| Game 16: Charleston Southern (7-8, 1-2 Big South) vs. UNC Asheville (6-7, 0-2 Big South) |
Charleston Southern closes their early Big South homestand seeking a 3-1 mark in those four contests thanks to wins over USC Upstate and Piedmont International to begin the New Year.
Promotional Item: Fans are encouraged to show up early as FREE Charleston Southern-branded PopSockets will be available while supplies last.
Second-year head coach Mike Morrell has turned the Bulldogs around already surpassing last season's win total entering Saturday's matchup. UNC Asheville is one of the youngest teams in the country and on their way to one of the more improved teams across Division-I basketball.
CSU's
Barclay Radebaugh takes on a former assistant for the second time in the Buc Dome this season after the Bucs hosted a Bob Richey-led Furman squad back in November in front of a packed house. Radebaugh has gotten the better of his former assistant Morrell so far with a 2-0 regular season sweep of the Bulldogs last season including a Senior Day win to close February.
UNC Asheville is the oldest rival on the Bucs' schedule this season as the series dates back to the 1968-69 season between two Big South founding members. The 81 all-time matchups are the most against any team in program history for CSU just ahead of College of Charleston, Winthrop, Radford and Liberty.
Scouting The Bulldogs
- UNC Asheville has already surpassed last season's win total just one full week into Big South play thanks to the No. 2 scoring offense and conference-leading field goal percentage and turnover margin.
- The Bulldogs dropped their first two conference games, but both only by single possessions to Presbyterian and reigning regular season champion Campbell.
- DeVon Baker was named a Big South First Team All-Conference member at Media Days and has backed that recognition sitting fifth in scoring (16.2) behind teammate Tajion Jones (16.6).
- Baker and Jones are joined in the top-10 in scoring by Lavar Batts Jr. (13.2) making UNC Asheville the only conference member with three players among the top-10 in scoring.
- UNC Asheville also has the best turnover margin at +7.7 per game thanks to their 10.0 steals a contest.
A Win on Saturday Would…
- Extend the Bucs' win streak to three in the series
- Be the seventh over the Bucs' last 10 games
- Give CSU their fifth home win of the season
- Be the 36th all-time win over UNC Asheville, the most over one program in school history
- Get the Bucs back to .500 in conference play and a 3-1 mark over their homestand
- Be their third win over a team from the Tar Heel state of North Carolina (N.C. Central & Piedmont Int'l).
Series History
- Charleston Southern and UNC Asheville rekindle an old rivalry that traces back before the first days of the Big South Conference. The 81 contests between the Bucs and Bulldogs are the most head-to-head with any opponent in school history for CSU.
- CSU looks for a third-straight win in the series, something they last accomplished during a six-game streak from Feb. 13, 1993 through Jan. 6, 1996.
Last Time Versus UNC Asheville
- Charleston Southern made sure Travis McConico's final regular season game in the Buccaneer Field House was never in doubt as the Buccaneers took control early in their 77-48 win over UNC Asheville.
- The Buccaneers (14-14, 8-7 Big South) never trailed in the contest and led by as many as 32 points as CSU turned in another dominant defensive performance. The Bucs limited Asheville (4-25, 2-13 Big South) to 3-of-18 shooting over the final 16 minutes of the game and forced 18 Bulldog turnovers in completing the season sweep.
- Christian Keeling led four Buccaneers in double-digits with 16 points and added seven rebounds and five assists in the win. Nate Louis (12), Dontrell Shuler (11) and Deontaye Buskey (11) all scored double-digits, while Phlandrous Fleming recorded eight points, six assists, and three blocked shots in the win.
- DeVon Baker was Asheville's bright spot offensively as he matched Keeling with 17 points to lead UNC Asheville. The Bulldogs shot 34.7% from the floor as a team and 29.4% from the three-point line in the loss.
- McConico, recognized in a pregame ceremony for Senior Day, finished with five points, three rebounds, and two steals.
