University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Wednesday, March 6
High Point, NC
6 pm
UNC Asheville
11-19,4-12Big South
75
vs
74
Gardner-Webb
6-24,5-11Big South
1
2
3
4
F
UNC Asheville
19
17
19
20
75
Gardner-Webb
11
17
19
27
74
Last-Second Heroics Lift Asheville over Gardner-Webb in First Round of Big South Conference Championship
03.06.2024 | Women's Basketball
HIGH POINT, N.C. - UNC Asheville Women's Basketball got some last-second heroics from McKinley Brooks-Sumpter to lift the Bulldogs over eighth-seeded Gardner-Webb in the first round of the Big South Conference Championship on Wednesday (Mar. 6) at High Point University's Qubein Center.
Asheville jumped out to a four-point lead through two minutes and change, before later extending their lead on two separate possessions on Millie Brown three-pointers. Asheville led by as many as eight in the opening period, taking a 19-11 lead to the second quarter.
Asheville stretched the lead into double digits in the early goings of the second quarter, going on an 8-2 run over three minutes to force a Gardner-Webb timeout punctuated by a bucket plus the foul by LaImani Simmons. Gardner-Webb countered with a run of their own, cutting Asheville's lead to nine and then eight as the Bulldogs took a 36-28 lead to the break.
Each team scored 19 points in the third quarter, with Asheville leading by as many as 11 and as little as five in the frame. Asheville was able to stretch its lead into double digits briefly at points in the quarter, while Gardner-Webb refused to go away quietly.
Gardner-Webb cut the lead to five just over three minutes into the quarter, before Asheville pushed the lead back to eight just two minutes later. Gardner-Webb cut into the lead as the seconds ticked away, with Ashley Hawkins eventually tying the game at 73 on a second-chance layup plus a foul with five seconds left. She made the free throw to give Gardner-Webb a one-point lead, its first since 3-0, before the Bulldogs had one last possession. The ball was inbounded to McKinley Brooks-Sumpter, who ran the length of the floor to score a layup as the horn sounded. For the second straight year, the Bulldogs win in the first round in an absolute thriller.Â
The Bulldogs shot 46.8 percent (29-62) from the field, 30.0 percent (3-10) from the three-point line and 70.0 percent (14-20) from the charity stripe in the win. Asheville scored 11 points off turnovers in the game, 28 points in the paint, 11 points off second chances and four points off fast breaks while outscoring Gardner-Webb 16-4 off the bench. Brooks-Sumpter paced the Bulldogs with 23 points, surpassing 950 total points for her college career in her eighth 20-point effort of the season. Mallory Bruce added 20 points for the game, eclipsing 650 points for her college career in her fifth 20-point game of the season. Abigail Wilson added nine points, while Jaila Lee scored seven points to eclipse 400 points in her college career, and Jamaya Blanks and Millie Brown each had six. Simmons had three points, while Nycerra Minnis also had one. Asheville outrebounded Gardner-Webb 41-33 in the game, led by a game-high and season-high 10 boards from Wilson, while Brooks-Sumpter had six and Bruce, Faith Adams and Blanks each had five. Lee grabbed four rebounds, while Minnis had three and Simmons and Trinity Fields each had one. For the second time this season and the third time in her career, Brooks-Sumpter matched a career-high with six assists in the game while Adams dished out four to surpass 200 for her career and Wilson and Brown each had one. Brooks-Sumpter also had two steals, while Blanks and Minnis each had one. Wilson also had Asheville's lone block in the win.
The Bulldogs return to the floor for the Big South Conference Championship quarterfinal tomorrow (Thursday, Mar. 6), as they take on host and top seed High Point. Tip-off is set for 11:30 a.m. from the Qubein Center on the campus of High Point, with video, live stats and audio available at www.uncabulldogs.com.
About Women's Athletics Presenting Partner First Bank
First Bank is the banking subsidiary of First Bancorp and is headquartered in Southern Pines, North Carolina, with total assets of approximately $12.4 billion. As a state-chartered community bank, First Bank operates 118 bank branches in North Carolina and South Carolina. Since 1935, First Bank has taken a tailored approach to banking, combining best-in-class financial solutions, helpful local expertise, and technology to manage a home or business. First Bancorp's common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "FBNC." Visit our website at www.LocalFirstBank.com. Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender.
