Banks leads UNC Asheville against Gardner-Webb after 23-point outing

Published Feb. 23, 2024 3:43 a.m. ET

Associated Press

Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs (13-15, 8-5 Big South) at UNC Asheville Bulldogs (19-10, 11-3 Big South)

Asheville, North Carolina; Saturday, 2 p.m. EST

BOTTOM LINE: UNC Asheville hosts the Gardner-Webb Runnin' Bulldogs after Josh Banks scored 23 points in UNC Asheville's 80-75 loss to the Longwood Lancers.

The Bulldogs are 12-1 in home games. UNC Asheville leads the Big South with 15.2 assists per game led by Caleb Burgess averaging 4.7.

The Runnin' Bulldogs have gone 8-5 against Big South opponents. Gardner-Webb is 6-8 when it turns the ball over less than its opponents and averages 10.8 turnovers per game.

UNC Asheville scores 80.4 points, 6.8 more per game than the 73.6 Gardner-Webb allows. Gardner-Webb averages 74.2 points per game, 0.6 more than the 73.6 UNC Asheville gives up.

TOP PERFORMERS: Fletcher Abee averages 2.2 made 3-pointers per game for the Bulldogs, scoring 10.5 points while shooting 42.3% from beyond the arc. Drew Pember is shooting 47.4% and averaging 22.1 points over the last 10 games for UNC Asheville.

Julien Soumaoro is shooting 35.1% from beyond the arc with 2.0 made 3-pointers per game for the Runnin' Bulldogs, while averaging 13 points. DQ Nicholas is averaging 15.5 points over the past 10 games for Gardner-Webb.

LAST 10 GAMES: Bulldogs: 8-2, averaging 78.4 points, 32.9 rebounds, 13.0 assists, 5.9 steals and 4.6 blocks per game while shooting 49.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 71.8 points per game.

Runnin' Bulldogs: 7-3, averaging 75.3 points, 37.7 rebounds, 12.8 assists, 5.1 steals and 2.2 blocks per game while shooting 47.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 73.6 points.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.