We are 6 point dogs, over/under is at 152.5.

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Three Man Weave has UNC Asheville finishing 2nd in the Big South. They return all 5 of their starters from last season, who all averaged double figures.

Their preview:

https://www.three-man-weave.com/3mw/big-...21-preview


2. UNC Asheville

Key Returners: Devon Baker, LJ Thorpe, Lavar Batts Jr., Tajion Jones, Coty Jude, Trent Stephney, Jamon Battle
Key Losses: Jeremy Peck, Jax Levitch
Key Newcomers: Evan Clayborne (NC Central), Silas Mason, BJ Marable, Raquan Brown (New Orleans)***

***Brown is awaiting a waiver to become immediately eligible

Lineup:



Outlook: How many times in college basketball history has a team returned all five starters from a squad that started only one lineup all season long? How many of those teams’ five returning starters all averaged double figures in scoring? I don’t know the answer to either of those questions, but I do know it’s 1) extremely rare and 2) the case at UNC Asheville this season. This is what Mike Morrell has been building towards during his young tenure at the program. He took over a GUTTED team in 2018 after Nick McDevitt left for Middle Tennessee – the Bulldogs were the youngest team in the country that season and it showed through when they sputtered to a 4-27 (2-14) record. Last year was a marked improvement; the Bulldogs jumped 45 spots in KenPom and finished with a more respectable 15-16 (8-10) record. This season expectations are high for the now-experienced Bulldogs – Morrell will start five juniors, all of whom can score the basketball.

Now, before we all get too excited on Asheville’s potential this season, let’s throw a little cold water on the fire. Yes, this team returns all five starters from last year. Yes, all of those players score over 10.0 PPG. However, this was still a bad basketball team in 2019-20. UNCA ranked 302nd in KenPom’s overall metrics and finished just 8-10 in the worst iteration of the Big South in recent memory. To boot, there may not have been a worse interior defensive squad in the country last season – the Bulldogs ranked 350th in eFG% and allowed the 2nd highest rate of attempts near the rim. Morrell starts four guards and a forward who has no interest in banging in the paint – if UNCA doesn’t turn a team over early in the shot clock, that team is usually going to score. So while the Bulldogs may be one of the more exciting mid-major teams to watch on offense, that doesn’t mean we should expect them to compete in the same stratosphere as Winthrop.

Indeed offense is going to be what wins UNCA ball games this year. Every player in the starting five can shoot the three and all four guards can score off the bounce. Expect a ball screen-heavy attack once again in the halfcourt and a prioritization of running in transition, particularly off steals.

Defensively, Morrell’s goal is to turn teams over, something Asheville did at the best rate in the Big South and 25th best rate in the country last season. The Bulldogs extend pressure the length of the floor and look to trap once the ball crosses the timeline.



This gamble can result in a lot of buckets going the opposite way, but it’s also susceptible to being burned often by good ball handlers and smart-passing teams. Once the ball crossed the three-point arc last season, resistance was essentially nada.

Morrell clearly had size on his mind when recruiting this offseason. He added NC Central transfer Evan Clayborne to sure-up the frontline immediately and freshmen Silas Mason and BJ Marable, two high-upside forwards. Clayborne may not start for the Bulldogs, but he will be an integral part of their rotation – he adds muscle to the frontcourt and will be the team’s lone true rim runner this season. Mason is an athletic, lanky 3-star wing out of North Carolina. He could see time right away in 2020-21 but will absolutely be a factor for this program in the long-term. Marable is a well-regarded recruit out of Tennessee; he adds even more size and athleticism to the frontline.

UNCA’s star-studded four guard lineup features Devon Baker, LJ Thorpe, Lavar Batts Jr., and Tajion Jones. Baker is the returning leading scorer and a 2nd Team All-Big South honoree last season. Morrell moved Baker off the ball last year presumably to better showcase his scoring ability, allowing Baker to work off the catch and in spot-up situations. Baker will remain a high usage scorer in the Asheville attack – he especially excels off ball screens where he scored 1.007 PPP last year (94th percentile nationally, per Synergy) and in isolation where he’s able to cook just about anyone off the bounce.



