Georgia Southern to Visit Justice Center for First Time

The Bulldogs will be back in action Wednesday night when they host Georgia Southern at the Justice Center. UNC Asheville (3-5) snapped a four-game losing streak on Friday with a convincing 94-63 victory over Southern Wesleyan. The Eagles (4-4, 2-0 Southern Conference) are off to a strong start and look to stymie the Bulldogs with their defense when the teams meet in Asheville for the first time.

The dismantling of Southern Wesleyan on Saturday was driven by a career day from Lindsey Montgomery, who finished with 29 points and 20 rebounds – both career highs. It was the first 20/20 performance by a Bulldog since the 1983-84 campaign. Linda Aughburns, Montgomery’s complement in the post, finished up with 17 points and 6 assists. Lindsey Thompson also cracked double figures with 13 points. The Bulldogs shot 55 percent from the field, including 67 percent in the second half, and out-rebounded the Warriors 47-23 to claim the easy win, despite turning the ball over 24 times.

Despite starting in only one game this season, Montgomery now leads the Bulldogs in scoring (12.1), field-goal percentage (.475), and rebounds (9.1). Thompson averages 10.0 points, and Aughburns is just shy of a double-double for the season with 9.1 points and 7.1 rebounds. Asheville’s 21.4 turnovers per game remain a concern, but the Bulldogs’ rebounding and defensive tenacity have kept them competitive.

Georgia Southern leads the Southern Conference in scoring defense, allowing only 57.2 points per game. The Eagles were picked to finish in the middle of the SoCon pack after an 11-9 finish last season, but have looked like contenders thus far. After a tough beginning to the season that included Duke and Auburn, Georgia Southern cruised to victories over conference foes Elon and Appalachian State. Guard Carolyn Whitney leads the Eagles in scoring with 11.3 PPG, and forward J’Lisia Ogburn is averaging 10.5 points and a team-high 5.9 boards. Jessica Geiger is a quality all-around producer, with 6.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.1 steals per game.

Georgia Southern has defeated UNC Asheville in each of the previous two meetings between the schools, but they have never faced off at the Justice Center. Last season the Eagles came away with a 52-39 victory over the Bulldogs in Statesboro behind a 12 point performance from Geiger. Chioma Okoli led Asheville with 12 points and 7 rebounds in the game. The Bulldogs have a chance to take down Georgia Southern, but will need to protect the ball and find Montgomery and Aughburns in the post for high-percentage shots.

Go Bulldogs!

Women's Hoops to Host Southern Wesleyan

UNC Asheville returns home to the Justice Center on Friday night to take on Southern Wesleyan. The Bulldogs (2-5) have lost four straight, including a brutal three-game road trip that concluded with a 59-37 loss at Charlotte on Saturday. Southern Wesleyan (6-2, 1-2 SSAC) boasts a high-scoring offense that could present a real challenge for Asheville.

The Bulldogs have put forth a good defensive effort but have yet to find an explosive scoring threat this season. No Asheville player currently averages double-figure points per game, but four are close. Lindsey Thompson leads the team in scoring at 9.6 PPG, and Lindsey Montgomery (9.3 PPG, 7.3 RPG) and Linda Aughburns (8.0 PPG, 7.3 RPG) have been consistent producers at both ends of the floor. Chioma Okoli (8.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG) has been solid but has not yet taken over a game offensively.

The Bulldogs struggled on Saturday with turnovers and poor field goal shooting. After protecting the ball much better against Western Carolina, Asheville committed 30 turnovers against Charlotte, the Bulldogs’ second game with at least 30 giveaways this season. Asheville shot over 40 percent in the first half, but 19 percent from the field (including 11 percent from three-point range) in the second half sealed the Bulldogs’ fate.

Southern Wesleyan has had no shortage of offense early this season. The Warriors average 84 points per game, and have four players averaging double-figures. Sophomore Kayla Plantin leads the team in points (16.0), rebounds (7.3), and field goal percentage (an astronomical .658). Senior point guard Kesha Smith averages 14.9 points on .579 shooting, along with team-highs 4.6 assists and 3.3 steals. Smith has turned in four points-assists double-doubles this season. Kendra Brooks averages 12.6 PPG for the Warriors, and Janaye Gillard rounds out the group with 12.4 (on .538 shooting).

Southern Wesleyan was picked to finish seventh in the Southern States Athletic Conference this season, but has reeled off some impressive wins in the early going, including a 72-44 clobbering of Montreat. On Saturday, the Warriors came up just short at Lee University, losing 95-85 to the 6^th-ranked NAIA squad in the nation. Gillard (23 points) and Smith (22 points, 10 assists) had big nights as Southern Wesleyan asserted its status as a contender in the SSAC.

