Big South Opener
Wed, Dec. 31 • Kimmel Arena • Asheville, NC
📍 Context & Stakes: The One Place That Still Bites
Since the Huss and now Clayman era began, High Point Panthers have largely owned the Big South.
- 27–5 in regular season conference play over the last two years
- 29–6 including the conference tournament
- 14 straight Big South wins entering today
But there is a consistent exception.
The UNC Asheville Bulldogs.
HPU is 2–2 against Asheville over the last two seasons.
Total points scored across those four games?
368–368. Dead even.
And the mountain town has been a real problem for these Piedmont Panthers:
- HPU has lost five straight games in Asheville
- 7–21 all-time at Kimmel Arena
- No road win here since 2020
This building has been a house of horrors for High Point
🔍 Overview: The Records Might Lie, The Context Doesn’t
On paper:
- High Point: 12–3
- Asheville: 6–8
In reality:
- Asheville has played a significantly tougher non-conference schedule
- Common opponents tell a truer story:
- Western Carolina: HPU win / UNCA loss
- Appalachian State: HPU loss / UNCA win
- UAB: both teams lost
And in one of the biggest measuring stick games for UNCA this year, the Bulldogs took Miami (OH) to the brink before a narrow overtime loss. The RedHawks remain one of the last undefeated teams in the country and an elite three-point shooting squad. That performance should scare this sharp-shooting High Point squad.
Kimmel Arena shrinks games. Even without students.
⚙️ Team Identity: Mike Morrel’s Masterwork
Disruptive pressure (full-court and half-court)
Intense trapping off ball screens and handoffs
Relentless grading culture (deflections, energy, rebounding)
Turnover hunting baked into the system
Year-over-year development, not quick fixes
Mike’s Asheville teams play uncomfortable basketball on purpose. Playing in Kimmel only accentuates their style to screw with opponents and opposing guards.
🧠 Coaching Context: Why This Is Hard
Morrell at home is not a coincidence.
- 47–19 Big South record (.712) over recent seasons
- Multiple regular-season titles
- 27 wins and an NCAA Tournament berth in 2022–23
- Three straight 20-win seasons (program first)
Last season:
- 13–1 at home
- Lone loss came in the final Big South home game vs Presbyterian
This is the conference opener.
They want that taste gone.
🧩 Key Bulldogs to Know
⭐ Toyaz Solomon (6’9 Sr F) — The Standard
Preseason Big South Player of the Year
Interior scorer, rim protector, emotional anchor
HPU Key: Keep him off the glass and force him to score through bodies.
⭐ Justin Wright (6’2 Sr G) — The Closer
Team-leading scorer, late-clock creator
HPU Key: Make him a decision-maker, not a rhythm scorer.
⭐ Kameron Taylor (6’7 So G/F) — The X-Factor
Versatile defender, improving offensive confidence
HPU Key: Do not let him impact the game without scoring.
Depth is thin. Starters carry the load.
📊 Matchup Snapshot
Asheville wants
- A compressed game
- Turnovers
- Physical possessions
- Emotional momentum
High Point wants
- Ball security
- Pace with purpose
- Spacing to punish pressure
- Execution late
If this is played in flow, HPU separates.
If it turns into a grind, Asheville drags you into the mud.
🗝️ Keys for High Point
1️⃣ Win the turnover battle (this is the game)
2️⃣ Advance the ball with passes, not dribbles
3️⃣ Finish possessions on the glass
4️⃣ Stay patient when pressure doesn’t immediately break
5️⃣ Respond when the inevitable run comes
This game is gonna come down to composure and mental fortitude. Stay locked in on defense, rebound and finish stops, stay smart on offense.
🔮 Toothsayer’s Take
High Point is the better team.
That hasn’t mattered here.
Asheville is experienced, physical, and coached to make games ugly. They have given HPU more trouble than any team in the league, and Kimmel Arena has been a mental block as much as a tactical one.
This is the kind of game that can:
- Validate Clayman’s growth
- Set the tone for conference play
- Or remind everyone that dominance has limits
Prediction:
High Point 80, UNC Asheville 83
Pantherstooth 
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