GAME DETAILS
LAST TIME OUT
The lights were bright in Kimmel Arena on Thursday for the UNC Asheville men's basketball team, as the Bulldogs defeated Gardner-Webb 78-70 in the Big South Conference's third ESPNU Wildcard game of the season.
Asheville is now on a seven-game winning streak, which puts them tied for 10th in the nation for the longest win streak.
With Thursday's win, Asheville sweeps the regular-season series with Gardner-Webb after beating the Runnin' Bulldogs in Boiling Springs 61-53 on Jan. 22.
For the 16th time this season, four or more Bulldogs finished with double-digit points, led by Jordan Marsh with 26. Marsh was followed by Toyaz Solomon with 17, Fletcher Abee with 14, and Josh Banks with 10.
DOUBLE-DIGIT DOGS
Four Bulldogs are averaging double-digit points, with Jordan Marsh leading the way with 18.1 averaged a game. In conference play, Marsh is averaging a league-best 23.4 points in Big South games this season, the highest points per game clip in conference action since 2019-20.
Toyaz Solomon is averaging 15.3 points per game and has scored double-figures in 22 of Asheville's 23 games. Solomon is in a 3-way tie for third for most double-doubles in the league with four.
Josh Banks averages 14.9 points per game and is in a four-way tie in the league at six games for most games with 20-24 points.
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 44.2% 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 184 3-pointers, which puts him at No. 8 in program records.
IN THE NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT
Asheville is in the top 50 in the nation in seven categories:
• No. 13 Scoring Offense: 83.8 (No. 2 in BSC) • No. 23 Turnover margin: 3.6 (No. 1 in BSC) • No. 37 Fastbreak points: 13.83 (No. 1 in BSC) • No. 42 Winning Percentage 73.9 (No. 2 in BSC) • No. 44 Field goal percentage: 47.9 (No. 2 in BSC) • No. 46 Assist/turnover ratio: 1.44 (No. 1 in BSC) • No. 48 Turnovers per game: 10.5 (No. 1 in BSC)
Asheville has three players ranked in the top 50 in the nation in four separate categories:
• No. 13 Toyaz Solomon | field goal percentage: 60.9% • No. 15 Fletcher Abee | three-point percentage: 44.2% • No. 36 Toyaz Solomon | field goals: 154 • No. 41 Toyaz Solomon | field goals: 152 • No. 42 Jordan Marsh | field goal attempts: 334
BIG SOUTH LEADERBOARD
As a team, Asheville is No. 1 in the Big South Conference in six categories:
• Assist/Turnover ratio: 1.44 • Assists per game: 15.0 • Blocks per game: 4.2 • Fastbreak points: 13.83 • Turnover Margin: 3.6 • Turnovers per game: 10.5
LAST TIME AGAINST HIGH POINT
Asheville opened Big South Conference play with a thrilling 103-99 home victory against conference preseason favorites High Point on Jan. 4. The Bulldogs' 103 points marks the third time this season that Asheville has surpassed the century mark and the first time since the 2016-17 season that Asheville has surpassed the century mark against a Division I opponent. The Bulldogs committed just two turnovers against the Panthers while forcing High Point to commit 10. Asheville's two turnovers are a school record for the least amount of turnovers in a game.
A LOOK AT HIGH POINT
The Panthers have three individuals averaging double-digit points, with D'Maurian Williams leading the way with 14.5 points per game. Williams is in a 3-way tie to lead the team in assists, with Williams, Kimani Hamilton, and Bobby Pettiford each having 61 assists. Williams has a team-high 120 field goals.
Kezza Giffa is second on the team with 14.1 points per game. The Preseason Player of the Year leads the team with a .871 free throw percentage, as he is 121139 from the charity stripe.
Hamilton is the third-highest scorer for High Point, averaging 13.5 points per game.
Juslin Bodo Bodo leads the team with 8.2 rebounds per game and has a team-high 34 blocks.
STATISTICAL COMPARISON
2024-25 Season | Asheville | High Point |
Scoring Offense | 83.8 | 80.7 |
Scoring Defense | 74.7 | 68.0 |
Scoring Margin | 9.1 | 12.6 |
FG Percentage | .479 | .490 |
FG Pct. Defense | .440 | .422 |
3PT Percentage | .352 | .377 |
FT Percentage | .694 | .771 |
Rebounds Per Game | 36.3 | 35.6 |
Assists Per Game | 15.0 | 12.9 |
Steals Per Game | 7.5 | 6.0 |
Blocks Per Game | 4.2 | 3.1 |
WATCH PARTY Join fellow Bulldog fans at Bear's Smokehouse BBQ tomorrow evening to watch the Bulldogs take on High Point.
BULLDOGS ON SOCIAL MEDIA
To stay updated with Asheville men's basketball, follow the team on ????.