Â
Asheville jumped out to a four-point lead through two minutes and change, before later extending their lead on two separate possessions on Millie Brown three-pointers. Asheville led by as many as eight in the opening period, taking a 19-11 lead to the second quarter.
Asheville stretched the lead into double digits in the early goings of the second quarter, going on an 8-2 run over three minutes to force a Gardner-Webb timeout punctuated by a bucket plus the foul by LaImani Simmons. Gardner-Webb countered with a run of their own, cutting Asheville's lead to nine and then eight as the Bulldogs took a 36-28 lead to the break.
Each team scored 19 points in the third quarter, with Asheville leading by as many as 11 and as little as five in the frame. Asheville was able to stretch its lead into double digits briefly at points in the quarter, while Gardner-Webb refused to go away quietly.
Gardner-Webb cut the lead to five just over three minutes into the quarter, before Asheville pushed the lead back to eight just two minutes later. Gardner-Webb cut into the lead as the seconds ticked away, with Ashley Hawkins eventually tying the game at 73 on a second-chance layup plus a foul with five seconds left. She made the free throw to give Gardner-Webb a one-point lead, its first since 3-0, before the Bulldogs had one last possession. The ball was inbounded to McKinley Brooks-Sumpter, who ran the length of the floor to score a layup as the horn sounded. For the second straight year, the Bulldogs win in the first round in an absolute thriller.Â
The Bulldogs shot 46.8 percent (29-62) from the field, 30.0 percent (3-10) from the three-point line and 70.0 percent (14-20) from the charity stripe in the win. Asheville scored 11 points off turnovers in the game, 28 points in the paint, 11 points off second chances and four points off fast breaks while outscoring Gardner-Webb 16-4 off the bench. Brooks-Sumpter paced the Bulldogs with 23 points, surpassing 950 total points for her college career in her eighth 20-point effort of the season. Mallory Bruce added 20 points for the game, eclipsing 650 points for her college career in her fifth 20-point game of the season. Abigail Wilson added nine points, while Jaila Lee scored seven points to eclipse 400 points in her college career, and Jamaya Blanks and Millie Brown each had six. Simmons had three points, while Nycerra Minnis also had one. Asheville outrebounded Gardner-Webb 41-33 in the game, led by a game-high and season-high 10 boards from Wilson, while Brooks-Sumpter had six and Bruce, Faith Adams and Blanks each had five. Lee grabbed four rebounds, while Minnis had three and Simmons and Trinity Fields each had one. For the second time this season and the third time in her career, Brooks-Sumpter matched a career-high with six assists in the game while Adams dished out four to surpass 200 for her career and Wilson and Brown each had one. Brooks-Sumpter also had two steals, while Blanks and Minnis each had one. Wilson also had Asheville's lone block in the win.
The Bulldogs return to the floor for the Big South Conference Championship quarterfinal tomorrow (Thursday, Mar. 6), as they take on host and top seed High Point. Tip-off is set for 11:30 a.m. from the Qubein Center on the campus of High Point, with video, live stats and audio available at www.uncabulldogs.com.
About Women's Athletics Presenting Partner First Bank
First Bank is the banking subsidiary of First Bancorp and is headquartered in Southern Pines, North Carolina, with total assets of approximately $12.4 billion. As a state-chartered community bank, First Bank operates 118 bank branches in North Carolina and South Carolina. Since 1935, First Bank has taken a tailored approach to banking, combining best-in-class financial solutions, helpful local expertise, and technology to manage a home or business. First Bancorp's common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "FBNC." Visit our website at www.LocalFirstBank.com. Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender.
Â
Team Stats
AVL
GW
FG%
.468
.446
3FG%
.300
.286
FT%
.700
.471
RB
41
33
TO
16
14
STL
4
9
Game Leaders
Pts
23
FGM
9
3FGM
0
FTM
5
Pts
20
FGM
7
3FGM
1
FTM
5
Pts
9
FGM
4
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
G/F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's BasketballHighlights || Women's Basketball || #9 UNC Asheville vs #1 High Point (Big South Tournament)
Thursday, March 14
Highlights || Women's Basketball || #9 UNC Asheville vs #8 Gardner-Webb (Big South Tournament)
Thursday, March 14
Highlights || Women's Basketball || UNC Asheville vs Radford
Monday, March 04
Highlights || Women's Basketball || UNC Asheville at Gardner-Webb
Monday, February 26