University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
Charleston Southern
GAME PREVIEW: Asheville Welcomes Charleston Southern to Kimmel Arena for Homecoming
02.14.2025 | Men's Basketball
GAME DETAILS
- UNC Asheville (18-7, 9-2) vs. Charleston Southern (10-17, 6-6)
- Saturday, February 15, 2025
- 4:30 p.m.
- Asheville, N.C. || Kimmel Arena
- ESPN+
- Bulldog Radio Network
- Live Stats
- Game Notes
- Game Day Central
- Tickets
- Game Sponsor: Go Mini's
- Game Promotion: Homecoming
- Josh Pittman's jersey retirement ceremony will take place following the completion of the women's game.
LAST TIME OUT
After being tied at 42 following the first 20 minutes of action, the UNC Asheville men's basketball team outscored USC Upstate 50-43 in the second half to win 92-85 in the G.B. Hodge Center Wednesday night.
After not scoring in the first half, Jordan Marsh dropped 27 points in the second frame, the most points scored by a Bulldog in a half since Josh Banks scored 30 against App State on Dec. 21, 2023. Toyaz Solomon grabbed his fifth double-double of the season with 22 points and 11 boards.
Asheville's success at the charity stripe proved to be a difference-maker in Wednesday's contest as the Bulldogs and Spartans both finished the first half 3-4 from the free throw line, but it was a different story in the second half as Asheville went 22-27 and Upstate went 7-15 from the charity stripe.
Marsh opened the second half with his first points of the night, scoring six of Asheville's first nine points of the frame. The two teams would go back and forth over the opening nine minutes of action, with neither team leading by more than two points. Tied at 62 with 10:26 to go, Marsh hit a 3-pointer but was quickly answered by a 3-pointer from Upstate. This, however, would be the last tie of the game as Marsh responded with a layup, and Asheville remained in the lead for the rest of the night.
DOUBLE-DIGIT DOGS
Four Bulldogs are averaging double-digit points, with Jordan Marsh leading the way, averaging 19.0 points a game. Marsh is averaging a league-best 24.6 points in conference play, the highest points per game clip since 2018-19. In the nation, Marsh is No. 27 in field goals with 171, No. 29 in field goal attempts with 376, No. 31 in points with 476, and No. 36 in points per game. Marsh leads the league with three games where he has scored 30-or-more points and is second in the league in games with 20-or-more points with 11.
Toyaz Solomon is averaging 15.6 points per game and has scored double-figures in 24 games. Solomon is third in the league in double-doubles with five. In the nation, Solomon is No. 12 in field goal percentage with a .605 and No. 29 in field goals with 170.
Josh Banks averages 15.0 points per game and is in a three-way tie to lead the league at seven for most games with 20-24 points scored.
Fletcher Abee is the final Bulldog in double-figures with 11.0 points per game. Abee is No. 15 in the nation and leads the league with a 44.3% 3-point shooting percentage. Abee's from-distance shooting percentage is the highest 3-point shooting percentage in the league since 2022-23, when former Bulldog Tajion Jones held the top spot at 44.8%. Abee has made 189 3-pointers in his Bulldog career, which puts him at No. 8 in program records.
IN THE NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT
Asheville is in the top 50 in the nation in six categories:
• No. 8 Scoring Offense: 84.8 (No. 2 in BSC)• No. 28 Turnover margin: 3.3 (No. 1 in BSC)
• No. 37 Free throw attempts per game 22.6 (No. 4 in BSC)
• No. 39 Fastbreak points: 13.72 (No. 1 in BSC)
• No. 47 Field goal percentage: 47.7 (No. 2 in BSC)
• No. 48 Turnovers per game: 10.4 (No. 1 in BSC)
BIG SOUTH LEADERBOARD
As a team, Asheville is No. 1 in the Big South Conference in six categories:
• Assist/Turnover ratio: 1.40• Assists per game: 14.6
• Blocks per game: 4.3
• Fastbreak points: 13.72
• Turnover Margin: 3.3
• Turnovers per game: 10.4
LAST TIME AGAINST CHARLESTON SOUTHERN
Asheville defeated Charleston Southern 69-61 in the Buccaneer Fieldhouse on Saturday, Jan. 25.
The Buccaneers got the first basket of the day before Asheville responded with a 6-0 run to swiftly take the lead. Asheville earned a double-digit lead following a free throw from Josh Banks, scoring 16-6 with 12:39 remaining in the first half. Asheville held a two-possession or larger lead for the remainder of the opening frame and went into halftime leading 38-22.
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). A free throw and a dunk from Charleston Southern brought Asheville's lead down to six before Marsh started his late-game 11-point run to help secure the win for Asheville.
A LOOK AT CHARLESTON SOUTHERN
CSU enters Saturday's game on a two-game win streak after defeating Gardner-Webb on the road last Saturday and fending off Presbyterian in the Buccaneer Fieldhouse 71-70 on Wednesday.
Taje' Kelly leads the nation with 199 field goals and is the league's leading scorer and rebounder, as he is averaging 20.96 points per game and 8.96 boards. Kelly's points per game clip is No. 7 in the nation and his 545 points on the season is No. 3 in the nation.
RJ Johnson leads the league in assists with 4.56 per game. Daylen Berry leads the league in minutes played, averaging 36.29 per game. Both Johnson and Berry are averaging 14.6 points a game. DJ Patrick is the final Buc, averaging double-figures with 11.3 points per game.
The Buccaneers are No. 5 in the nation in free throw attempts per game, as CSU averages 26.6 attempts. Kelly is No. 2 in the nation in free throw attempts with 214. Charleston Southern is No. 14 in the nation in free throws made per game with 17.3.
STATISTICAL COMPARISON
| 2024-25 Season | Asheville | Charleston Southern |
| Scoring Offense | 84.8 | 73.6 |
| Scoring Defense | 76.2 | 78.1 |
| Scoring Margin | 8.5 | -4.6 |
| FG Percentage | .477 | .429 |
| FG Pct. Defense | .445 | .475 |
| 3PT Percentage | .357 | .311 |
| FT Percentage | .704 | .653 |
| Rebounds Per Game | 36.60 | 37.70 |
| Assists Per Game | 14.6 | 11.8 |
| Steals Per Game | 7.4 | 4.9 |
| Blocks Per Game | 4.3 | 2.9 |
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