UNC Asheville’s offensive woes on Saturday can be attributed to the stifling defense of Charlotte, which enjoyed a substantial size advantage over the Bulldogs. The much more porous defense of Southern Wesleyan will give the Bulldogs an opportunity to get the offense on track as they begin to gear up for conference play. The game tips off at 7 p.m.

Women's Basketball Travels Charlotte

UNC Asheville will wrap up a three game road trip on Saturday when the Bulldogs travel to Charlotte to face the 49ers at Halton Arena. The Bulldogs (2-4) have lost three straight, culminating with a tough 62-51 loss in Cullowhee to rival Western Carolina on Wednesday night. Charlotte (2-5) has performed well against some of the nation’s best, and crushed Presbyterian 72-36 on Wednesday in its only meeting with a Big South Team.

The Atlantic 10 preseason poll picked Charlotte to finish second in the conference. The 49ers are led by Aysha Jones and Shannon McCallum. Jones, a first team all-conference selection, is averaging 11.9 points per game, and had a team-high 14 against Presbyterian in only 20 minutes of work. McCallum was named to the conference’s second team in the preseason and averages 12.7 points and 6.2 rebounds. She poured in 25 points in a closely-fought overtime loss to South Carolina in November. In addition to the Gamecocks, Charlotte has played close games this season against Indiana and Duke.

Linda Aughburns led the Bulldogs on Wednesday night with 14 points and 7 rebounds, bringing her season averages to 8.5 points and a team-high 7.5 rebounds. Lindsey Montgomery is also a double-double threat in the sixth man role, averaging 9.4 and 7.4. Lindsey Thompson leads the team in scoring with 10.2 points per game. Guard Kendall Shepard has also played well lately, scoring in double figures in two of her last three outings. Shepard is also the team’s assists leader, with 17.

Last season, Charlotte defeated the Bulldogs 72-50 at the Justice Center. That game was highlighted by a 19 point performance on 6-of-9 shooting from Jones. Montgomery had a strong showing for the Bulldogs in that game, with 17 points and 9 rebounds. Charlotte leads the all-time series 11-3 over the Bulldogs and has won the last four meetings.

Basketball Live Updates

Check out the Athletic Department's Twitter page for live updates from tonight's women's basketball game against rival Western Carolina

Women's Basketball Preview: Western Carolina

UNC Asheville will look to get back to .500 on Wednesday night with a victory over non-conference rival Western Carolina. The Bulldogs (2-3) have dropped two in a row, including a 78-60 defeat on Saturday at the hands of USC Upstate. The Catamounts (1-5) have dropped three straight against a fierce early season slate, but came out on top in their lone contest against a Southern Conference foe.

Turnovers were a major issue in Asheville’s Saturday afternoon loss in Spartanburg. The Bulldogs turned the ball over a season-high 36 times and recorded only 9 assists. The Bulldogs shot only 34% from the field but had an excellent night on the offensive and defensive glass. Linda Aughburns led the way with 10 rebounds, Lindsey Thompson had a career-high with 8, and Kelli Riles added 7. Riles led the Bulldogs in scoring with a career-high 11 points, and Thompson contributed 10.

Through the first few games, the Bulldogs have enjoyed consistent production from Lindsey Montgomery (10.0 ppg, 7.8 rpg), Chioma Okoli (10.6 ppg, 6.0 rpg), Thompson (10.6 ppg), and Aughburns (7.4 ppg, 7.6 rpg), but a go-to player on the offensive end has yet emerge. Asheville’s rebounding success will continue to generate second chances, but to fully take advantage of those opportunities the Bulldogs will need to protect the basketball and improve their free-throw shooting (63% on the season).

Western Carolina defeated Wofford in its first conference game of the season before dropping three straight. That losing skid began with two games in the Great Alaska Shootout, where the Catamounts fell to Cincinnati and to Big South representative Coastal Carolina. Western stumbled again in its most recent outing, losing 80-63 to James Madison in Cullowhee on Sunday.

The Catamounts’ record owes mostly to a difficult non-conference schedule. Western Carolina was picked to finish 5^th in the 11-team Southern Conference this season, following a 4^th place finish one year ago. Western is led by preseason all-conference selection Emily Clarke, who is averaging 12.0 points and 5.7 rebounds. Clarke is coming off a season-high 20 points in the loss to James Madison. Sophomore guard Kaila’She Menendez averages 11.8 points per game and scored at least 20 in both Great Alaska Shootout contests. Junior guard Kendra Carroll is also averaging double figures at 10.8 points per game, and led all scorers with 18 in the Catamounts’ victory over Wofford.

Western Carolina holds a 24-13 lead over the Bulldogs in the all-time series, but the teams have split their last four meetings. Last season, Asheville defeated Western 90-71 at the Justice Center. In the last contest in Cullowhee, Western came out on top 89-74.

