CAMP

NCASHV

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UNC Asheville rallies to beat Campbell 77-73 in title game

AP
Mar 05, 2023

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) Drew Pember had 29 points, Tajion Jones scored 16 in the final 7:35 and No. 1 seed UNC Asheville stormed back to beat seventh-seeded Campbell 77-73 on Sunday, winning the Big South Conference Tournament championship and advancing to the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time.

Ricky Clemons hit a jumper to give Campbell a 66-52 lead and then Jones took over. The senior guard scored 10 straight points for the Bulldogs (27-7) after Pember made two free throws to cut their deficit to 68-64 with 3:41 to go. Clemons and Jones traded 3-pointers and Pember followed with a three-point play to get UNC Asheville within 71-70.

Clemons hit a jumper with 1:44 to play but the Fighting Camels would not score again. Pember, who has attempted and made more free throws than anyone else in the country, sank a pair. Clemons was fouled but missed both free throws and Jones buried a 3-pointer to put the Bulldogs on top 75-73 with 55 seconds left. The last time UNC Asheville had the lead the score was 13-11.

Pember, the Big South's player of the year, hit 9 of 19 shots but just 1 of 6 from 3-point range. He made 10 of 12 foul shots. Jones sank 9 of 14 shots, including 5 of 8 from beyond the arc. They each grabbed eight rebounds. Fletcher Abee hit three from distance and scored 11.

Jay Pal scored a career-high 26 points to lead the Fighting Camels. The senior made 11 of 18 shots and grabbed 10 rebounds for his seventh double-double of the season. He added four assists and blocked two shots. Big South freshman of the year Anthony Dell'Orso scored 12 points - just two after halftime - and snagged seven rebounds. Clemons, a former walk-on now a senior, hit two 3-pointers and scored 17 before fouling out.

Pal had 16 points and eight rebounds by halftime to guide Campbell to a 38-35 lead at intermission.

The Fighting Camels (16-18) made their only trip to the Big Dance in 1992, losing to eventual champion Duke in the first round 82-56. Campbell is the sixth No. 7 seed to advance to the Big South title game. All six lost to the top seed.

UNC Asheville sports a 2-4 record in its four previous NCAA tourney appearances.

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AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25

