Author: Zach Smith

By Zach Smith. BOONE, N.C. — With over 7,000 fans in attendance, App State looked to make history when they faced Arkansas State on March 1. The Mountaineers secured their program-record 26th win over the Red Wolves, 80-57.

Tre’Von Spillers recorded his tenth double-double of the season, netting 15 points and matching that total with 15 rebounds. Seniors Donovan Gregory and CJ Huntley scored 15 and 12, respectively, in their final game at the Holmes Center. Gregory added on a game-best four assists.

Arkansas State was led by a 14-point performance from Taryn Todd, while Izaiyah Nelson grabbed a team-high 10 rebounds.

For the second game in a row, the Mountaineers imposed their will early. App State opened the game with 11 of the contest’s first 13 points, quickly jumping out to a nine-point lead. Arkansas State brought the game back to within three points later in the first half, but App State responded with a 10-0 run. The Mountaineers went into the locker room with a 14-point advantage at the half.

With just 20 minutes separating App State from program immortality, energy in the Holmes Center was at fever pitch. Although the Red Wolves tried to mount a comeback, the Mountaineers put any hopes the visitors had to bed. With a comfortable 23-point lead, App State called a timeout with just under a minute on the clock. Gregory and Huntley each walked off the court and head coach Dustin Kerns gave the nod to fellow senior Bryant Greene. With each of the 7,074 fans on their feet, Greene walked onto the floor for the final time as a Mountaineer. 

App State’s victory marked their program-record 26th win of the 2023-24 season. The Mountaineers also secured sole possession of a regular season title for the first time in nearly 50 years, while capping an unblemished record on home court. Kerns spoke on the significance of his team’s historic victory, postgame.

“Just an awesome night for App State University and our athletic program, and certainly our basketball program,” Kerns said. “Setting the program mark for wins with 26, [most in] program history, is a big deal. First Sun Belt regular season championship, first regular season championship since 1978, that’s a long time.”

Fresh off his team’s 26th win, Kerns was asked to compare this season to other significant campaigns in App State’s history.

“I don’t want to discount those other great teams,” Kerns said. “They’ve been here, you know, there’s different conferences or different schedules. Certainly by the numbers, we’ve had the most wins in program history. So I think we’ve joined the conversation, but there’ve been some really good teams that have come through here and we’re excited to be celebrating with all of them.”

“This has been very surreal”

Bryant Greene played in his final regular season game as a Mountaineer in App State’s victory over Arkansas State. Greene compared the atmosphere in the Holmes Center this season to his freshman year.

“This has been very surreal,” Greene said. “I think for all of us, especially for me and Don [Gregory] getting here freshman year, coming to games and seeing like 400 people in the gym and now, getting to senior night in our fifth year and there’s 6,000 people and we’re playing for a regular season title. It’s just very surreal and a very amazing experience.”

App State also set a program record in attendance over the course of the 2023-24 season. Fans at the Holmes Center never saw a loss at home. Gregory explained what it means to the players to have that support from the fans.

“I think it’s just a direct correlation, how good we played at home,” Gregory said. “Just having those fans, having that support, it just makes you want to go out there and play even harder. I think everybody coming to the games is a big part of the reason why we went undefeated at home.”

CJ Huntley echoed that appreciation for the fanbase.

“This just feels crazy, really,” Huntley said. “Just all the students and fans and everything like that, just their support for us. It just means the world to me, so I appreciate it.”

App State shot at a 49 percent clip to secure their historic win, besting Arkansas State’s 35 percent mark. The Mountaineers out-rebounded the Red Wolves, 48-38, and improved on their nation-best blocks per game with seven swatted shots. App State never trailed Arkansas State.

The Red Wolves are locked in the No. 4 seed for the upcoming Sun Belt tournament, securing the last double-bye. Arkansas State’s quarterfinals matchup is set for March 9 at 2 p.m. Central Time, with the opponent to be announced following the March 7 second round games. The contest will be streamed on ESPN+.

App State clinched the Sun Belt regular season title with their win over the Red Wolves. The Mountaineers return to action March 9 at 11:30 a.m. Central Time, with their opponent to be determined. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.

