesday's game with 17 points, going 5-for-10 from the field and 3-for-4 from 3-point range. He was a perfect 4-of-4 from the free throw line. Abee averages 10.6 points a game and leads the team with a .425 3-point shooting percentage.
Caleb Burgess recorded 15 points against High Point, going 7-for-11 from the field and 1-of-2 from long distance. Burgess ended the first half with seven points and scored eight of the Bulldogs' first 15 points in the second half. Burgess added six assists to his stat line. On the season, Burgess is averaging 6.8 points and has 121 assists. Burgess is No. 1 in the conference in assists and assists per game with 4.8.
Josh Banks rounded out the Bulldogs with 11 points on Wednesday and is averaging 13.2 points a game.
AS A TEAM
The Bulldogs are No. 1 in the Big South in assist/turnover ratio (1.26), assists per game (15.8), blocks per game (4.3), effective field goal percentage (.541), and three-point percentage (.375).
The Bulldogs are No. 7 in the nation in free throws made per game (18.7) and No. 9 in free throw attempts per game (25.1).
LAST TIME AGAINST UPSTATE
Asheville was a perfect 24-of-24 at the free throw line to help themselves to a 95-67 victory over USC Upstate to open Big South Conference play on Jan. 3.
Upstate opened the game with a 4-0 lead, but their lead was short-lived as a layup from McMullen sparked an 11-0 run. Upstate would bring the score back within single digits twice but could not cut the Bulldogs' lead below eight. Asheville earned its largest lead of the half with 3:33 remaining, as McMullen connected for a jumper to put the Bulldogs ahead by 19 (41-22). Upstate closed the first half on a 10-4 run, bringing Asheville's lead back down to 13, as the Bulldogs entered halftime leading 45-32.
Asheville opened the second half on a 13-0 run and never looked back, earning their largest lead of the night at 32 points following a layup from Davion Cunningham.
SCOUTING THE SPARTANS
Upstate enters Saturday's contest following a 69-64 victory over Longwood on Feb. 7.
The Spartans are being led this season by Trae Broadnax, averaging 14.4 a game and 3.9 assists per game. Upstate's leading rebounder is Ahmir Langlais, averaging 6.0, and Miguel Ayesa leads the Spartans with a .378 3-point shooting percentage.
Upstate is No. 1 in the league in steals per game with 7.4.
SERIES HISTORY
- Overall (D1 Era)- UNC Asheville leads 11-5
- Morrell vs. Upstate- 7-3
- First Meeting- L 91-93 Nov. 29, 2010
- Last Meeting- W 95-67 Jan. 3, 2024
- Last UNC Asheville Win- Jan. 3, 2024
- Last Upstate Win- Feb. 4, 2023
- Series Record at Upstate- 4-3 (D1 era)
- Series Record at UNC Asheville- 6-2 (D1 era)
- Series Streak- Asheville W2
- Last 10 Matchups- 7-3
- Largest Margin of Victory- 95-67 Jan. 3, 2024
STATISTICAL COMPARISON
|
2023-24 Season |
AVL |
UPST |
| Scoring Average | 80.9 | 71.6 |
| Opp. Scoring Average | 74.6 | 72.7 |
| Scoring Margin | 6.3 | -1.1 |
| FG Percentage | .470 | .448 |
| 3PT Percentage | .375 | .332 |
| FT Percentage | .745 | .634 |
| Rebounding Average | 35.2 | 31.7 |
| Assists Per Game | 15.8 | 12.9 |
| Steals Per Game | 5.8 | 7.4 |
| Blocks Per Game | 4.3 | 3.1 |
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