University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
NC State
GAME PREVIEW: UNC Asheville vs. NC State
12.05.2025 | Men's Basketball
GAME DETAILS
- Game Nine
- UNC Asheville (4-4) vs NC State (5-3)
- Saturday, December 6, 2025
- 1 p.m.
- Lenovo Center | Raleigh, NC
- TV: CW
- Radio
- Live Stats
- Tickets
LAST TIME OUT FOR ASHEVILLE
The men's basketball team wrapped up its time at the Harrah's Cherokee Center - Asheville with an 82-77 win against UNC Greensboro on Tuesday (Dec. 2). The Bulldogs' win against the Spartans marks their second victory inside the HCCA this week, as Asheville defeated App State on Sunday (Nov. 30), 67-55.
For the second game in a row, Asheville had four players reach double digits, with Toyaz Solomon leading the way both times, scoring 25 against App and 20 against UNCG. Against the Spartans, DJ Patrick followed with 19 points, and Kameron Taylor and Justin Wright followed with 18 apiece.
Through the two games so far this week, Solomon is averaging 22.5 points, shooting .517 from the field, and averaging 5.5 rebounds a game. Patrick and Taylor are both averaging 15 points through two games, and Wright is averaging 15.5. Patrick is leading the team this week with six triples, Taylor is leading the team with 7.5 rebounds, and Wright is leading the team with five steals.
BULLDOGS PUTTING IN THE MINUTES
Asheville leads the league in minutes per game, as Kameron Taylor (32:10) leads the conference, DJ Patrick (31:48) is in second and Toyaz Solomon (31:14) is in third. Patrick is the only Bulldog to see all 40 minutes of action in not just one, but two games this season, as he played every minute against UNC Greensboro this past week and in Asheville's season opener against Wichita State. Prior to Patrick, the last Bulldog to have seen all 40 minutes in a contest was Tajion Jones against Campbell in the Big South Conference Championship in 2023.
ASHEVILLE THROUGH EIGHT
Justin Wright, Solomon and Taylor have started and played in all eight games this season. Wright is leading Asheville with 17.6 points per game, 14 steals, and 23 assists, alongside Taylor. Wright leads the team with 14 3-pointers, and is closely followed by Patrick who has 13.
Solomon is averaging 16.9 points per game, 6.4 rebounds per game, and nine blocks. He leads the team with 53 shots from the field. Taylor is averaging 16.8 points per game and leads the team with 37 free throws, and is No. 82 in the country in free throw attempts (53). He is second on the team in rebounds per game (5.5) and blocks (six).
Patrick is the final Bulldog averaging double-digit points with 10.0 per game.
The Bulldogs have shot .500 or better from 3-point range in three games this season, and have shot over .500 from the field five times. Wright is No. 59 in the country in field goal percentage (58.8%) and Solomon is No. 92 in field goals. Asheville is averaging .368 from 3-point distance, putting them at No. 76 in the nation and second in the league. Asheville is holding opponents to .301 3-point shooting which puts the Bulldogs at No. 84 in the nation in 3-point percentage defense. The Bulldogs are No. 79 in the nation in effective field goal percentage with a .555.
A LOOK AT NC STATE
NC State enters Saturday's contest following a tough road loss at No. 20 Auburn on Wednesday. NC State opened its season 4-0 before going 1-2 at the Maui Invitational last week.
All five of NC State's starters are averaging double-digit points with Darrion Williams leading the team with 17.8 points per game. Williams is No. 1 in the ACC and No. 12 in the nation in three point percentage, as he is shooting 50%.
Quadir Copeland is averaging 14.6 points per game and is leading the Wolfpack with 36 assists. Paul McNeil Jr. is averaging 13.4 points per game, Ven-Allen Lubin is averaging 12.1 points per game and Tre Holloman is averaging 11.8 points per game.
Lubin is leading NC State with 6.8 rebounds per game.
As a team, NC State is leading the ACC and is No. 12 in the nation in three point percentage at .410. The Pack are averaging 11.1 3-pointers a game (No. 18 in the nation). NC State is ranked 18th in the country and second in their league in scoring offense, averaging 91.0 points a game.
COACHING TREE
UNC Asheville Head Coach Mike Morrell and first year NC State Head Coach Will Wade are no strangers, as both were at VCU together in 2011 and overlapped at Clemson in 2007.
SERIES HISTORY
Asheville is looking for its first program win over NC State, as the Wolfpack holds a 19-0 series lead over the Bulldogs, dating back to 1974.
STATISTICAL COMPARISON
| 2025-26 Season | Asheville | NC State |
| Scoring Offense | 75.5 | 91.0 |
| Scoring Defense | 71.6 | 77.4 |
| Scoring Margin | 3.9 | 13.6 |
| FG Percentage | .493 | .502 |
| FG Pct. Defense | .436 | .443 |
| 3PT Percentage | .368 | .410 |
| FT Percentage | .705 | .768 |
| Rebounds Per Game | 32.9 | 35.2 |
| Assists Per Game | 10.8 | 16.4 |
| Turnovers Per Game | 14.1 | 10.2 |
| Steals Per Game | 6.8 | 8.6 |
| Blocks Per Game | 2.6 | 2.9 |
THE BULLDOGS IN DECEMBER
- Following Saturday's game, Asheville only has one remaining non-conference road contest, as the Bulldogs close out non-conference play on Dec. 21 at UAB.
- Asheville has four upcoming non-conference games in Kimmel Arena, starting with Miami (Ohio) on Dec. 10, St. Thomas on Dec. 13, Kentucky Christian on Dec. 16, and Morris College on Dec. 18.
- On Dec. 10, when the men's team plays Miami (Ohio), if a fan brings a toy, they will receive free entry. One toy equates to one ticket.
- Kids (K-12 and younger) will receive free entry for all home non-conference basketball games in December.
- Asheville opens conference play in Kimmel Arena against High Point on Dec. 31. Tickets to that game can be purchased here.
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