By Zach Smith. BOONE, N.C. — Looking to clinch the top seed in a conference tournament for the first time in nearly half a century, App State faced Old Dominion at the Holmes Center Feb. 28. The Mountaineers picked up their 25th win of the 2023-24 season, defeating the Monarchs, 89-64.

App State was firing on all cylinders, securing a dominating victory. Four Mountaineers scored in the double figures, led by an 18-point, 16-rebound double-double courtesy of Tre’Von Spillers. Christopher Mantis netted 12 points while Donovan Gregory and Terence Harcum posted 11 each to round out the home side’s top scorers.

Old Dominion saw 15-point performances from Tyrone Williams and Chaunce Jenkins. Williams was the top rebounder for the Monarchs, grabbing five boards.

The game began with a scoring drought of nearly three minutes from both sides. Gregory’s opening layup then opened the floodgates for the Mountaineers, who went on to score 24 of the contest’s first 28 points. With a comfortable 20-point margin, App State remained focused through the rest of the first half. The Mountaineers extended their lead at the end of the period, treating the 4,785 home fans to a 25-point halftime lead.

ODU looked to rally in the second half. The Monarchs drew the game to within 15 points, but App State immediately put thoughts of a miraculous comeback to bed via their ensuing 11-0 run. The Mountaineers dominated ODU, defeating the visitors by 25.

App State head coach Dustin Kerns shared his thoughts on the Mountaineers’ convincing win over Old Dominion.

“I thought we came out with some fire in our eyes,” Kerns said. “I thought we came out and imposed our will early, I thought it was very balanced, I thought we set the tone defensively. We had nine assists before we had a turnover and I thought we played a really good game.”

In recent games, App State has found themselves trailing in the second half, but have prevailed due to their depth. Kerns spoke on his team’s ability to jump in front early against Old Dominion.

“It felt good tonight to be up 25 at the half, which we’ve done before in non-conference,” Kerns said. “I was proud of our guys for coming out with some attitude from the start. It really felt like our guys came out and they knew they had a job to do.”

“they couldn’t keep me off the glass”

Tre’Von Spillers led the Mountaineers’ dominant effort on the glass in their statement victory, grabbing a season-high 16 rebounds. Spillers talked about his impressive performance.

“We saw that at some points they had small guards,” Spillers said. “I just felt like that’s a better opportunity for me to go and grab rebounds. Even when they had their bigs in, I still feel like they couldn’t keep me off the glass. Just going in there with the energy that I play with, it helped us a lot tonight.”

App State’s victory over Old Dominion secured the top seed in the upcoming Sun Belt Tournament for the Mountaineers. The Black and Gold also clinched at least a share of the conference regular season title. Kerns spoke on what it means for the program to be at the top of the league.

“I think it’s a bigger deal than maybe a lot of people realize, us finishing first in the regular season with at least a share,” Kerns said. “We control our own destiny with that. When you talk about Sun Belt basketball and you talk about App State basketball being on top, that’s a big deal.”

As a team, App State shot at an impressive 51 percent clip, compared to ODU’s 38 percent mark. The Mountaineers out-rebounded the Monarchs, 47-27, and held the visitors without a single second-chance point. Once App State gained the lead, they never lost it, earning a wire-to-wire victory over Old Dominion.

“you talk about App State basketball being on top, that’s a big deal”

With the loss, ODU is secured in the bottom spot of the Sun Belt standings. The Monarchs travel to Georgia Southern March 1 for their regular-season finale. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m., and the game can be streamed on ESPN+.

App State clinched at least a share of the Sun Belt regular season title with their win over the Monarchs. The Mountaineers look to break the program record for wins in a season March 1, as they take on fourth-place Arkansas State on Senior Night. Tipoff for the potentially historic night at the Holmes Center is set for 6:30 p.m., and the game will be streamed on ESPN+.

By Zach Smith. HUNTINGTON, W.Va. —For the third time in the 2023-24 season, App State men’s basketball played in front of a national audience on Feb. 24. The Mountaineers traveled to face Marshall, defeating the Thundering Herd for the second time in as many weeks, 65-58.

Junior guard Myles Tate led App State’s scoring effort, netting a career-high 25 points. Tate was joined by Donovan Gregory (15) and Terence Harcum (12) as Mountaineers in the double-figures. Tre’Von Spillers grabbed a team-best 11 rebounds.

