University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Wednesday, January 15
Spartanburg, SC
6 pm
UNC Asheville
2-15,0-4Big South
57
at
60
USC Upstate
4-13,1-3Big South
1
2
3
4
F
UNC Asheville
13
9
14
21
57
USC Upstate
15
14
8
23
60
Simmons Drops Career-High in Loss at USC Upstate
01.15.2025 | Women's Basketball
SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Just four days after her first career double-double, senior LaImani Simmons dropped a career-high 24 points in UNC Asheville's 60-57 loss at USC Upstate on Wednesday (Jan. 15).
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Asheville jumped out to a 13-3 lead through five and a half minutes of the first quarter, before USC Upstate rallied with 12 unanswered points to take a 15-13 lead to the second.
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Upstate outscored Asheville 14-9 in the second quarter to take a seven-point lead to the half. Upstate stretched its lead to as many as 10 in the period, before a split pair of free throws from Trinity Barnes and a bucket from Simmons cut the deficit to 29-22 at the break.
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Asheville was able to close the gap in the third quarter, outscoring Upstate 14-8 in the period. Asheville chipped away at the deficit early in the period before Skylar Bailey knocked down a three-pointer to cut the deficit to four with six minutes to play in the third. The teams traded scores throughout the quarter as Upstate led 37-36 heading to the fourth.
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The fourth quarter was a back-and-forth affair to say the least with Upstate outscoring Asheville 23-21 in the period. Upstate opened the quarter on a 10-3 run, before Asheville started to chip away at the deficit with each possession. A pair of Simmons free throws would get Asheville back within three with under two minutes to play, before a triple from her with 1:14 left would get Asheville back within one. Upstate got its lead back to four with under 30 seconds left, before a Jazlyn Ware bucket got the Bulldogs back within two. After an Upstate bucket put the Spartans back up by three, Simmons knocked down another jumper as Asheville's final points as Upstate ice the game from the foul line.
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Asheville shot 33.3 percent (19-57), just 22.2 percent (4-18) from long range and 75 percent (15-20) from the foul line in the game. Asheville outscored Upstate 8-3 on second chances while also scoring 13 points off turnovers, 16 points in the paint, six points off fast breaks and 14 points off the bench. Simmons posted her career-high 24 points on 7-21 shooting including two three-pointers and a career-best 8-8 from the foul line, also attempting a career-high in shot attempts in the game and eclipsing 600 points for her college career. Bailey and Taylor Wilkins each had seven points in the game, while Wilson had six points. Jazlyn Ware and Deborah Orianegbena each had four points, while Dakota McCaughan and Sydney Burris each had two points and Barnes had one. Burris paced the Bulldogs with seven rebounds in the game, while Bailey and Ware each had five with Bailey notching a new career-high. Wilkins pulled down four boards, while Wilson had three and Orianegbena had two and McCaughan had one. Bailey paced the Bulldogs with three assists in the game, while Simmons and Burris each had two and Wilkins also had one. McCaughan registered three steals in the game, while Wilkins had two and Orianegbena and Bailey each had one. Bailey, Burris and Barnes each had one block in the game.
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The Bulldogs return to action on Saturday (Jan. 18) at Winthrop in Big South Conference action. Tip-off is set for 2:00 p.m. from the Winthrop Coliseum in Rock Hill, S.C. with video, live stats and tickets 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 $12.1 billion. As a state-chartered community bank, First Bank operates 113 bank branches in North Carolina and South Carolina and a nationwide SBA platform. 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.
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Asheville jumped out to a 13-3 lead through five and a half minutes of the first quarter, before USC Upstate rallied with 12 unanswered points to take a 15-13 lead to the second.
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Upstate outscored Asheville 14-9 in the second quarter to take a seven-point lead to the half. Upstate stretched its lead to as many as 10 in the period, before a split pair of free throws from Trinity Barnes and a bucket from Simmons cut the deficit to 29-22 at the break.
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Asheville was able to close the gap in the third quarter, outscoring Upstate 14-8 in the period. Asheville chipped away at the deficit early in the period before Skylar Bailey knocked down a three-pointer to cut the deficit to four with six minutes to play in the third. The teams traded scores throughout the quarter as Upstate led 37-36 heading to the fourth.
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The fourth quarter was a back-and-forth affair to say the least with Upstate outscoring Asheville 23-21 in the period. Upstate opened the quarter on a 10-3 run, before Asheville started to chip away at the deficit with each possession. A pair of Simmons free throws would get Asheville back within three with under two minutes to play, before a triple from her with 1:14 left would get Asheville back within one. Upstate got its lead back to four with under 30 seconds left, before a Jazlyn Ware bucket got the Bulldogs back within two. After an Upstate bucket put the Spartans back up by three, Simmons knocked down another jumper as Asheville's final points as Upstate ice the game from the foul line.
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Asheville shot 33.3 percent (19-57), just 22.2 percent (4-18) from long range and 75 percent (15-20) from the foul line in the game. Asheville outscored Upstate 8-3 on second chances while also scoring 13 points off turnovers, 16 points in the paint, six points off fast breaks and 14 points off the bench. Simmons posted her career-high 24 points on 7-21 shooting including two three-pointers and a career-best 8-8 from the foul line, also attempting a career-high in shot attempts in the game and eclipsing 600 points for her college career. Bailey and Taylor Wilkins each had seven points in the game, while Wilson had six points. Jazlyn Ware and Deborah Orianegbena each had four points, while Dakota McCaughan and Sydney Burris each had two points and Barnes had one. Burris paced the Bulldogs with seven rebounds in the game, while Bailey and Ware each had five with Bailey notching a new career-high. Wilkins pulled down four boards, while Wilson had three and Orianegbena had two and McCaughan had one. Bailey paced the Bulldogs with three assists in the game, while Simmons and Burris each had two and Wilkins also had one. McCaughan registered three steals in the game, while Wilkins had two and Orianegbena and Bailey each had one. Bailey, Burris and Barnes each had one block in the game.
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The Bulldogs return to action on Saturday (Jan. 18) at Winthrop in Big South Conference action. Tip-off is set for 2:00 p.m. from the Winthrop Coliseum in Rock Hill, S.C. with video, live stats and tickets 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 $12.1 billion. As a state-chartered community bank, First Bank operates 113 bank branches in North Carolina and South Carolina and a nationwide SBA platform. 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.
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Team Stats
AVL
USCU
FG%
.333
.356
3FG%
.222
.188
FT%
.750
.735
RB
31
43
TO
17
22
STL
7
7
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
24
FGM
7
3FGM
2
FTM
8
Pts
7
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
1
Pts
7
FGM
2
3FGM
2
FTM
1
Pts
6
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G/F
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