University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville
Erskine
11.03.2026 | Men's Basketball
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The UNC Asheville men's basketball team will make its 2026-27 Kimmel Arena debut on Wednesday, Nov. 4, as the Bulldogs host Erskine at 7 p.m.
GAME DETAILS
- Game 2
- UNC Asheville (0-1) vs. Erskine (0-0)
- Wednesday, Nov. 4
- 7 p.m.
- Kimmel Arena || Asheville, NC
- ESPN+
- Live Stats
- Radio
- Game Sponsor: Bear's Smokehouse BBQ
- Tickets
- Children ages 4 and under: FREE
- Children ages 5–17: $5
- Adults ages 18 and older: $11
GAME PROMOTIONS
- Halftime Entertainment: Planet Ruti will take the court for a special halftime performance during the men's basketball game!
- School Pep Rally Giveaway: All school-aged children (K–12) will have the opportunity to enter their school into a drawing for a chance to win a pep rally!
- Postgame Autographs with a TWIST! Postgame autographs are back, but this year, we're taking the fun to the court! Fans will have the opportunity to meet their favorite Bulldogs, get autographs and shoot some hoops on the Kimmel Arena floor! Fans interested in participating should head to the bottom of Section 10 immediately following the game.
GAME ONE RECAP
UNC Asheville opened its 2026-27 season on the road Monday night, falling 100-77 to Richmond despite a strong second-half performance. The Bulldogs outscored the Spiders 50-44 in the final 20 minutes, shooting 52.6 percent from the field while committing just five turnovers. Myles Mayfield led Asheville with 14 points, while Khayri Dunn and Kelcy Phipps added 11 apiece. Daniel Thomas pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds as the Bulldogs held a 52-46 advantage in points in the paint.
A LOOK AT ERSKINE
This will be Erskine's first contest of the season. The Flying Fleet went 0-26 last season.
PRESEASON EXPECTATIONS
UNC Asheville was selected to finish fifth in the Big South Conference preseason poll, finishing just 11 points behind fourth-place Longwood, who the Bulldogs defeated in the quarterfinal of the 2026 Big South Conference Championship.
RETURNING ALL-FRESHMAN TALENT
The Bulldogs return a pair of Big South All-Freshman Team selections in Daniel Thomas and Myles Mayfield, who both made significant contributions during their first seasons at Asheville.
Thomas emerged as a key presence in the paint during conference play, earning 17 starts throughout the 2025-26 season. He started all but three Big South contests, averaging 3.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per game in league action while recording 10 blocks.
Mayfield appeared in every game during his freshman campaign, averaging 4.7 points and 4.3 rebounds per contest while adding 11 blocks.
Both Thomas' and Mayfield's physicality and presence on the boards provided valuable depth for the Bulldogs throughout the 2025-26 season.
NEW FACES IN ASHEVILLE
The Bulldogs brought in nine newcomers to the roster for the 2026-27 season, including six transfers and three freshmen.
MORRELL ENTERS NINTH SEASON
Head coach Mike Morrell is in his ninth season leading the UNC Asheville men's basketball program.
Under Morrell's leadership, the Bulldogs have recorded at least eight Big South Conference victories for seven consecutive seasons and have advanced to the conference semifinals for fourth straight years, just one of 22 programs nationally to accomplish the latter feat.
Morrell is the active winningest coach in the Big South with 131 career victories, ranking 13th all-time in Big South Conference history.
UP NEXT
After tomorrow's home opener, Asheville will host Mountain Rivals Western Carolina University on Saturday, Nov. 7 at 5:30 p.m.
BULLDOGS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
To stay updated with Asheville men's basketball throughout the 2026-27 season, follow the Bulldogs on 𝕏.