Marshall’s Kevon Voyles and Kamdyn Curfman posted 19 points each, while Nate Martin pulled down a game-high 14 rebounds.

Not looking like themselves, App State found themselves trailing most of the first half. The Mountaineers grabbed the lead with just over 11 minutes in the half but Marshall scored nine consecutive points to take an eight-point advantage. The Herd later used a 6-0 run to hold a six-point lead at the intermission.

App State’s depth once again proved its worth in the second half. The Mountaineers scored 11 of the first 15 points out of the locker room, grabbing their first lead since the halfway point of the first half. Kamdyn Curfman cashed in on two free-throws to regain Marshall’s lead, but Myles Tate drained a three-pointer to give App State a lead they never returned. 

App State shot at a 38 percent mark, topping Marshall’s 33 percent clip. The Thundering Herd’s 13 percent shooting from beyond the arc proved to be costly as the Mountaineers connected on 37 percent of their tries from deep. The rebounding matchup was even, each team grabbing 46 boards.

Marshall falls out of contention for a double-bye in the upcoming Sun Belt tournament. The Herd remains in a tie with Georgia State for seventh in the conference standings. Marshall looks to bounce back into the win column Feb. 28 as they travel to Statesboro to face Georgia Southern. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m., and can be streamed on ESPN+.

App State retains sole possession of first place in the Sun Belt standings, and the Mountaineers need one win to clinch at least a share of the regular season conference title. App State continues that quest Feb. 28, when they return to Boone for a battle with Old Dominion. Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m., and the game can be streamed on ESPN+.

By Zach Smith. BOONE, N.C. — Senior Day in Boone saw a thrilling women’s basketball matchup Feb. 24 between App State and visiting James Madison. The Mountaineers took down the third-place Dukes in a tight contest, 83-79.

App State was led by a 25-point, nine-assists performance from Faith Alston in what could be her last appearance in the Holmes Center. Alston was joined by fellow senior Taylor Lewis, who netted a career-high 23 points in her final sendoff. Lewis also grabbed a team-best eight rebounds.

Jamia Hazell posted a team-best 19 points for JMU, while fellow junior Ashanti Barnes notched a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double.

The first quarter set the tone for what proved to be a nail-biter. James Madison jumped out to an early, five-point lead at the media break, but App State responded with a 9-0 run to push into the lead. A critical defensive stop by senior Mariah Frazier sparked that run, but the lead didn’t hold for long. The Dukes fought their way back, tying the game at 23 to end the first quarter.

JMU was plagued by poor shooting in the second period. The Dukes grabbed eight offensive rebounds in the quarter, compared to App State’s three, but shot just 29 percent from the field. The Mountaineers were able to hold JMU scoreless over the last two minutes of the half, taking a four-point lead into the locker room.

App State was able to pull away in the third quarter despite the Dukes tying the game late in the period. Faith Alston took over early out of the intermission, scoring 10 of the Mountaineers’ first 15 points. Taylor Lewis then took the reins, hitting three shots from beyond the arc over the last four minutes of the frame. The last of those treys punctuated an App State 7-0 run to secure an eight-point advantage at the third quarter buzzer.

The Mountaineers extended their lead early in the final stanza, but JMU proved they were still in the fight. Trailing by 12, the Dukes scored each of the next 10 points to make the game a two-point affair. Despite the rally, App State held the visitors to just one made shot from the floor over the final four minutes of play, securing a hard-fought, Senior Day win.

App State head coach shared her perspective of the Mountaineers’ adjustments following their Feb. 22 loss to Old Dominion.

“Yesterday was a mental day, and yesterday was a day of ‘let’s not let Old Dominion beat us twice,’” Elderkin said. “I felt like, the first time we played the series between Old Dominion and JMU, we went into the JMU game with a little bit of an Old Dominion hangover, per se. So we said we gotta turn the page.”

“When Taylor is on, Taylor is on”

Seniors Faith Alston and Taylor Lewis accounted for more than half of App State’s offensive production, scoring 48 of the Mountaineers’ 83 total points. Alston praised Lewis’ scoring output.

