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App State surprises Louisville, 61-60

By David Rogers. LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Appalachian State men’s basketball led Louisville from start to finish — but a tenth of a second more time on the clock and the Mountaineers would have lost. App State survived the video review of what was initially ruled Louisville’s winning basket, the on-court decision reversed to the Mountaineers’ favor, 61-60.

The ultimate result reflected two Division I collegiate basketball programs going in different directions at the start of the 2022-23 season. App State is 3-0 while Louisville is 0-3, although each of the Cardinals losses have been by one point. According to Louisville’s athletics media staff, the 2022-23 Cardinals are the first team since at least 1980 to lose its first three games of the season by one point each. Including last year’s 51-50 season-ending loss to Virginia, the Cardinals are the first team since Stetson in 1981-82 to lose four consecutive one-point games.

After two exhibition games that included a loss to Lenoir-Rhyne (57-47) and a win over Chaminade (80-73), Louisville opened the regular season with losses to Bellarmine (67-66) and Wright State (73-72) before being handed the same fate by Appalachian State on Nov. 15.

With forward Donovan Gregory and guard Tyree Boykin each getting into double figures scoring in just the first half, App State led by 13 at intermission. But 19 points scored in the second half by guard El Ellis helped Louisville close the gap and it was the Durham, N.C. native who drove the lane and laid the ball up and in — releasing the basket-bound ball less than a tenth of a second after the final buzzer had sounded.

The teams matched up fairly well, statistically, except one key number: turnovers. Louisville turned the ball over 18 times in the game, compared to the Mountaineers’ 7 — and App State took advantage, holding a 20-6 advantage in points off turnovers for the full 40 minutes of action. The Mountaineers also held a 34-18 advantage in scoring inside the paint.

Gregory and Boykin finished the game with 16 and 14 points, respectively, and were joined in double figures by Terence Harcum, with 10. Starting forward Tamell Pearson collected 9 rebounds, scored 5 points and added a steal to also make a strong contribution.

The Cardinals trailed 57-45 with 7:01 remaining in the game, but mounted a 15-4 run in almost finishing the game with a one-point win instead of a one-point loss.


Noteworthy (courtesy of App State Sports):

  • The Mountaineers’ 3-0 start to the 2022-23 season is the best start since 1997-98.
  • The crowd of 11,919 was the largest to ever witness App State deliver a road win in men’s basketball. It was the Mountaineers’ first victory against a Power Five opponent since a 65-63 win at Virginia Tech early in the 2014-15 season.
  • Freshman Justin Abson had two blocks on the night, bringing his total to 10 over the first three games. That is third best in the nation and first among freshmen.
  • The Mountaineers drew eight charges on the night, led by Tamell Pearson, who drew five. Justin Abson drew the eighth in a crucial moment with three minutes to go.

App State now returns to the Holmes Convocation Center for a three-game stretch on consecutive days, including Campbell (Nov. 18, 7 p.m.), Kennesaw State (Nov. 19, 7 p.m.) and Southeastern Louisiana (Nov. 20, 2:30 p.m.).

Louisville travels to Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii, for the Maui Jim Maui Invitational. They open on Nov. 21 against Arkansas, then will face some combination of Creighton, Texas Tech, Ohio State, San Diego State, Cincinnati, and Arizona.

 

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