1st Half
CAMP
Fighting Camels
38
NCAS
Bulldogs
35

Time		Play	Score
20:00		Jay Pal vs. Drew Pember (Ricky Clemons gains possession)
19:29	+2	Anthony Dell'Orso makes two point layup	2-0
19:12		Fletcher Abee misses three point jump shot
19:10		Nick McMullen offensive rebound
19:05	+2	Nick McMullen makes two point layup	2-2
18:33	+3	Anthony Dell'Orso makes three point jump shot (Gediminas Mokseckas assists)	5-2
18:19	+3	Fletcher Abee makes three point jump shot	5-5
17:57	+3	Jay Pal makes three point jump shot (Ricky Clemons assists)	8-5
17:33		Caleb Burgess misses two point layup
17:31		Laurynas Vaistaras defensive rebound
17:22		Jay Pal misses three point jump shot
17:20		Caleb Burgess defensive rebound
17:09		Drew Pember misses three point jump shot
17:07		Gediminas Mokseckas defensive rebound
16:57		Laurynas Vaistaras misses three point jump shot
16:52		Bulldogs defensive rebound
16:38	+3	Fletcher Abee makes three point jump shot (Jamon Battle assists)	8-8
16:14		Caleb Burgess shooting foul (Anthony Dell'Orso draws the foul)
16:14		Anthony Dell'Orso misses regular free throw 1 of 2
16:14	+1	Anthony Dell'Orso makes regular free throw 2 of 2	9-8
15:53	+2	Fletcher Abee makes two point jump shot	9-10
15:30		Anthony Dell'Orso misses three point jump shot
15:28		Jay Pal offensive rebound
15:25	+2	Jay Pal makes two point layup	11-10
15:07		Fletcher Abee misses three point jump shot
15:05		Drew Pember offensive rebound
14:58		Tajion Jones misses three point jump shot
14:56		Jay Pal defensive rebound
14:44		Jay Pal misses two point jump shot
14:42		Tajion Jones defensive rebound
14:33	+3	Fletcher Abee makes three point jump shot	11-13
14:06		Laurynas Vaistaras misses three point jump shot
14:04		Jamon Battle defensive rebound
13:57		Fletcher Abee misses three point jump shot
13:55		Laurynas Vaistaras defensive rebound
13:44		Gediminas Mokseckas misses three point jump shot
13:42		Jamon Battle defensive rebound
13:36		Jamon Battle turnover (traveling)
13:36		TV timeout
13:36		Anthony Dell'Orso turnover (Tajion Jones steals)
13:26		Tajion Jones misses two point layup
13:24		Anthony Dell'Orso defensive rebound
13:16		Joshua Lusane misses three point jump shot
13:14		Jamon Battle defensive rebound
13:09		Alex Caldwell misses two point jump shot
13:07		Anthony Dell'Orso defensive rebound
12:56		Nick McMullen personal foul (Ricky Clemons draws the foul)
12:49		Jamon Battle blocks Anthony Dell'Orso's two point layup
12:47		Jay Pal offensive rebound
12:47	+2	Jay Pal makes two point layup	13-13
12:24		Trent Stephney turnover (bad pass)
12:00		Ricky Clemons misses two point jump shot
11:58		Drew Pember defensive rebound
11:39		Alex Caldwell misses three point jump shot
11:37		Tajion Jones offensive rebound
11:30		Trent Stephney misses three point jump shot
11:28		Jay Pal defensive rebound
11:09	+3	Devon Dunn makes three point jump shot (Ricky Clemons assists)	16-13
10:53	+2	Alex Caldwell makes two point layup	16-15
10:33	+2	Joshua Lusane makes two point layup	18-15
10:18	+2	Drew Pember makes two point layup	18-17
9:59	+2	Anthony Dell'Orso makes two point layup (Jay Pal assists)	20-17
9:40		Jump ball. (Bulldogs gains possession)
9:40		TV timeout
9:32	+2	Drew Pember makes two point dunk (Fletcher Abee assists)	20-19
9:02		Joshua Lusane misses two point jump shot
9:00		Drew Pember defensive rebound