“When Taylor is on, Taylor is on, you can’t really stop Taylor,” Alston said. “It took a while to get her confidence back, get back in her groove after breaking her hand early in the season. But for the past four or five games, she’s just been lighting it up. She’s the Taylor that we saw in the summer and in the first two games before she got hurt.”

Alston also spoke on what she saw on the court in her 25-point performance.

“I look for my shots, I take them but if I need to pass it, I need to pass it,” Alston said. “Today my shot felt good, so I stepped in with confidence. I know that whether it’s a make or a miss my teammates always have my back.”

Fellow App State senior Mariah Frazier was a key defensive piece for the Mountaineers. She credited her team for App State’s crucial stops in the closing minutes of the game.

“I just see a whole group, a whole unit just working together,” Frazier said. “I know that Coach Angel told me about setting the tone on defense, just making sure I’m the energy on defense. I think the whole team really matched my energy, and even surpassed my energy sometimes, and was able to make some key stops down the stretch. It wasn’t a one-man thing.”

“[She] stars — I’ll say it again — stars in her role”

Elderkin had high remarks for Frazier’s character and ability to play her role well.

“She’s a kid that’s graduating from graduate school in three years,” Elderkin said. “Very driven, very hard worker. And stars — I’ll say it again — stars in her role. A lot of her role doesn’t show up in [the box score], but it shows up on the court.”

As a team, App State shot 39 percent from the floor, short of the Duke’s 44 percent mark. The Mountaineers made stops when they needed to, forcing 12 JMU turnovers to just eight of their own. The Dukes outrebounded App State, 48-42.

James Madison’s loss drops them to 11-5 in conference play, good for a third-place tie with Old Dominion. The Dukes’ next test is a road trip to Conway, SC to face Coastal Carolina Feb. 28. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m., and the game can be streamed on ESPN+.

App State improves to 8-8 in Sun Belt competition, placing them ninth in the conference standings. The Mountaineers go on the road for their last two contests of the regular season, beginning with a trip to Troy Feb. 28. The mid-week Sun Belt matchup is slated to tipoff at 8 p.m. and can be streamed on ESPN+.

By Zach Smith. BOONE, N.C. — Coming off a dominant victory over Georgia State in their last outing, App State looked to build momentum with a win over Old Dominion on Feb. 22. The Mountaineers were unable to do that, falling to the Monarchs, 81-62.

App State saw three players log double-digit points. Junior Emily Carver netted a team-high 14 points, while senior Faith Alston and sophomore Alexis Black each scored 10. Rylan Moffitt and Mariah Frazier each grabbed eight rebounds, while Alston dished out six assists.

Old Dominion was led by a 17-point, eight-rebound performance from Brenda Fontana. En’Dya Buford also scored 17, while Simone Cunningham and Mimi McCollister scored 10 apiece to round out the Monarch scoring effort. Cunningham tacked on a team-best 10 rebounds to secure a double-double.

App State scored the game’s first five points before ODU took their first lead of the contest with an 8-0 run of their own. The Mountaineers countered with back-to-back three-pointers to jump back in front — but that proved to be their final lead of the evening. The Monarchs out-scored App State by eight through the rest of the first quarter, and took a five-point advantage into the second.

The second period remained a close contest.  The Mountaineers never fell behind by more than six points in the frame, bringing the game within a point on two separate occasions. Late in the half, App State had a chance to tie the contest as En’Dya Buford was called for a tech after committing a shooting foul. Behind by four, The Mountaineers knocked down three of their four shots from the stripe, securing a one-point deficit at the halftime buzzer.

Things fell apart quickly for App State out of the locker room. ODU scored 21 of the first 24 points of the second half, turning the game on its head early in the third quarter. The Mountaineers hit just two shots from the floor in the stanza, and ODU out-scored the home side by 16 in that time. 

Things didn’t get much better in the final ten minutes to play. For the second quarter in a row, App State hit just two shots from the field. Old Dominion defeated the Mountaineers by 19, securing their 19th victory on the 2023-24 campaign.

App State head coach Angel Elderkin praised the visitors for their performance, postgame.

“I say a lot ‘chance favors the aggressor,’ and I thought Old Dominion was super aggressive,” Elderkin said. “Hats off to them in terms of the job that they did defensively. Our offense has been on fire lately, and they really put that fire out tonight.”

Elderkin went on to talk about what changed out of the locker room at the start of the second half.

