University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
15-6,6-1Big South
Charleston Southern
6-16,2-5Big South
Bulldogs Extend Win Streak to Five With 69-61 Victory at Charleston Southern
01.25.2025 | Men's Basketball
CHARLESTON, S.C. – It was another hard-fought road win for the UNC Asheville men's basketball team on Saturday, as the Bulldogs overcame five players with four fouls each late in the contest to defeat Charleston Southern 69-61 in the Buc Dome.
ROAD WARRIORS
Asheville's victory on Saturday improves the Bulldogs to 6-1 in league play and 15-6 overall. Asheville now has a 3-1 road record, leading the league in road wins.
CLOSE RANGE GAME
The Bulldogs shot 28-of-66 from the field, with only one basket behind the 3-point arc. Asheville had 10 baskets from mid-range and 17 from within the paint.
SECOND HALF MARSH
Jordan Marsh led the team at the end of the first half with 15 points and three steals but closed out the game with 13 points to finish the day with a game-high 28 points. Eleven of Marsh's second half points came in the final 5:40 of the game and ended Charleston Southern's late-game run. The first basket of Marsh's late-game scoring charge ended an 8-0 run from the Buccaneers that brought Asheville's lead down to six. Marsh's layup extended Asheville's lead back to eight, and Asheville led by six points or more for the remainder of the contest. The Bucs only brought the score within six one other time with 2:49 remaining in the contest, but Marsh responded with back-to-back baskets to put Asheville ahead by 10. Along with 28 points, Marsh finished the game with four steals, two assists, three rebounds and went 13-23 from the field.
Drive it in, Marsh! 🏎#ALLinAVL #IWWD pic.twitter.com/hqjgfMjeu6
— Asheville Basketball (@UNCAvlMBB) January 25, 2025
SOLOMON'S DOUBLE FIGURE NIGHT
For the 20th time this season, Solomon reached double-digit points, as the senior scored 13 points, going 6-10 from the field. Ten of Solomon's points came in the first half, with his final basket of the first half being an alley-oop from Greg Gantt Jr. Solomon added five rebounds, two assists, and two steals to his stat line.
𝓐𝓲𝓻 𝓣𝓪𝔂 ✈#ALLinAVL #IWWD pic.twitter.com/uKKq77U7Xb
— Asheville Basketball (@UNCAvlMBB) January 25, 2025
FRESHMAN ALLEY-OOPS
Kameron Taylor was the final Bulldog to reach double figures, scoring 10 points, going 4-7 from the field, and was the only Bulldog to sink a 3-pointer. Taylor had two alley-oops on the day, with the first one coming in the first half after Marsh grabbed his third steal of the game before finding Taylor at the rim. His second alley-oop helped Asheville earn its largest lead of the game at 21 points, as Josh Banks secured the steal before finding Taylor.
It's that Charlotte connection ⚡
— Asheville Basketball (@UNCAvlMBB) January 25, 2025
Taylor for his second alley-oop of the game, this one from Josh Banks! #ALLinAVL #IWWD pic.twitter.com/Zhyzh2fTR2
SMALLER ACTS
Greg Gantt Jr. was an essential piece to the Bulldogs' success on Saturday. Despite only scoring two points, Gantt led the team with seven rebounds, five assists, and two blocks.
Greg Gantt Jr. with the block, and Jordan Marsh takes it back to the other end of the court!#ALLinAVL #IWWD pic.twitter.com/I1vKo1BvHf
— Asheville Basketball (@UNCAvlMBB) January 25, 2025
HOW IT HAPPENED
The Buccaneers got the first basket of the day before Asheville responded with a 6-0 run to swiftly take the lead. Jordan Marsh had back-to-back baskets before finding Toyaz Solomon for the final basket of Asheville's run. Charleston Southern brought Asheville's lead down to two points before Marsh extended Asheville's lead out to six with back-to-back baskets.
18 seconds of hard-fought Bulldog basketball for your enjoyment. #ALLinAVL #IWWD pic.twitter.com/Uua77bgTyC
— Asheville Basketball (@UNCAvlMBB) January 25, 2025
Asheville went on to earn a double-digit lead following a free throw from Josh Banks, making the score 16-6 with 12:39 remaining in the first half. Asheville held a two-possession or larger lead for the remainder of the opening half and secured a double-digit lead for the rest of the half following a block from Gantt that allowed Marsh to score to give Asheville a 27-16 lead. Asheville went into halftime leading 38-22.
All but one of Asheville's baskets from the field in the first half came from within the 3-point arc, as the Bulldogs were 16-36 from the field and 1-7 from 3-point range.
Asheville led by double-figures over the first 13 minutes of action before a 3-pointer from Charleston Southern brought Asheville's lead down to nine with 6:55 remaining in the game (54-45). Charleston Southern's momentum began to catch as the Bulldogs started to deal with late-game foul trouble, as Jemal Davis drew his fourth foul with 13:38 remaining, Gantt had four with 13:18 to go, and Marsh picked up his fourth with 10:29 left in the game. Following his fourth foul, Marsh subbed out and did not return into the game for 3:38. During the time period that Marsh was out, Charleston Southern brought Asheville's lead down from 16 points to nine points.
The Buccaneers also suffered from foul trouble, as two of their players fouled out with more than eight minutes remaining, and two finished the game with four fouls.
After a free throw and a dunk from Charleston Southern brought Asheville's lead down to six, Marsh started his late-game 11-point run to help secure the win for Asheville.
UP NEXT
The Bulldogs return to the court on Wednesday, January 29, as the Bulldogs host Radford in Kimmel Arena at 6:30 p.m.
