University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
22-11,12-4Big South
Gardner-Webb
17-16,11-5Big South
CHAMPIONSHIP BOUND: Asheville Defeats Gardner-Webb in Overtime
03.09.2024 | Men's Basketball
HIGH POINT, N.C. – Drew Pember connected for his second triple-double of the season, and the UNC Asheville men's basketball team outscored Gardner-Webb 12-1 in overtime to lift the Bulldogs to an 83-72 semifinal victory in the Hercules Tires Big South Championship.
With Saturday's win, Asheville advances to the championship game for the second consecutive year. This is the first time Asheville has made back-to-back championship game appearances since 2011-12.
PEMBER CONTINUES TO REWRITE RECORD BOOK
Pember finished Saturday's contest with a game-high 30 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists. Pember is the third individual to record a triple-double in conference tournament history, joining Chandler Vauldrin from Winthrop (March 1, 2020) and Phlandrous Fleming Jr. from Charleston Southern (March 3, 2020).
3⃣0⃣ points
— Big South Conference (@BigSouthSports) March 9, 2024
1⃣3⃣ rebounds
1⃣0⃣ assists@drewpember just posted the third triple-double in Big South Tournament history to lead @UNCAvlMBB back to the finals. pic.twitter.com/LvWnJnYxAH
Pember is the only individual in program history to record two triple-doubles in the same season and career, and the second in Big South history to record multiple triple-doubles in a season. Pember turned in his first triple-double against App. State on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023.
Pember's triple-double is the only 30-point triple-double in a conference tournament since 1996-97 and the only 30-point triple-double in the NCAA this season.
STEPHNEY TAKES RECORD FOR MOST GAMES PLAYED
With his entry into today's game, Trent Stephney has now played 150 games, passing former teammate Tajion Jones for most games played in program history and Big South history.
1️⃣5️⃣0️⃣
— Asheville Basketball (@UNCAvlMBB) March 9, 2024
With his entry into today's game, Trent Stephney passes former teammate Tajion Jones for most games played in program history and @BigSouthSports history!
Stephney's first game was against Tennessee in November of 2019. #ALLinAVL #IWWD pic.twitter.com/Ad57cEJoPY
SOLOMON LEADS FROM DOWN LOW
Toyaz Solomon was 8-for-12 from the field to finish with 17 points. Solomon led the team with three blocks and scored six of the Bulldogs' 10 opening points in the second half.
TAYYYY!!!
— Asheville Basketball (@UNCAvlMBB) March 9, 2024
Solomon opens the second half with six points to help Asheville retake the lead! #ALLinAVL #IWWD pic.twitter.com/EioFOFLsEp
BANKS AND ABEE PROVIDING HELP FROM DISTANCE
Josh Banks and Fletcher Abee, alongside Pember, were the only Bulldogs to record points from beyond the 3-point arc. Banks went 3-for-6, and Abee went 1-for-5. Banks finished with 15 points, going 5-for-8 from the field, and Abee had 11 points, going 5-for-12.
REGULATION PLAY
Saturday's contest featured 18 lead changes and 13 ties, as neither team could maintain the upper hand for regulation play. The largest lead from both teams was four points.
With 2:35 remaining in the first half, a jumper in the paint from Solomon helped Asheville extend its lead to four points before Gardner-Webb closed the half on a 7-0 run to go ahead 34-31.
Abee led Asheville at the break with nine points, and Pember followed with eight.
Asheville opened the second half on a 10-4 run to regain the lead 41-38. The Bulldogs held the lead for the next six minutes before back-to-back baskets from GWU helped the Runnin' Bulldogs retake a 2-point lead (50-48). In the last 12 minutes of play, Asheville only held the lead three times, and all times, it was by one point. The Bulldogs tied the game six times in the last 12 minutes.
The final minute of regulation all came down to free throws. Pember connected for a pair with 49 seconds left to tie the score at 69 before Gardner-Webb's Isaiah Soumaoro connected for a pair of free throws to help Gardner-Webb retake a two-point lead. With 16 seconds remaining, Pember would connect for a second pair of free throws to tie the game. Quest Aldridge attempted a game-winning shot with three seconds remaining for GWU but was unsuccessful, and the game went into overtime.
BULLDOGS DOMINATE OVERTIME
Nearly a minute into overtime, Pember connected for a triple, sparking a 9-0 run for Asheville. Pember followed his triple with a free throw, Solomon connected for a layup following a steal with 2:52 to go, and Banks followed with an old-fashioned 3-pointer.
DP gives us the lead in OT! #ALLinAVL #IWWD pic.twitter.com/pZzXbfpO3F
— Asheville Basketball (@UNCAvlMBB) March 9, 2024
A free throw from Gardner-Webb would break Asheville's scoring up, but a free throw from Banks, followed by a pair of free throws from Pember, would close out the game for the Bulldogs and help send Asheville to Championship Sunday.
BULLDOG BITES
- Asheville advances to 22-11 following Saturday's victory.
- The Bulldogs will make their 11th conference tournament championship appearance on Sunday.
- This will be the third time the Bulldogs have made back-to-back trips to the championship game, with the appearances in 2011 and 2012 being the only years Asheville has won back-to-back titles.
- Asheville will face Longwood in the championship, the third time the two teams have faced each other in postseason play. Longwood earned its spot in the championship by defeating No. 1 seed High Point in overtime.
- The Bulldogs and Lancers are 1-1 this season, with each team winning at their respective arenas.
- Asheville is 0-2 against Longwood in conference tournament play. The Bulldogs fell to the Lancers in the opening round in 2013 and in the quarterfinal round in 2021. This will be the first time the two teams have squared off for a conference title.
- Longwood earned the Big South's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament in 2022, and the Bulldogs followed in 2023.
CHAMPIONSHIP INFORMATION
No. 2 Asheville and No. 5 Longwood will compete for the 2024 Big South Conference Title tomorrow, Sunday, March 10, at noon in the Qubein Center on the campus of High Point University. The game will be streamed on ESPN2. Tickets can be purchased HERE.