8:49		Drew Pember turnover (bad pass) (Joshua Lusane steals)
8:35	+3	Devon Dunn makes three point jump shot (Jay Pal assists)	23-19
8:13	+2	Tajion Jones makes two point jump shot (Drew Pember assists)	23-21
7:58		Ricky Clemons misses two point jump shot
7:56		Drew Pember defensive rebound
7:50		Drew Pember misses three point jump shot
7:48		Fighting Camels defensive rebound
7:47		TV timeout
7:31		Anthony Dell'Orso misses two point jump shot
7:29		Tajion Jones defensive rebound
7:18		Tajion Jones misses three point jump shot
7:16		Juan Reyna defensive rebound
7:01		Drew Pember blocks Juan Reyna's two point layup
6:59		Bulldogs defensive rebound
6:41	+2	Jamon Battle makes two point layup (Caleb Burgess assists)	23-23
6:41		Laurynas Vaistaras shooting foul (Jamon Battle draws the foul)
6:41		Jamon Battle misses regular free throw 1 of 1
6:41		Jay Pal defensive rebound
6:18	+3	Jay Pal makes three point jump shot (Anthony Dell'Orso assists)	26-23
6:03	+3	Tajion Jones makes three point jump shot (Caleb Burgess assists)	26-26
5:33		Anthony Dell'Orso misses two point jump shot
5:31		Jay Pal offensive rebound
5:30		Jamon Battle shooting foul (Jay Pal draws the foul)
5:30	+1	Jay Pal makes regular free throw 1 of 2	27-26
5:30	+1	Jay Pal makes regular free throw 2 of 2	28-26
5:11		Fletcher Abee misses two point jump shot
5:09		Anthony Dell'Orso defensive rebound
4:42	+2	Laurynas Vaistaras makes two point layup	30-26
4:32	+2	Drew Pember makes two point layup (Caleb Burgess assists)	30-28
4:32		Laurynas Vaistaras shooting foul (Drew Pember draws the foul)
4:32		Drew Pember misses regular free throw 1 of 1
4:32		Jay Pal defensive rebound
4:14		Jay Pal misses three point jump shot
4:12		Fletcher Abee defensive rebound
3:59		Tajion Jones misses three point jump shot
3:57		Anthony Dell'Orso defensive rebound
3:38	+2	Anthony Dell'Orso makes two point layup	32-28
3:34		TV timeout
3:18		Jay Pal blocks Drew Pember's two point jump shot
3:16		Anthony Dell'Orso defensive rebound
2:59	+2	Jay Pal makes two point jump shot	34-28
2:45		Devon Dunn personal foul
2:32		Nick McMullen misses two point jump shot
2:30		Drew Pember offensive rebound
2:26	+2	Drew Pember makes two point layup	34-30
2:08		Joshua Lusane turnover (bad pass) (Fletcher Abee steals)
2:03	+3	Drew Pember makes three point jump shot (Caleb Burgess assists)	34-33
1:36		Ricky Clemons misses two point layup
1:34		Jay Pal offensive rebound
1:30	+2	Jay Pal makes two point putback dunk	36-33
1:18		Caleb Burgess misses two point jump shot
1:16		Nick McMullen offensive rebound
1:01		Jump ball. (Fighting Camels gains possession)
1:01		Nick McMullen turnover (lost ball) (Jay Pal steals)
0:46		Fletcher Abee shooting foul (Ricky Clemons draws the foul)
0:46	+1	Ricky Clemons makes regular free throw 1 of 2	37-33
0:46	+1	Ricky Clemons makes regular free throw 2 of 2	38-33
0:30	+2	Drew Pember makes two point layup	38-35
0:20		Fighting Camels 30 second timeout
0:08		Joshua Lusane turnover (bad pass) (Tajion Jones steals)
0:04		Devon Dunn personal foul
0:04		Bulldogs 30 second timeout
0:02		Ricky Clemons personal foul (Drew Pember draws the foul)
0:01		Jay Pal blocks Drew Pember's two point jump shot
0:00		Tajion Jones offensive rebound
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
CAMP
Fighting Camels
35
NCAS
Bulldogs
42

