University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Wednesday, February 12
Asheville, NC
6:30 pm
UNC Asheville
2-22,0-11Big South
51
vs
60
USC Upstate
7-18,4-8Big South
1
2
3
4
F
USC Upstate
18
7
22
13
60
UNC Asheville
14
7
10
20
51
Women's Basketball Drops Ingles I-26 Rivalry to USC Upstate Wednesday Night
02.12.2025 | Women's Basketball
ASHEVILLE, N.C. - UNC Asheville Women's Basketball dropped the latest installment of the Ingles I-26 Rivalry to USC Upstate Wednesday night (Feb. 12) inside Kimmel Arena by a score of 60-51.
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The teams played a slow-starting first quarter as the game was deadlocked 10-10 with four minutes to play, before Upstate closed the period on an 8-6 run to take an 18-14 lead to the second.
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Upstate began the quarter on a 6-0 run to stretch the lead to nine, before Asheville responded with a 7-1 run to get back within 25-21 at the half. Asheville's run began with a three-pointer from Taylor Wilkins off a Dakota McCaughan assist, before Wilkins scored a layup off a transition assist from LaImani Simmons. Asheville's final points of the quarter would come on an and-one layup from Simmons.
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Upstate controlled the third quarter from start to finish, outscoring Asheville 22-10 in the period to stretch their lead to double-digits.
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Asheville scored the first five points of the fourth quarter and ultimately won the frame 20-13 to bring the game to its final score.
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Asheville shot 30.9 percent (17-55) from the field, just 17.4 percent (4-23) from long range and 68.4 percent (13-19) from the foul line in the game. Asheville outscored 14-11 off turnovers and 20-11 off the bench in the game, while also scoring 14 points in the paint, four points on second chances and nine points on fast breaks. Abigail Wilson led the Bulldogs with 14 points, while Simmons had 11 points and Wilkins and Deborah Orianegbena each had nine. McCAughan also added eight points in the game. Orianegbena just missed a double-double with nine rebounds in the game, while Simmons had five boards and Wilson grabbed three. Wilkins and Jazlyn Ware each had two rebounds in the game, while McCaughan also had one. Wilkins, McCaughan, Simmons and Orianegbena each had two assists in the game, while Skylar Bailey and Sydney Burris each had one helper in the game. McCaughan led the way with a game-high four steals, while Wilkins had two and Bailey, Ware and Orianegbena each had one. Simmons had Asheville's lone block in the game.
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The Bulldogs return to Kimmel Arena for Homecoming on Saturday (Feb. 15) to host Charleston Southern. Tip-off is set for 2:00 p.m. with video, live stats, audio 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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The teams played a slow-starting first quarter as the game was deadlocked 10-10 with four minutes to play, before Upstate closed the period on an 8-6 run to take an 18-14 lead to the second.
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Upstate began the quarter on a 6-0 run to stretch the lead to nine, before Asheville responded with a 7-1 run to get back within 25-21 at the half. Asheville's run began with a three-pointer from Taylor Wilkins off a Dakota McCaughan assist, before Wilkins scored a layup off a transition assist from LaImani Simmons. Asheville's final points of the quarter would come on an and-one layup from Simmons.
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Upstate controlled the third quarter from start to finish, outscoring Asheville 22-10 in the period to stretch their lead to double-digits.
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Asheville scored the first five points of the fourth quarter and ultimately won the frame 20-13 to bring the game to its final score.
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Asheville shot 30.9 percent (17-55) from the field, just 17.4 percent (4-23) from long range and 68.4 percent (13-19) from the foul line in the game. Asheville outscored 14-11 off turnovers and 20-11 off the bench in the game, while also scoring 14 points in the paint, four points on second chances and nine points on fast breaks. Abigail Wilson led the Bulldogs with 14 points, while Simmons had 11 points and Wilkins and Deborah Orianegbena each had nine. McCAughan also added eight points in the game. Orianegbena just missed a double-double with nine rebounds in the game, while Simmons had five boards and Wilson grabbed three. Wilkins and Jazlyn Ware each had two rebounds in the game, while McCaughan also had one. Wilkins, McCaughan, Simmons and Orianegbena each had two assists in the game, while Skylar Bailey and Sydney Burris each had one helper in the game. McCaughan led the way with a game-high four steals, while Wilkins had two and Bailey, Ware and Orianegbena each had one. Simmons had Asheville's lone block in the game.
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The Bulldogs return to Kimmel Arena for Homecoming on Saturday (Feb. 15) to host Charleston Southern. Tip-off is set for 2:00 p.m. with video, live stats, audio 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
USCU
AVL
FG%
.468
.309
3FG%
.412
.174
FT%
.643
.684
RB
42
28
TO
21
12
STL
4
9
Game Leaders
Scoring
Pts
14
FGM
5
3FGM
1
FTM
3
Pts
11
FGM
3
3FGM
0
FTM
5
Pts
9
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Pts
9
FGM
4
3FGM
1
FTM
0
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G
/ Women's BasketballF
/ Women's BasketballG
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's Basketball
G/F
/ Women's Basketball
F
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