UNC Asheville NCAA Tournament Preview, Prediction
The UNC Asheville Bulldogs have made it to the NCAA Tournament. Here's a preview of the team and a prediction of how they'll do during March Madness.
The UNC Asheville Bulldogs have made it to the NCAA Tournament. Here’s a preview of the team and a prediction of how they’ll do during March Madness.
Resume
Team: UNC Asheville Bulldogs
Record: 22-11
Conference: Big South
Head coach: Nick McDevitt
How they got here: Won conference tournament
The Good
Depth and balance is the name of the game for the Bulldogs, who feature five players that score in double figures and nine guys who average at least 11 minutes per game. Dwayne Sutton and Ahmad Thomas both can score and rebound, and their ability to control the glass opens the transition game. Dylan Smith is the catalyst and wants the ball in his hands with the game on the line.
The Bad
The Bulldogs are far from the best shooting team in the country, especially from the perimeter. Nobody shoots better than 40 percent from beyond the arc, and as a team, UNC Asheville only knocks down 32.4 percent of their threes. In other words, a zone could hurt this team, and falling behind early is a death knell.
Prediction
Enjoy the NCAA Tournament while you can, Bulldogs, because you won’t be sticking around for long. This is a team that is fine at the mid-major level, but it would be a huge surprise to see UNC Asheville sticking around for the weekend.