Thorpe was an Honorable Mention All-Big South member last season and the 5th highest used player in the league. He does a bit of everything for the Bulldogs including scoring, rebounding, and dishing out assists. Thorpe plays the de facto 4 in Morrell’s lineups due to his size and strength and was the only Bulldog to consistently post-up last season. Like several others on the roster Thorpe vastly improved his outside shooting last year, taking a dreadful 27% clip from his freshman season to a robust 39% in 2019-20.

Batts handled the lion’s share of point guard duties last season and should again in 2020-21. He’s a gifted slasher on offense and one of the league’s best pilferers, ranking 2nd in the Big South in steal rate last season. Jones was the team leader in minutes last season and functions as a long-ball gunner on offense. He led the Big South in 3P% last year shooting a scorching 46.5% from deep.

Coty Jude is the 5th returning starter and lone forward of the bunch. He doesn’t really rebound or block shots, but he does shoot the crap out of the ball. On 329 career attempts Jude is a sizzling 38.9% from three.

Returners Trent Stephney and Jamon Battle will be two of the first players off the bench this season. Stephney is a quick ball handler and a sticky defender in search of a more efficient season in his second year in Asheville. Battle will serve as wing and forward depth; he’s a pretty good shot blocker and rebounder despite standing just 6’5”.

Bottom Line: It’s easy to see all the returners on UNCA’s roster page and get carried away. This team will 100% be better than last season and perhaps even finish as high as 2nd in the Big South. However, paint defense is still going to be a major issue for this squad and could hold them back from realizing their substantial potential.

Troy, our opponent tomorrow, is about to tip off against Western Carolina in the first game of today's doubleheader at UNC Asheville's Kimmel Arena.

Troy is a young team expected to finish near the bottom of a competitive Sun Belt. WCU is favored by 9.

The troy game is on espn+ now

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(11-27-2020 01:27 PM)tke75hawk Wrote:  The troy game is on espn+ now

Troy is hanging tough. 22-21 WCU with 3:29 left in the half.

UNCA and the over. We’re gonna get beat by 20+

This is a team that likes to press and run. We are a team that lacks key pieces and hasn’t figured out how to play that style with any effectiveness yet.


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Troy looking to pull the "upset". Up 62-58 on WCU with 42.5 seconds left. Troy ball.

They're a plucky young team. They've had some trouble finishing around the rim but otherwise have played very well in their first game of the season.

Troy defeats Western Carolina, 66-64.

Seahawks and UNC Asheville coming up next.

With Phillips and Carr out, we still don't have any really good ball handlers, so not sure how we handle a press. TO's could get out of control.

If we could somehow knock down some three's we can compete. If we shoot like we did last night, this will be another blowout loss.

Harvey was putting up a lot of threes and not connecting. Is he known as a legit three point threat?

(11-27-2020 03:09 PM)Seahawk Nation 08 Wrote:  Troy defeats Western Carolina, 66-64.

Seahawks and UNC Asheville coming up next.

Troy must be the best D to ever step on the court holding that WCU juggernaut that nearly hit the century mark to only 64

Starters:

Gadsden
Harvey
Sims
Okauru
Boggs

(11-27-2020 03:36 PM)Seahawk Nation 08 Wrote:  Starters:

Gadsden
Harvey
Sims
Okauru
Boggs

Steere suited up?

Nope he’s not, just heard. Starting with Boggs at Center. Alone learned nothing the other night. Dodd needs to be in there

(11-27-2020 03:41 PM)Seahawkhoops Wrote:  Nope he’s not, just heard. Starting with Boggs at Center. Alone learned nothing the other night. Dodd needs to be in there

UNC Asheville has no inside presence. They basically roll with 5 guards out there. I can understand why he'd go with Boggs today, as Asheville likes to run and Dodd might struggle with that.

First bucket: Boggs inside. :)

6-6 and all 12 points have been scored in the paint so far. Each team attacking the others' weakness.

Boggs with 4 of our 8 points so far.

(11-27-2020 03:46 PM)Seahawk Nation 08 Wrote:  First bucket: Boggs inside. :)

For the record I wasn’t saying Boggs shouldn’t start, but he shouldn’t be our center.
Layup line again, can’t stop anyone off the dribble

Boggs with 6!

Good to see Harvey step in and take a charge that’s positive