BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Campbell and UNC Asheville open Big South Conference play Wednesday in a 7 p.m. tipoff at Gore Arena.
 
Wednesday's contest begins a stretch of three home dates in the next four games for the Camels, who stand 4-1 at Gore Arena this season.
 
Tickets are available at GoCamels.com/tickets.  The game will also air on ESPN+ with Chris Hemeyer and Jay Sonnhalter on the call.
 
Neither the Camels (7-4) nor the Bulldogs (8-5) have played since Dec. 22.  The Camels had games called off due to Covid 19 protocols within the Norfolk State (Dec. 29) and Jacksonville (Jan. 2) programs.  Asheville missed its Dec. 29 date at Indiana due to Covid concerns.
 
Campbell is coming off a 65-58 loss Dec. 22 at UNC Wilmington.  Austin McCullough led the Camels with 15 points, including 4-of-7 threes, while Jordan Whitfield added 13 and Ricky Clemons 11, plus 8 rebounds.
 
UNC Asheville is coming off a 114-54 win over Milligan - a game in which the Bulldogs sank 17 of-34 threes and shot 65 percent overall.  Tajion Jones led six Asheville players in double figures with 19 points.

• Campbell has held all 11 of its opponents below 70 points and ranks first in the Big South, 25th in the nation, in scoring defense (59.6).  CU tops the BSC in defensive rebounding percentage (.785), and is 2nd in FG% defense (.402).
• Campbell University COVID-19 policy requires all individuals to wear face masks indoors. A clear bag policy is in effect for all games in Gore Arena.
• Four Camels rank among the Big South's top 30 scorers - Cedric Henderson, Jr. (10th, 12.5), Carralero (18th, 11.0), Clemons (25th, 10.3), and Whitfield (29th, 9.8).

CAMPBELL-ASHEVILLE NOTES

• Campbell was chosen as the North Division favorite in the Big South preseason poll, while Cedric Henderson, Jr. (1st) and Jordan Whitfield (2nd) were tabbed preseason all-conference.  Asheville was picked to finish 2nd in the South Division of the preseason poll.  Tajion Jones (1st) and LJ Thorpe (2nd) were named preseason all-league.
• UNC Asheville enters Wednesday's game ranked 14th in the nation in blocked shots (5.8), 7th in 3-point FG% defense (258) and 25th in 3-pointers made per game (10.1).
• Six Bulldogs average at least 7.3 points per game, led by Tajion Jones (13.2), who ranks 9th in the league.
• Wednesday's game marks the 50th all-time between Campbell and UNC Asheville, dating to the 1967-68 season when both were members of the NAIA.  CU won 5 of the 8 meetings between the schools while the Camels were members of the Atlantic Sun Conference (1994-2011), but the Bulldogs have claimed 13 of 17 since Campbell re-joined the Big South in 2011-12.
• Asheville owns a 26-23 edge in the all-time series, but the Camels have won 3 of the last 4 between the teams.
• Campbell and Asheville did not play during the 2020-21 season due to the Bulldogs' 30-day layoff because of Covid 19 concerns.
• In 2019-20, Campbell swept the regular season series with the Bulldogs for the first time since 1993-94.  Jordan Whitfield scored 16 points in a 64-62 win Jan. 8, 2020 at Kimmel Arena, while 5 Camels scored in double figures with 13 points in a 78-69 victory Feb. 29 in Buies Creek.  However, the Bulldogs dealt the Camels a 72-68 setback on Mar. 3 in the opening round of the 2020 Big South Championship at Asheville.
• In Campbell's first game against a Division I opponent at Gore Arena (and 2nd overall), Campbell defeated UNC Asheville 94-57 on Nov. 22, 2008.
• UNC Asheville alumni include former MLB infielder Ty Wigginton, who played for eight different teams from 2002-13 and was a 2010 all-star as a member of the Baltimore Orioles.  Mike Shildt, who was named 2019 National League manager of the year after guiding the St. Louis Cardinals to a playoff berth, also played baseball at Asheville.
• Following Wednesday's game, the Camels travel to Winthrop Saturday (2:00) for a rematch between the teams that squared off in the 2021 Big South final.