From Staff Reports

Both the mens and women’s basketball teams at UNC Asheville were selected to participate in the post-season NCAA Tournament, but both teams lost in the first round of play.

The season ended March 18 for UNCA’s men’s basketball team, seeded 15th, with a 86-56 loss to Villanova. Still, UNCA’s men, who were picked seventh in the Big South Conference preseason poll, proved the prognosticators wrong — by a long shot.

The Bulldogs ended their season with a 22-12 record — and the future looks bright.

Just two seniors will depart from this team, including forward Sam Hughes, the only senior starter. Returning will be freshmen Dylan Smith and Dwayne Sutton, along with sophomore starters Ahmad Thomas and Kevin Vannatta.  Also returning will be junior David Robertson, who started the first half of the season before being sidelined by an injury, and junior forward Will Weeks, a key part of coach Nick McDevitt’s regular playing rotation.

Meanwhile, UNCA’s women’s team fell 85-31 to the No. 3 Kentucky Wildcats on the home floor on March 19. 

The Bulldogs overcame a preseason pick to finish eighth in the Big South to win their first-ever regular season title with a record of 16-4.