Go Bulldogs!!

Women's Basketball Preview: Campbell

UNC Asheville will defend a winning record on Tuesday night as the Bulldogs (2-1) take on the Camels of Campbell at the Justice Center. Asheville recovered from a sluggish start on Saturday to come away with a decisive victory over Lees-McRae, and has now won two in a row. Campbell (2-1) has also looked sharp at times in non-conference play, but fell 66-59 to Coastal Carolina in its only contest against a Big South opponent.

The Bulldogs struggled out of the gate on Saturday, turning the ball over 15 times in the first half while Lees-McRae took advantage of an early 25-9 run to stretch the lead to as much as 13. At the break, the Bobcats were shooting 53% from the field and held a 43-34 lead. UNC Asheville stormed back in the second half behind a breakout performance from junior Dana Wagner. Wagner, a first team All-American junior college player last season, shot 6 of 8 from the field for a game-high 16 points. Five teammates joined Wagner in double figures. Linda Aughburns put up 14 points and 11 rebounds for her second consecutive double-double, Lindsey Thompson had 12 points, Kiana Rainey had 11 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 blocks, Chioma Okoli tallied 11 points and 6 boards, and Lindsey Montgomery posted 10 points and 9 rebounds. Kendall Shepard had a great deal of success running the offense, dishing out most of her eight assists in the second half. UNC Asheville outscored Lees-McRae 48-15 after the break, and only committed six turnovers.

Despite being picked to finish near the bottom of the Atlantic Sun (9^th in the media poll, 11^th in the coaches poll), Campbell has played well thus far. The Camels defeated Wofford in the season opener, and bounced back from the loss to Coastal to defeat North Carolina Central 79-63 on Wednesday night in their first away game of the year. Freshman guard Tonisha Baker leads the Camels in scoring with 12.0 PPG. Forwards Lauren Yesh and Geami Britt, the team’s top two scorers last season, have each averaged 11.0 PPG over the first three contests. Campbell also seems to have an emerging star at the point. Sophomore Kate Cloxton led the Camels in points (17) and assists (5) in Wednesday’s victory.

Campbell leads the all-time series against Asheville 24-6, dating back to 1980, but the two squads have been quite evenly matched in recent years. Campbell defeated the Bulldogs 65-53 last year in Buies Creek, but Asheville has won in two of the last four meetings. Tuesday should provide a close match between two competitive teams that are looking to exceed expectations this season.

Go Dogs!!!

Women's Basketball Tops South Carolina State, 67-60

UNC Asheville stormed back from an early 8-2 deficit to capture its first win of the season, defeating South Carolina State 67-60. The Bulldogs (1-1) bounced back from a season-opening upset at the hands of Newberry, thanks to an inspired effort on defense and double-doubles from two Asheville players.

In her first start of the season, sophomore Linda Aughburns led the Bulldogs with 14 points and pulled down 10 boards. Chioma Okoli posted 13 points for the second straight outing, to go with a career-high 11 rebounds. Also in double figures for UNC Asheville were Lindsey Thompson with 12 points and Kendall Shepard with 11.

The Bulldogs faced a South Carolina State squad that returns three starters from the unit that defeated UNC Asheville 67-64 last season at the Justice Center. Once again, Sophilia Hipps had a big night for SCSU. The senior tallied 14 points, while posting game-highs in rebounds (12), assists (4), and steals (4). SCSU Freshman Lauren Johnson led all scorers with 16 points in the game.

The Bulldogs were a significantly improved team on defense Tuesday night. After allowing Newberry to shoot 46.4% in the opener, Asheville limited South Carolina State to 28.6% shooting. Asheville’s shooters also found their touch, shooting 40% from the field (compared with 31% against Newberry) and 40% from behind the arc (the Bulldogs were a woeful 1-of-20 in the season-opener). Free throw shooting was still a concern, as the Bulldogs managed only 55.3% from the charity stripe.

UNC Asheville also had some success in protecting the basketball. The Bulldogs turned the ball over 15 times in the contest – equal to their total in the loss to Newberry, but well down from 28 in last week’s exhibition match against Mars Hill. Despite the efforts of Aughburns and Okoli on the glass, the Bulldogs were again out-rebounded by their opponent. It was also the second straight contest in which Asheville dished out fewer assists (Asheville had 8 to SCSU’s 12) suggesting that the Bulldogs might live or die by the mid-to-long range jumper this season.

UNC Asheville is back in action this Sunday, hosting Lees-McRae at the Justice Center in the Bobcats’ first game of the season. The match tips off at 2:00, and will be followed at 4:30 by a men’s basketball contest against Campbell.