“Their three-point shooting ability,” Elderkin said. “They’re a team that averages five made threes [per game] and they hit us for 10. In the first quarter they came out hot. We felt good in the second quarter because we held them without one. Everything that could go wrong in the third quarter went wrong.”

“Our offense has been on fire lately, and they really put that fire out tonight”

App State saw shooting struggles for the first time in recent contests. Elderkin spoke on the cause of her team’s scoring difficulty against Old Dominion’s conference-best defense.

“I think it was a lot to do with their athleticism,” Elderkin said. “I don’t think we got as many clean, open shots, I think they’re there on the catch. They do a good job of defending the three-point line and they do a good job of just guarding the basketball.”

As a team, App State shot at just a 27 percent mark, compared to ODU’s impressive 46 percent clip. The Monarchs outrebounded the Mountaineers, 54-35, and dished out 17 assists, topping App State’s eight.

With the victory, Old Dominion are winners of four of their last five games. The Monarchs hold sole possession of fourth place in the Sun Belt, a position that would earn them a double-bye in the conference tournament. ODU travels to Atlanta Feb. 24 to face Georgia State for their last road test of the regular season. Tipoff is set for 5 p.m., and the game can be streamed on ESPN+.

App State’s loss drops them to a 7-8 record in conference play. The Mountaineers remain in position to skip the first round of the Sun Belt tournament, and need just one win or a Georgia Southern loss to secure that position. App State returns to play Feb. 24 against James Madison for Senior Day. The game is slated to tipoff at 2 p.m., and can be streamed on ESPN+.

By Zach Smith. BOONE, N.C. — Education Day in Boone didn’t go as planned for App State. With just over 1,000 elementary school students from around the High Country in attendance for the Feb. 15 matchup, the Mountaineers fell to Marshall, 87-78.

App State was led by a career-high 24-point performance from sophomore guard Alexis Black. Guards Emily Carver (19) and Faith Alston (13) joined Black as Mountaineers to reach double-figures. Sophomore forward Rylan Moffitt grabbed a team-best 14 rebounds, swatting away three shots in the process.

Marshall guard Abby Beeman led the way for the Herd with 21 points and nine rebounds. Beeman and senior guard Breanna Campbell each dished out a team-high six assists.

The first quarter looked more like a three-point shootout than a college basketball game. Following a 90 second period of back-and-forth scores in the paint, App State senior guard Taylor Lewis opened the floodgates with the game’s first shot from beyond the arc. Each of the Mountaineers’ next four makes from the field were from deep, leading the home side to a 20-10 lead at the first media break. Out of the break, Marshall turned things around in their favor, cashing in on four consecutive deep-balls in a row while holding App State scoreless. The Thundering Herd held a two-point advantage at the first quarter buzzer.

Marshall continued their impressive scoring run early in the second frame, scoring each of the first five points to extend their streak to 17 consecutive points. App State then went on an 11-2 run before the Herd scored another 10 points in a row. The Mountaineers clawed their way back, scoring nine of the final 10 tallies of the half. Both sides went into the locker room with 40 points each.

The third period continued the game of back-and-forth runs. Rylan Moffitt opened the half with a layup while Marshall’s Sydni Scott followed with another three-pointer. App State then scored the next seven points before Tamia Layhorne drained back-to-back shots from beyond the arc for the Thundering Herd. A period of back-and-forth scoring led to a three-point Mountaineer lead before Meredith Maier hit a trey at the buzzer, tying the game entering the final quarter.

App State seemed to run out of steam in the final ten minutes. Marshall’s Sun Belt-best offense took over, extending The Herd’s lead to as many as 17 points. The Mountaineers held the visitors without a made shot from the field over the final two minutes, but the damage was done. Marshall retained their top spot in the conference, defeating App State on the road.

App State head coach Angel Elderkin shared her thoughts on the matchup postgame.

“Marshall is a really good basketball team, their style presents a lot of challenges,” Elderkin said. “The experience at their place I thought gave us the gameplan to be ready to execute at home. For the most part, you know, from an effort standpoint, I thought our kids left everything they had on the court and for that, I’m proud.”

Elderkin went on to explain what she thought could’ve been better for the Mountaineers.