Time		Play	Score
19:32		Jay Pal personal foul (Drew Pember draws the foul)
19:32		Caleb Burgess turnover (bad pass)
19:06	+2	Jay Pal makes two point hook shot	40-35
18:54		Gediminas Mokseckas blocks Drew Pember's two point layup
18:52		Anthony Dell'Orso defensive rebound
18:36	+2	Jay Pal makes two point dunk (Anthony Dell'Orso assists)	42-35
18:07		Jay Pal shooting foul (Drew Pember draws the foul)
18:07	+1	Drew Pember makes regular free throw 1 of 2	42-36
18:07	+1	Drew Pember makes regular free throw 2 of 2	42-37
17:53		Ricky Clemons turnover (lost ball) (Caleb Burgess steals)
17:49		Caleb Burgess misses two point layup
17:47		Ricky Clemons defensive rebound
17:43		Fletcher Abee shooting foul (Ricky Clemons draws the foul)
17:43	+1	Ricky Clemons makes regular free throw 1 of 2	43-37
17:43		Ricky Clemons misses regular free throw 2 of 2
17:43		Bulldogs defensive rebound
17:26		Fletcher Abee misses two point jump shot
17:24		Gediminas Mokseckas defensive rebound
17:04		Gediminas Mokseckas misses two point layup
17:02		Laurynas Vaistaras offensive rebound
16:59		Drew Pember blocks Laurynas Vaistaras's two point jump shot
16:59		Laurynas Vaistaras offensive rebound
16:59		Jump ball. (Fighting Camels gains possession)
16:52		Jay Pal misses three point jump shot
16:47		Bulldogs defensive rebound
16:41		Fletcher Abee offensive foul
16:41		Fletcher Abee turnover (offensive foul)
16:26	+2	Ricky Clemons makes two point layup	45-37
16:10		Gediminas Mokseckas shooting foul (Jamon Battle draws the foul)
16:10		Jamon Battle misses regular free throw 1 of 2
16:10	+1	Jamon Battle makes regular free throw 2 of 2	45-38
15:48		Jay Pal misses two point layup
15:46		Nick McMullen defensive rebound
15:38	+2	Nick McMullen makes two point layup (Drew Pember assists)	45-40
15:20		Ricky Clemons misses two point layup
15:18		Jay Pal offensive rebound
15:14	+2	Jay Pal makes two point putback layup	47-40
15:06	+2	Nick McMullen makes two point layup (Caleb Burgess assists)	47-42
14:45		Anthony Dell'Orso misses two point layup
14:43		Tajion Jones defensive rebound
14:39		Drew Pember misses three point jump shot
14:37		Tajion Jones offensive rebound
14:36		Tajion Jones offensive foul
14:36		Tajion Jones turnover (offensive foul)
14:36		TV timeout
14:12		Joshua Lusane misses three point jump shot
14:10		Caleb Burgess defensive rebound
13:58		Tajion Jones turnover (lost ball)
13:41		Jay Pal misses three point jump shot
13:39		Tajion Jones defensive rebound
13:28		Joshua Lusane blocks Drew Pember's two point layup
13:26		Drew Pember offensive rebound
13:17		Drew Pember turnover (lost ball) (Joshua Lusane steals)
13:00		Ricky Clemons misses two point layup
12:58		Anthony Dell'Orso offensive rebound
12:53	+2	Anthony Dell'Orso makes two point layup	49-42
12:29		Drew Pember misses three point jump shot
12:27		Devon Dunn defensive rebound
12:06	+3	Devon Dunn makes three point jump shot (Jay Pal assists)	52-42
11:48	+2	Drew Pember makes two point dunk (Jamon Battle assists)	52-44
11:29	+2	Jay Pal makes two point layup	54-44
11:08		Ricky Clemons shooting foul (Nick McMullen draws the foul)
11:08		TV timeout
11:08	+1	Nick McMullen makes regular free throw 1 of 2	54-45
11:08		Nick McMullen misses regular free throw 2 of 2
11:08		Ricky Clemons defensive rebound
10:44		Devon Dunn misses three point jump shot
10:42		Nick McMullen defensive rebound
10:25		Devon Dunn personal foul (Jamon Battle draws the foul)
10:20		Drew Pember turnover (bad pass) (Anthony Dell'Orso steals)
10:15		Drew Pember blocks Anthony Dell'Orso's two point layup
10:13		Ricky Clemons offensive rebound
10:06	+2	Ricky Clemons makes two point layup	56-45
9:50		Fletcher Abee misses two point jump shot
