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UNCA’s K.J. Garland scored a season-high 26 points against Winthrop last Saturday.

K.J. Garland scored a season-high 26 points as UNC Asheville remained unbeaten in the Big South Conference with a 71-56 victory in men’s basketball over defending league champion Winthrop before a sell-out crowd of 1,198 at the Justice Center last Saturday afternoon.

The Bulldogs (18-4) won their seventh-straight game and beat the Eagles (14-8, 5-2 BSC) in the regular season for the first time in eight years. Asheville is now in first place in the Big South by two games over Winthrop.

Vincent James added 15 points, while Bryan Smithson added 14 points. Garland was 9-of-11 from the field, 4-of-4 from beyond the arc and 4-of-6 from the free-throw line. He hit all four of his three-pointers in the second half. The senior guard also had eight assists.

Winthrop was led by Michael Jenkins with 12 points. Taj McCullough chipped in 11 points.

The Eagles led 33-26 at halftime but came out of the gates on fire in the second half with a 20-1 run over the first seven minutes. James scored 10 of his points during the run and his three-point play at the 13:15 mark got the lead to 46-34.

After a bucket from McCullough cut the lead to 46-36, the Bulldogs went on a 11-1 run to push the lead to 57-37 as Sean Smith sank a three-pointer at the 10:30 marking sending the sellout crowd into a frenzy.

UNCA continued to build on the lead and a jumper from James at the 5-minute mark padded the margin to 66-40.

“Our defense was just tremendous in the second half,” stated UNC Asheville coach Eddie Biedenbach. “We played as good a defense as you can play against a very good team in Winthrop. Our guys hit some shots and that’s good but you have to play good defense. Our defense jump-started our offense.

“K.J. Garland was sensational,” added Biedenbach. “He hit some shots but his passing and defense was just great, as well.

“This is a tremendous win for our guys and our program,” Biedenbach also said. “Our crowd was just awesome. They gave a lot of energy throughout the game.”

UNCA outscored Winthrop, 45-23 in the second half. The Bulldogs shot a scorching 57 percent from the field in that half (16-of-28). The Eagles struggled at 29 percent shooting (7-of-24).

Winthrop controlled most of the first half thanks to some great shooting from the field and three-point line. The Eagles were 13-of-22 for 59 percent from the field and 4-of-6 from beyond the arc. Jenkins and McCullough combined for 17 of Winthrop’s 33 points in the opening half and each player knocked down two treys. The Eagles led 33-26 at halftime. Garland and Smithson kept the Bulldogs close with nine points each.

Next, UNCA will visit Liberty University at 7 p.m. Saturday.

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NOTES — UNCA has won 22 of its last 27 games dating back to last year... Garland’s eight assists gives him a career total of 457 and he needs just four to become the school’s all-time leader in that category passing George Gilbert (460)... The Bulldogs shot 52 percent from the field and have shot at or better than 50 percent in 15 games this season... 7-7 center Kenny George did not play because of an injury... Garland moved into 14th place on UNC Asheville’s all-time career list for scoring with 1,241 career points as he passed Tom Haus (1,216)... the Bulldogs are 12-1 at home this year.