“There’s two areas that we continue to talk about with our group in order for us to go from being a good team to a great team,” Elderkin said. “It’s taking care of the basketball, you saw us today with 26 turnovers, and then it’s rebounding. You know, I thought their effort on the boards was better than ours. We won the rebounding, but to [allow] 13 offensive rebounds for 18 second-chance points was not part of the plan.”

Referring to Alexis Black’s career-best 24 points in the game, Elderkin provided an insight on Black’s improvement over her two seasons as a Mountaineer.

“When we first started, she was trying to find that consistency, and she’s given that,” Elderkin said. “She’s continuing to get better, she’s getting in the gym, she’s providing another threat for us. And so I thought [her performance] was big.”

App State began one of the toughest portions of their schedule in the loss to Marshall. Including Thursday’s loss, the Mountaineers play consecutive games against each of the top five teams in the Sun Belt standings. Elderkin spoke on what it will take for her squad to bounce back and be prepared for their next test against Georgia State.

“The Sun Belt presents several women’s teams in the top of the country,” Elderkin said. “And so, it’s a completely different game on Saturday (Feb. 17). So, like I’ve been all season, you know, I can’t hem and haw over this Marshall game, because Georgia State’s not Marshall. You know, they’re a different version of Georgia State, which is a very, very good basketball team.”

Despite the loss, App State continued to shoot at a high mark. Their 44 percent mark from the field bested Marshall’s 39 percent clip. The Mountaineers outrebounded the Thundering Herd, 43-34, but Marshall’s 13 offensive boards topped App State’s 11 second-chance opportunities. App State turned the ball over 26 times leading to 29 Marshall points.

With the win, Marshall holds their position at the top of the Sun Belt standings. The next test on the Herd’s four-game road trip is a matchup with Old Dominion Feb. 17. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m., and the game can be streamed on ESPN+.

App State falls to 6-7 in conference play with their loss to Marshall. The Mountaineers kicked off a four-game homestand, with their next battle against Georgia State coming Feb. 17. The game will be the first part of an App State basketball doubleheader with the men’s team. The Mountaineers’ and Panthers’ battle is slated for 2 p.m. and can be streamed on ESPN+.

By Zach Smith. BOONE, N.C. — On a day full of marquee matchups in college hoops, over 5,000 High Country fans witnessed what might have been the best of them all.

App State played host to Toledo on Feb. 10 in the Holmes Convocation Center for the second leg of the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge. The Mountaineers defeated the Rockets in a double-overtime, instant classic, 109-104.

App State was led by a “vintage” 24-point performance from fifth-year forward Donovan Gregory, who was one of six Mountaineers to reach double-digit points. Gregory was joined by Myles Tate (20), Jordan Marsh (17), Terence Harcum (16), CJ Huntley (13) and Justin Abson (11) as top scorers for App State. Tate and Abson recorded seven rebounds each, while Marsh joined Abson in dishing out a team-best four assists. 

Toledo also saw six players log at least 10 points: Dante Maddox Jr. (25), Tyler Cochran (17), Sonny Wilson (17), Ra’Heim Moss (16), Javan Simmons (15) and André Lorentsson (10). Simmons added a game-high 10 rebounds to notch a double-double in the contest, while Maddox Jr. tacked on a game-high five assists.

Strength vs. Strength

Entering Saturday’s matchup, Toledo had the top-rated scoring offense in the MAC, while App State had the Sun Belt’s best defense. The game was shaping up to be a battle of the bests on both sides of the ball, but the offenses quickly took over.

Following a rough start for App State that saw Toledo jump out in front by five points, the Mountaineers responded with a 7-0 run. Each of the final four shots leading to the first media break resulted in a lead change, a trend that continued throughout the game. Toledo forced App State to adapt to their style of play but the Mountaineers’ 76 percent field goal shooting proved the home side was up to the task. And yet, despite App State’s impressive shooting clip, the Rockets took a 47-46 lead into halftime.

Both sides kept their foot on the gas pedal through the first six minutes of the second period. The Rockets went on a scoring tear through the second media timeout, cashing in on 12 of 14 shots approaching the “under-eight minutes” media timeout.

