ASHEVILLE, NC -- Dennis Gaskins hit a running 12-foot jumper with 4.5 seconds left, and UNC Asheville's Juelian Flowers missed a potential game-winning jumper as time expired Saturday, giving Elon College a 73-72 men's basketball victory over the Bulldogs. With the win, the Fightin' Christians improve to 10-13, while UNCA drops to 8-15.
Elon led the entire game until UNC Asheville took a 70-69 lead with 2:38 remaining when Flowers hit a jumper. Eleven seconds later, the Bulldogs' Kevin Martin extended the lead to 72-69 with a jumper, but those would be the final points the Bulldogs would score in the contest.
The Fightin' Christians pulled within 72-71 when Brendon Rowell hit a layup with :39 remaining in the game. Then, with UNCA in possession of the ball and Elon trying to foul, the Fightin' Christians' Mike Thomas got a steal with :15 left, setting up Gaskins' winner from the lane with 4.5 seconds left.
Morgan Bell scored a career-high 22 points for Elon, which won for the fourth time in five games. Gaskins added 15 and Andrew Toole scored 14 for the Fightin' Christians, who return to action on Thursday night at Liberty (7:30 p.m.).
Martin led UNCA with 21 points.
- ELON - ELON (10-13)
Toole 4-6 4-4 14, Thomas 3-5 0-3 6, Rowell 3-8 0-1 6, Bell 9-16 4-6 22, Gaskins 7-12 0-0 15, Schwetz 1-3 0-0 3, Hall 1-1 0-0 3, Whitaker 1-3 0-0 2, Dennis 1-5 0-0 2; Totals: 30-59 (.508) 8-14 (.571) 73
UNC ASHEVILLE (8-15)
Martin 9-18 1-1 21, Osikowicz 5-11 4-4 14, Earnhardt 2-5 0-0 4, Matthews 2-6 0-0 5, Flowers 4-8 1-2 10, Richerson 3-5 0-0 6, Ezell 3-3 4-4 10, Coble 0-4 0-0 0, Horton 0-0 0-0 0, Smits 1-1 0-0 2; Totals: 29-61 (.475) 10-11 (.909) 72
Halftime: Elon 36, UNC Asheville 26; 3pt Shooting: Elon 5-11 (Toole 2-3, Rowell 0-1, Gaskins 1-3, Schwetz 1-3, Hall 1-1), UNCA 4-16 (Martin 2-4, Matthews 1-5, Flowers 1-4, Coble 0-3); Rebounds: Elon 34 (Bell 8), UNCA 33 (Osikowicz 8); Fouls: Elon 15, UNCA 13; Assists: Elon 12 (Gaskins 5), UNCA 22 (Smits 5, Matthews 5); Turnovers: Elon 13, UNCA 13; Blocked Shots: Elon 1 (Whitaker 1), UNCA 4 (Earnhardt 3); Steals: Elon 6 (Gaskins 3), UNCA 4 (four with 1); A - 1,250