Women's Basketball Preview: Newberry

Women’s basketball tips off the regular season on Saturday afternoon, hosting Newberry College at the Justice Center. This will mark the first time the two schools have faced one another in women’s basketball competition. The retooled Bulldogs squad looked sharp on Friday night in a 92-72 romp over Mars Hill in an exhibition match at the Justice Center. Newberry has not yet taken the court this season.

UNC Asheville put together a strong showing on the offensive end on Friday, shooting over 55 percent from the field and placing five scorers in double figures. Junior forward Lindsey Montgomery and freshman guard Grace Blaylock led the team with 15 points each, followed by guards Kendall Shepard (11), Lindsey Thompson (11), and Chioma Okoli (10). Blaylock started the game at point guard and played a team-high 30 minutes, dishing out 5 assists and collecting 7 rebounds. Forward Kiara Rainey was the Bulldogs’ rebounding leader, with 9 boards.

Although the offensive effort was encouraging, turnovers and team defense were areas of concern for the Bulldogs following the exhibition contest. UNC Asheville committed 28 turnovers, compared to only 19 from Mars Hill. The Bulldogs were able to limit Mars Hill to 34 percent shooting in the game, but gave up 17 offensive rebounds. Those second-chance opportunities enabled the Lions to rack up 72 points.

If the Bulldogs are able to protect the basketball and control the offensive glass, they have a chance to do much better than the eighth-place finish projected for UNC Asheville at the Big South media day. With the loss of last year’s leading scorer and point guard Ana Baker, there have been questions about the Bulldog’s ability to produce consistently on the offensive end. The strong cadre of Bulldog underclassmen, led by Blaylock, look to answer those questions as the regular season begins. Asheville added another underclassman to its roster this week. Redshirt freshman MacKensie Wheaton, a cross country and track runner at UNC Asheville, has joined the team as a guard.

Newberry enters the season as one of the top teams in the South Atlantic Conference. Last season, the nickname-less Newberry squad finished with an 18-11 record and fell in the semifinals of their conference tournament. The team is picked to finish third in the conference this year. Newberry returns two of its top producers from last season. Senior Helen McKinney average 14.9 points (7^th best in the conference) and 7.2 rebounds. Junior Anita Bulcher was second in the SAC with 8.7 rebounds per game, and 11^th in scoring (13.3).

The game is scheduled to begin at 4:30 on Saturday, immediately following volleyball’s Senior Day regular season finale against Winthrop.

Go Dogs!!!

Women's Basketball Tips Off Friday

Women’s basketball will take the court for the first time this season on Friday night when they host Mars Hill College in an exhibition match at the Justice Center. This will be a challenging season for the Bulldogs. The team is in a transitional period and must find its identity and leadership. If Asheville is able to do so, however, the Big South race is wide open.

UNC Asheville finished the 2008-2009 campaign with a 10-20 overall record, and a 7-9 mark in conference play. Although that placed the Bulldogs seventh in the conference, they were only three games out of second place. Asheville loses two starters from last season – guard Ana Baker and forward Jessica Monroe. Baker will be particularly difficult to replace. As a senior captain, she led the Bulldogs in scoring, assists, and steals, and was named first team all-conference. The starters that return were all productive last season, but will have to carry a much greater scoring load without Baker. Junior guard Chioma Okoli is the leading returning scorer at 8.7 points per game. Junior forward Lindsey Montgomery averaged 7.6 points and 6 rebounds, and led last year’s squad in blocks. Kendall Shepard, the final returning starter, averaged 6.6 points per game and is the likely choice to replace Baker at the point this season. Forward Linda Aughburns can expect to play a much bigger role in this year’s edition. The sophomore led the team with 6.4 rebounds per game last year, despite coming off the bench most of the season. Aughburns was named to the Big South all-rookie team.

With no double-digit scorer returning and no seniors on the roster, newcomers and inexperienced players will have the opportunity to prove themselves and earn big minutes for the Bulldogs. UNC Asheville has five freshmen on the roster who hope to make an immediate impact. Another key newcomer is junior guard Dana Wagner. Wagner is a transfer from junior college, where she was named first team All-American last season after leading her team in scoring, three-point percentage, free throws made, and free throw percentage. Wagner has already demonstrated her shooting touch here in Asheville – she was crowned champion of the three-point contest during Jammin’ at the Justice.

Mars Hill finished up last season with a 12-16 mark (5-11 South Atlantic Conference). The Lions return three starters from last season, including junior guard Brittini Young. Young was named second team all-conference last season after leading the South Atlantic in points per game (16.6) and free throw percentage (.865). At media day, the Lions were picked to finish eighth in the nine-team conference.

Tip-off will be at 7:00 on Friday. Come out to the Justice Center for an early look at the Bulldogs.