Women's Basketball Ready for Big South Conference Championship Quarterfinal Against No. 3 Longwood

ASHEVILLE, N.C. - UNC Asheville Women's Basketball is ready for its Big South Conference Championship quarterfinal on Thursday (Mar. 5). Tip-off is set for 8:30 p.m. from Freedom Hall in Johnson City, Tenn.

No. 6 UNC Asheville (12-17, 7-9 Big South) vs. No. 3 Longwood (20-9, 11-5 Big South)

Thursday, Mar. 5, 2026 | 8:30 PM | Johnson City, Tenn. | Freedom Hall

ESPN+ | Live Stats | Radio | Tickets | Asheville Tournament Central

Game Notes

Asheville comes in as the No. 6 seed in the tournament at 12-17 overall and 7-9 in the Big South Conference.
The Bulldogs are second in the conference and 37^th in the nation in field goal percentage defense at 37.2 percent, while also ranking second in the league and 47^th in the nation with a +5.9 rebounding margin.
Asheville is also second in the league and 25^th in the nation in offensive rebounds per game (14.9), while also ranking second in the conference and 30^th in the nation in rebounds per game (40.9). The Bulldogs also lead the Big South and rank 15^th in the nation in three-point percentage defense at 26.3 percent.
Asheville is fifth in the conference in scoring offense at 61.6 points per game, while ranking third in the league in scoring defense at 60.3 points per game. Asheville is also second in the league in opponent rebounding average at 35.0 rebounds per game.
All-Conference Second Team selection Nia Green is sixth in the league in scoring at 15.0 points per game, while All-Freshman Team selection Jamaria Freeman is also tied for 15^th at 10.1 points per game. Green is also fourth in the league in rebounding at 7.3 rebounds per game, while Deborah Orianegbena (6.9) and Journee McDaniel (6.8) are eighth and ninth in the league respectively. Freeman is also tied for 23^rd in the league at 4.3 rebounds per game.
Freeman is third in the league in assists per game at 3.9 while also being one of three players in the conference this season with at least 100 assists on the year. Green is also 13^th in the league at 2.3 assists per game, while McDaniel is tied for 16^th at 2.0 assists per game. D'yanna Maxey is also 24^th in the league at 1.5 assists per game.
Freeman is also tied for seventh at 1.9 steals per game, while Green is tied for 16^th at 1.4 steals per game. Green also is second overall in the league in blocks (34) and leads the league in blocks per game (1.2).
Longwood comes into the matchup as the No. 3 seed, with a record of 20-9 overall and 11-5 in the conference.
Longwood leads the league and is fourth in the nation in bench points per game at 31.5, while also leading the league and ranking 35^th in the nation in free throws made per game (14.6). Longwood is also leading the league and 10^th in the nation in offensive rebounds per game at 16.0.
Longwood is also third in the league and 48^th in the nation in rebounds per game 40.5, while also leading the league and ranking 29^th in the nation in scoring offense at 77.3 points per game. Longwood leads the league and also ranks seventh in the nation in steals per game (13.9), ninth in the league in turnover margin (7.66) and seventh in the nation in turnovers forced per game (24.8).
Longwood also ranks sixth in the league in scoring defense at 65.4 points per game, while ranking eighth in opponent rebounding average at 40.5 rebounds per game.
Malea Brown is tied for 10^th in the league in scoring at 10.5 points per game, while Amor Harris is 14^th in the league at 11.0 points per game. Frances Ulysse is tied for 16^th at 10.1 points per game, while Otaifo Esenbhalu is tied for 21^st at 8.8 points per game.
Esenbhalu leads the league in rebounding at 9.2 rebounds per game, while Ulysse is 11^th in the league at 6.4 rebounds per game. JaMya Robinson is tied for 18^th at 4.6 rebounds per game, while Brown is 25^th in the league at 4.1 rebounds per game.
Jasmine Peaks is fourth in the league in assists per game at 3.5, while Brown is tied for fifth at 3.3 assists per game. Jaci Bolden is also tied for 18^th at 1.8 assists per game.
Jesstynie Scott leads the league in steals at 2.9 per game, while Brown is second in the league at 2.8 steals per game. Peaks is also tied for seventh at 1.9 steals per game.
This will be the 35^th all-time meeting between Asheville and Longwood, with Longwood leading the all-time series 18-16 on a five-game winning streak in the series. This will be the first postseason meeting between the two teams since 2022, when Longwood defeated Asheville 81-56.

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.

Women's Basketball Ready for Big South Conference Championship Quarterfinal Against No. 3 Longwood

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Jamaria Freeman

Nia Green

D'yanna Maxey

Journee McDaniel

Deborah Orianegbena

University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics

Women's Basketball Ready for Big South Conference Championship Quarterfinal Against No. 3 Longwood

Related News

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Jamaria Freeman

Nia Green

D'yanna Maxey

Journee McDaniel

Deborah Orianegbena

Related Videos