The App State fans looked on, nervously. With an 11-point lead, Toledo looked to upset the hometown favorites. After a period of back-and-forth scoring that saw the Mountaineers come back to within nine points, App State evened the game via a 9-0 run over the final 90 seconds of regulation. So, with the score knotted at 90-90, at least one five-minute overtime period was required to decide the victor.

“Winning is hard”

Overtime opened with a quick, step-back jumper from Myles Tate, but the Rockets’ Tyler Cochran responded with a midrange make of his own. Toledo eventually went on a 5-0 run to take a three-point advantage before Donovan Gregory cashed in on a floater while drawing a foul — and he knocked down the resulting “and-one” opportunity. Following a quick transition layup from Jordan Marsh, Toledo’s Sonny Wilson converted on a jumper to tie the game at 99. Gregory drew a foul with two seconds on the clock, but missed both free-throws, sending the game to a second overtime period.

What proved to be the final, five minutes of OT began with Justin Abson’s sixth block of the afternoon, setting the tone for the final minutes. Toledo took a 104-103 lead, but App State finished the extra minutes with a 6-0 run to complete one of the most exciting, memorable games to be played at the Holmes Center.

App State head coach Dustin Kerns was complimentary of Toledo’s program postgame.

“It was just an awesome college basketball game between two really good teams,” Kerns said. “You know, Toledo has won their league three straight years, they’re one of the best programs. They’re a program that we try to model ourselves after.”

The Mountaineers’ victory marked their 20th on the 2023-24 campaign, their first time reaching that milestone since the 2009-10 season. Kerns spoke on what that means to the team, but explained that their work isn’t finished.

“I think it’s a big deal because we did it on Feb. 10,” Kerns said. “You know, I think that’s a big deal. There’s a month left in the season, so we’ve got to keep going. We’ve got to stay hungry for more but I think to get 20 wins sometimes comes in the last week of the season. Winning is hard.”

Kerns tested different player combinations and defensive schemes against an unfamiliar opponent. He settled on a look with four guards, led by freshman Jordan Marsh, to keep up with Toledo’s fast-paced offense. Kerns shared his perspective on the different looks the Mountaineers employed early in the first half.

“Jordan gave us a big spark,” Kerns said. “You know, certainly Xavion [Brown] and Tre’Von [Spillers] did not have their best game, but that’s part of the strength of our team. Everybody’s human, everybody’s not gonna (always) play their best game, but somebody else can step up.”

“we’ve won in different ways this year”

App State was forced to do something they haven’t had to do through the majority of the season — keep up with a high-powered offense. Kerns focused on his team’s ability to adapt to a different style of play than they’ve been used to. At times, Kerns said, Toledo used schemes that were not seen on film in preparing for this tilt.

“Fortunately, we’ve won in different ways this year,” Kerns said. “We’ve won ‘grind it out’ games, like James Madison, 59-55 (Jan. 13). We’ve won a shootout and that could keep going. We’ve found different ways to win games.”

As a team, App State made 61 percent of their shots from the field, compared to Toledo’s 49 percent clip. The Rockets outrebounded the Mountaineers, 37-36, led by 12 offensive boards. App State’s biggest advantage came from bench scoring as the Mountaineers’ reserves scored 50 points, compared to Toledo’s 14 points off substitutions. The double-overtime thriller saw 17 lead changes, with 16 different ties throughout the afternoon.

With the loss, Toledo falls to 15-9 on the season. The Rockets return to MAC action Feb. 16, as they travel home for an in-state matchup with Ohio University. Tipoff is set for 9 p.m., and the game will be broadcast nationally on ESPNU.

App State’s win puts them back into the win column following a loss at Texas State Feb. 7. The Mountaineers look to remain perfect at the Holmes Center Feb. 15, as they play host to Marshall. Tipoff is set for 6:30 p.m., and can be streamed on ESPN+.

