ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Some UNC Asheville basketball history will occur Wednesday as the women’s basketball team welcomes the University of Florida to Kimmel Arena. It marks the first time in the program’s history that an SEC school has played the Bulldogs on their home floor. The game, which is presented by TD Bank, is scheduled for a 4 p.m. tip-off time and can be watched on ESPN+.
Last Time Out – The Bulldogs dropped a 76-50 decision to Wofford at home on Sunday. The loss moves Asheville’s record on the young season to 1-2.
Evans Ever Closer to 1,000 – With 18 points against Wofford, senior Nadiria Evans is that much closer to joining the exclusive 1,000-point club. Evans, who has scored in double figures each game this season, needs just 94 more points to get there. Overall, there have been 21 Bulldogs to reach this milestone, with the last being Sonora Dengokl (2015-2020) last February.
Gainesville Connection – Despite being over 500 miles away from Gainesville, where the University of Florida is located, the Bulldogs have a few ties to the city and the Gator women’s basketball program. Evans and Raquel Cassidy are both Gainesville natives, while assistant coaches Andre Jurko and Dyandria Anderson are both graduates of Florida. Anderson, who is in her first season on the Bulldog coaching staff, played for the Gators from 2014-18.
About Florida – Florida enters Wednesday’s game with the Bulldogs sporting a 4-1 record on the season. The Gators own victories over Grambling, Charleston Southern, Cincinnati, and FAU with the lone setback against Florida State. As a team, Florida’s strengths are three-point shooting and taking the ball away as they rank in the top-15 nationally in both categories. A player to watch on both sides of the ball for the Gators is Kiara Smith as she paces the team in both scoring (19.0 ppg) and steals (16).
How to Follow – Mike Gore will have the radio call on WISE Sports Radio 102.9 FM/1310 AM, and live stats will also be available here.
