University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
Charleston Southern
GAME PREVIEW: Men’s Basketball Heads to Charleston Southern for Saturday League Action
01.24.2025 | Men's Basketball
GAME DETAILS
- UNC Asheville (14-6, 5-1) vs. Charleston Southern (6-15, 2-4)
- Saturday, January 25, 2025
- 3:30 p.m.
- Charleston, S.C. || Buccaneer Fieldhouse
- ESPN+
- Listen: Bulldog Radio Network (570 WWNC) | (Brian Hall, play-by-play)
- Live Stats
- Tickets
LAST TIME OUT
The Bulldogs shot 55.2% from the field and went 5-8 from 3-point range in the second half to erase a nine-point deficit at halftime and defeat Gardner-Webb on the road Wednesday evening, 61-53.
Gardner-Webb jumped out to a 7-0 lead to open Wednesday's contest, and it would be 4:05 into the game before the Bulldogs were able to get on the board following a pair of free throws from Josh Banks. With 15:04 on the clock, back-to-back layups from Toyaz Solomon and Jordan Marsh cut Gardner-Webb's lead down to three (9-6), and neither team would score for the next 4:20 until a jumper from Jemal Davis and a free throw from Marsh tied the score at nine. Despite Asheville's early comeback efforts, Gardner-Webb went on to make three consecutive 3-pointers, and the Runnin' Bulldogs took an 11-0 run to jump ahead 20-9. With 2:03 remaining, Gardner-Webb earned its largest lead of the game at 13 points before Asheville closed the half on a 7-3 run, and the Bulldogs entered the second half trailing 29-20.
Out of the break, Gardner-Webb led by five points or more through the first 7:10 of the second half before a 3-pointer by Fletcher Abee made it a one-possession game (40-37).
The Runnin' Bulldogs retook a two-possession lead twice, with a jumper from Marsh and a layup by Davis bringing Gardner-Webb's lead down to two points both times. Trailing 45-43, a dunk from Solomon evened the score, and a 3-pointer from Banks gave Asheville its first lead of the night. Banks' triple sparked a 9-0 run by Asheville with 4:55 left in the contest, and Asheville led by four points or more for the remainder of the game.
DOUBLE-DIGIT DOGS
Four individuals for Asheville reached double-figure scoring on Wednesday night, marking the 11th game in a row that four or more Bulldogs have scored double-figures.
Solomon has reached double-figure scoring in 19 of the 20 games he's played this season, followed by Marsh, who has reached double-figures in 17 out of 20 games.
Marsh leads Asheville, averaging 17.2 points per game, followed by Banks with 15.6, Solomon with 15.3 and Abee with 11.3.
IN THE NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT
Asheville is No. 10 in the nation in scoring offense, as the Bulldogs average 85.4 points per game.
Asheville is in the top 50 in the nation in four other categories:
- No. 32 Turnover margin: 3.5 (No. 1 in BSC)
- No. 44 Assist/turnover ratio: 1.45 (No. 1 in BSC)
- No. 47 Fastbreak points: 13.90 (No. 1 in BSC)
- No. 47 Field goal percentage: 48.0 (No. 2 in BSC)
Individually, the Bulldogs have three players in the top 50 in the nation in five categories:
- No. 6 Fletcher Abee | three-point percentage: 46.2%
- No. 18 Toyaz Solomon | field goal percentage: 59.9%
- No. 24 Toyaz Solomon | field goals: 136
- No. 46 Fletcher Abee | total 3-point FGM: 55
- No. 48 Jordan Marsh | field goal attempts: 274
BIG SOUTH LEADERBOARD
As a team, Asheville is No. 1 in the Big South Conference in three other categories:
- Assists per game: 15.3
- Blocks per game: 4.0
- Three-pointers per game: 8.6
Individually:
- Greg Gantt Jr.- No. 1 in assist/turnover ratio (2.46)
- Toyaz Solomon- No. 1 in blocks (30) and blocks per game (1.50)
- Fletcher Abee- No. 1 three-point percentage (46.2%), No. 1 in 3-pointers per game (2.89) No. 1 in total 3-point field goals made (55)
SCOUTING CHARLESTON SOUTHERN
- Charleston Southern is 6-15 and 2-4 in conference play as the Buccaneers enter Saturday's contest following a 71-61 loss at Presbyterian on Wednesday.
- The Buccaneers are led by Taje' Kelly who shares Co-Player of the Week honors with Jordan Marsh following his performance last week. Kelly leads the conference in:
- Double-doubles: eight (No. 18 in nation)
- Field goal attempts: 302 (No. 23 in nation)
- Field goals: 149 (No. 3 in nation)
- Free throw attempts: 151 (No. 7 in nation)
- Points per game: 20.0 (No. 14 in nation)
- Rebounds: 184 (No. 14 in nation)
- Defensive rebounds per game: 6.75 (No. 23 in nation)
- Rebounds per game: 9.2 (No. 25 in nation)
- RJ Johnson is Charleston Southern's next leading scorer with 14.5 points and leads the team and league in assists per game (4.7). Johnson and Jordan Marsh are the only two individuals in the Big South with two 30+ point games.
- Daylen Berry is CSU's third-leading scorer with 13.7 points and leads the team with 39 steals.
CONFERENCE RIVALRY
- Wednesday marks the 97th matchup between Asheville and Charleston Southern, with their first game dating back to the 1968-69 season, where Asheville won 97-91.
- Since 1987, Asheville leads the series 49-33 and has a 43-31 Big South Conference series lead over CSU.
- Asheville is 9-1 in its last 10 matchups.
- On the road, Asheville trails CSU 17-19, but in Kimmel, Asheville is 30-12.
- Last season, Asheville went 3-0 against the Bucs, winning on the road 71-65, in Kimmel 86-55, and in the quarterfinal round of the Big South Tournament 60-55.
STATISTICAL COMPARISON
| 2024-25 Season | Asheville | Charleston Southern |
| Scoring Offense | 85.4 | 73.3 |
| Scoring Defense | 76.1 | 78.9 |
| Scoring Margin | 9.4 | -5.6 |
| FG Percentage | .480 | .421 |
| FG Pct. Defense | .445 | .479 |
| 3PT Percentage | .363 | .302 |
| FT Percentage | .701 | .641 |
| Rebounds Per Game | 36.5 | 38.2 |
| Assists Per Game | 15.3 | 12.0 |
| Steals Per Game | 7.4 | 4.9 |
| Blocks Per Game | 4.0 | 2.7 |
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