Date: December 8th, 2020
Time: 7:00 PM
Opponent: UNC-Asheville (1-2, 0-0 BigSouth)
Place: Harrah's Cherokee Center (no fans)
Television: none
Webcast:
ESPN+ (Subscription)
Radio online:
640WXSM.com
UNCA 2020-2021
Schedule
UNCA 2020-2021
Roster
UNCA
Message Board
Asheville is 1-2, losing to Wilmington 76-68; to Western Carolina in OT 83-81; and winning over a weak South Carolina State 77-56.
They were rated 2nd in the Big South Preseason behind a stong Winthrop team by Blue Ribbon.
2 of their players were rated 1st team all conference: 6-5 215 So. L.J. Thorpe (8.0 ppg and 5.3 rpg, but also 3.7 t.o.’s); and 6-2 190 Jr DeVon Baker.
Asheville has been hampered by having 2 top starters out with injury: DeVon Baker and 6-9 190 Jr. Coty Jude. The injuries are supposedly minor and both players could be back at any time. Without those 2, Kenpom rates them 225 overall, 187 offensively and 274 defensively.
They have been scoring the ball from 2 pt range, but are not strong perimeter shooters with 6 makes from 3 and a .310 shooting percentage. However they defend the 3 well, allowing opponents only 4.0 makes (20th in D1) and .211 (21st in D1). Best 3 point threat is 6-5 190 Jr G Taijon Jones with 3.7 makes on .523. Unless they get Jude or Baker back, nobody else has yet done much of anything from the perimeter.
Rebounding margin is +2.0. Blocks are an excellent 6.7, 12th in D1.
Turnovers are bad – averaging 18.7 with a margin of -3.0, tied for 217th in D1.
They foul a lot: 22.7 per game, 29th in D1.
They’ve been relying heavily on the 5 starters (Jones, Battle, Stephney, Clayborne and Thorpe) for almost all their production. 6th man Batts gets 22 minutes , but not much in the stat sheet (3.7 ppg, 2.7 rpg), while Lawson, Mason and Marable get about 10-13 minutes each, with little production.
I’ll be interested if the Bucs continue to improve their defense, and pick up their offense and shooting. One step at a time for a brand new team in a uniquely challenging year. Kenpom has the Bucs by 1 point, 70-69.
Guards:
#20 6-2 190 Jr DeVon Baker; injured, 1st team All Conference
#3 6-5 190 Jr Tajion Jones; 36.0 min., 20.0 ppg, .423 from 3 (3.7 makes), 4.7 rebounds
#1 6-5 210 So Jamon Battle; 26.3 min., 12.7 ppg, 0 3’s, 6.7 rebounds
#5 6-2 190 So Trent Stephney; 36.3 min., 11.3 ppg, .222 from 3 (0.7 makes), 3.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 4.7 t.o.'s
#2 6-5 215 So L.J. Thorpe; 25.3 min., 8.0 ppg, .333 from 3 (0.3 makes), 5.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 3.7 t.o.'s
#0 6-3 185 Sr Lavar Batts; 22.0 min., 3.7 ppg, .125 from 3 (0.3 makes), 2.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 3.0 t.o.'s
Front Court:
#10 6-8 240 Gr-Tr Evan Clayborne; 24.0 min., 11.3 ppg, 0 3’s, 3.3 rebounds, 2.0 blocks
#22 6-9 190 Jr Coty Jude; injured but a good 3 pt shooter
#14 6-7 180 Jr Luke Lawson; 13.7 min., 2.7 ppg, .250 from 3 (0.7 makes), 2.3 rebounds
#55 6-7 180 3* Fr Silas Mason; 10.0 min., 2.7 ppg, 0 3’s, 3.0 rebounds
#11 6-9 220 Fr BJ Marable; 11.0 min., 2.0 ppg,
Game is postponed due to COVID issues in the ETSU program.
(12-08-2020 10:38 AM)GoBucsGo Wrote: [ -> ]Game is postponed due to COVID issues in the ETSU program.
This has been a brutal year for many programs. For one full of new players, it's even harder.
(12-08-2020 10:38 AM)GoBucsGo Wrote: [ -> ]Game is postponed due to COVID issues in the ETSU program.
Dang. Hope everyone is ok.
(12-08-2020 12:23 PM)bucfan81 Wrote: [ -> ] (12-08-2020 10:38 AM)GoBucsGo Wrote: [ -> ]Game is postponed due to COVID issues in the ETSU program.
Dang. Hope everyone is ok.
Agreed. I've been curious to know how teams are going about protecting their players from contracting the virus. You would think that if the players really do want to play, they know they have to do their part in social distancing and what not.
(12-08-2020 12:35 PM)Buced_Up Wrote: [ -> ] (12-08-2020 12:23 PM)bucfan81 Wrote: [ -> ] (12-08-2020 10:38 AM)GoBucsGo Wrote: [ -> ]Game is postponed due to COVID issues in the ETSU program.
Dang. Hope everyone is ok.
Agreed. I've been curious to know how teams are going about protecting their players from contracting the virus. You would think that if the players really do want to play, they know they have to do their part in social distancing and what not.
UGLY. Do hope they’re through this ASAP. What all people are really DOING to spread/catch this virus seems as much a mystery now as it was nine months ago. Surely there are specific and identifiable behaviors that people have been engaged in these last nine months that have been documented.
This is the 3rd time we've dealt with covid issues.
(12-08-2020 04:50 PM)DaBuc Brass Wrote: [ -> ]This is the 3rd time we've dealt with covid issues.
I've lowered my expectations for this team. Don't see how the team gets better with prolonged delays in practice. Not a reflection on team desire, just a reality.
(12-08-2020 04:50 PM)DaBuc Brass Wrote: [ -> ]This is the 3rd time we've dealt with covid issues.
It won’t be the last unfortunately
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I *thought* I heard today that this game is back on for Saturday. Maybe the media where I heard it got mixed up, but I'm sure they said "Saturday", and used the words "had been cleared". Don't see it on the ETSU site - nor the UNC-A site, so I'm doubtful, to put it mildly.
(12-11-2020 03:11 AM)posterformerlyknownasthedoctor Wrote: [ -> ]I *thought* I heard today that this game is back on for Saturday. Maybe the media where I heard it got mixed up, but I'm sure they said "Saturday", and used the words "had been cleared". Don't see it on the ETSU site - nor the UNC-A site, so I'm doubtful, to put it mildly.
I would speculate what you heard is the announcement that the Bucs have been cleared to play their regularly scheduled home opener this Saturday vs. UAB.
(12-11-2020 02:27 PM)Flippmb Wrote: [ -> ] (12-11-2020 03:11 AM)posterformerlyknownasthedoctor Wrote: [ -> ]I *thought* I heard today that this game is back on for Saturday. Maybe the media where I heard it got mixed up, but I'm sure they said "Saturday", and used the words "had been cleared". Don't see it on the ETSU site - nor the UNC-A site, so I'm doubtful, to put it mildly.
I would speculate what you heard is the announcement that the Bucs have been cleared to play their regularly scheduled home opener this Saturday vs. UAB.
Well, obviously. But I'm virtually certain they said UNC-A. So clearly it was a mistake on their part.