9:48		Tajion Jones offensive rebound
9:46	+2	Tajion Jones makes two point layup	56-47
9:46		Anthony Dell'Orso shooting foul (Tajion Jones draws the foul)
9:46	+1	Tajion Jones makes regular free throw 1 of 1	56-48
9:22	+2	Jay Pal makes two point layup	58-48
9:10		Jay Pal shooting foul (Drew Pember draws the foul)
9:10	+1	Drew Pember makes regular free throw 1 of 2	58-49
9:10	+1	Drew Pember makes regular free throw 2 of 2	58-50
8:56	+3	Ricky Clemons makes three point jump shot (Laurynas Vaistaras assists)	61-50
8:41	+2	Drew Pember makes two point layup	61-52
8:24		Caleb Burgess personal foul (Jay Pal draws the foul)
8:18	+3	Laurynas Vaistaras makes three point jump shot	64-52
8:07		Drew Pember misses two point layup
8:05		Devon Dunn defensive rebound
7:39		TV timeout
7:35	+2	Ricky Clemons makes two point jump shot	66-52
7:16		Mason Grant personal foul (Drew Pember draws the foul)
7:16	+1	Drew Pember makes regular free throw 1 of 2	66-53
7:16	+1	Drew Pember makes regular free throw 2 of 2	66-54
6:54		Devon Dunn misses three point jump shot
6:52		Jamon Battle defensive rebound
6:45		Drew Pember misses three point jump shot
6:43		Devon Dunn defensive rebound
6:28		Ricky Clemons turnover (bad pass)
6:05	+3	Tajion Jones makes three point stepback jump shot	66-57
5:38		Jay Pal turnover (traveling)
5:38		Fighting Camels 30 second timeout
5:38		TV timeout
5:34		Tajion Jones misses three point jump shot
5:32		Ricky Clemons defensive rebound
5:12		Devon Dunn turnover (bad pass) (Tajion Jones steals)
5:07	+2	Tajion Jones makes two point dunk	66-59
4:32	+2	Joshua Lusane makes two point layup	68-59
4:23	+3	Tajion Jones makes three point jump shot	68-62
4:23		Ricky Clemons shooting foul (Tajion Jones draws the foul)
4:23		Tajion Jones misses regular free throw 1 of 1
4:23		Jay Pal defensive rebound
3:54		Jamon Battle blocks Joshua Lusane's two point jump shot
3:52		Fletcher Abee defensive rebound
3:39	+2	Tajion Jones makes two point layup	68-64
3:07	+3	Ricky Clemons makes three point jump shot (Jay Pal assists)	71-64
3:04		Fighting Camels 30 second timeout
3:04		TV timeout
2:52	+3	Tajion Jones makes three point jump shot	71-67
2:17		Joshua Lusane misses two point layup
2:15		Nick McMullen defensive rebound
2:04	+2	Drew Pember makes two point layup	71-69
2:04		Joshua Lusane shooting foul (Drew Pember draws the foul)
2:04	+1	Drew Pember makes regular free throw 1 of 1	71-70
1:44	+2	Ricky Clemons makes two point layup	73-70
1:24		Ricky Clemons personal foul (Drew Pember draws the foul)
1:24	+1	Drew Pember makes regular free throw 1 of 2	73-71
1:24	+1	Drew Pember makes regular free throw 2 of 2	73-72
1:03		Jamon Battle shooting foul (Ricky Clemons draws the foul)
1:03		Ricky Clemons misses regular free throw 1 of 2
1:03		Ricky Clemons misses regular free throw 2 of 2
1:03		Nick McMullen defensive rebound
0:56	+3	Tajion Jones makes three point jump shot (Caleb Burgess assists)	73-75
0:38		Fletcher Abee personal foul
0:25		Fighting Camels 60 second timeout
0:24		Jay Pal misses three point jump shot
0:22		Caleb Burgess defensive rebound
0:20		Ricky Clemons personal foul (Caleb Burgess draws the foul)
0:20		Caleb Burgess misses regular free throw 1 of 2
0:20	+1	Caleb Burgess makes regular free throw 2 of 2	73-76
0:12		Anthony Dell'Orso misses three point jump shot
0:10		Drew Pember defensive rebound
0:09		Devon Dunn personal foul (Drew Pember draws the foul)
0:09		Drew Pember misses regular free throw 1 of 2
0:09	+1	Drew Pember makes regular free throw 2 of 2	73-77
0:04		Anthony Dell'Orso misses three point jump shot
0:02		Drew Pember defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

Drew Pember defensive rebound