Key Individual Performances

• APP – Donovan Gregory: 24 points, 6 rebounds, 3 blocks, 1 steal
• APP – Myles Tate: 20 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals
• APP – Terence Harcum: 16 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal
• APP – Jordan Marsh: 17 points, 4 assists, 3 steals
• APP – C J Huntley: 13 points, 4 rebounds, 1 steal
• APP – Justin Abson: 11 points, 7 rebounds, 6 blocks, 3 steals
• TOL – Dan Maddox, Jr.: 25 points, 5 assists, 2 steals
• TOL – Sonny Wilson: 17 points, 7 rebounds, 1 steal
• TOL – Tyler Cochran: 17 points, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks, 1 steal
• TOL – Ra’heim Moss: 16 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 6 steals
• TOL – Javan Simmons: 15 points, 6 rebounds, 1 block, 1 steal
• TOL – Andre Lorentsson: 10 points

Team Comparisons

Game stats courtesy of StatBroadcast.com

By Zach Smith. BOONE, N.C. — Emotions ran high in Boone Feb. 7, as App State faced ULM in a foul-riddled game. The Mountaineers defeated the Warhawks on National Girls and Women in Sports Day, 78-71.

App State was led by a 24-point performance by senior guard Faith Alston, while junior Emily Carver netted 15 in her return to Boone since a late-December injury. Fifth-year guard Taylor Lewis nearly posted a double-double, scoring 14 and grabbing a team-high nine rebounds. Carver and Alston were key distributors for the Mountaineers, dishing out five and four assists, respectively.

Senior guard Jakayla Johnson was ULM’s top scorer with 21 points, but Daisha Bradford’s 14-point, 10-rebound double-double cemented her spot as the Warhawks’ leader. Fifth-year guard Sania Wells dished out a team-best six assists.

The Mountaineers dominated the first quarter. Following an opening layup from ULM, App State scored each of the next nine points. The Black and Gold held the Warhawks to just four more points in the period, scoring seven of their own in that span. App State took a 10-point lead into the second quarter.

ULM clawed back through the first nine minutes of the second period. The Mountaineers extended their lead to as many as 13 points, but the Warhawks rode two separate 6-0 runs to bring the game within five points. Following a sequence of back-and-forth scoring, App State sophomore Chaé Harris went to the line for two free-throws with nine seconds on the clock, cashing in on one. Harris grabbed her own rebound and drew another foul, this time knocking down both shots from the charity stripe to send the Mountaineers to halftime with another 10-point advantage.

App State extended their lead again in the third stanza, but ULM wouldn’t go away easily. With the Mountaineer lead up to 15 points, the Warhawks went on a 10-0 run – the largest streak of the night – to bring the game back within five. App State earned one point back, entering the final period ahead by six points.

The fourth quarter saw the most foul trouble, as 18 of the 50 total infractions were called in the 10-minute period. ULM graduate guard Lauren Gross scored each of her 10 points in the frame to bring the Warhawks within a single point. The Mountaineers weren’t deterred, though, and cashed in on six-straight free-throws to close out the game with a win. App State earned their 13th all-time win over ULM, remaining undefeated against the Warhawks.

“you guys should really come see these girls play”

App State head coach Angel Elderkin opened her postgame press conference with a plea to App State fans before giving her statement on the game.

“What a great win,” Elderkin said. “What an outstanding win, and, I’m gonna say, there’s four more home games to watch this group. I’m just gonna continue to beg people to come out and see this team play. If you can’t see their heart, feel their heart, tonight it was just on full display.”

Elderkin then shared her thoughts on the Mountaineers’ victory over ULM in a close, tense game.

“Just a great team win,” Elderkin said. “Just really, really excited. Especially when we’ve played a lot of this season without Emily Carver and without Taylor Lewis. To see the way that they’re contributing to this team right now, this is what this game is about. How do you deal with adversity? And this group is showing up, showing it every time we step on to the court.”

App State junior guard Emily Carver saw her first action in the Holmes Center since her lower-body injury in late December. Carver spoke on what her return to basketball in Boone meant for her.

“It feels great,” Carver said. “Just knowing that my teammates have confidence in me every time I step out on the court, even when we were on the road. Knowing that, coming back from an injury, that my teammates are still that confident in me, it feels great to step back out there.”

Elderkin gave her thoughts on what Carver’s return to the lineup means for the team.

“Stability,” Elderkin said. “You know, Emily is a stable player who does her job on both sides of the ball. She also brings just a winning edge and a winning mindset to this group. And just the experience, you know? Emily’s in her third year of playing these Sun Belt games, knowing what it takes. I know, as a coach, just going into these games, having a level of confidence and knowing the toughness that she brings to the table and the team.”

App State’s home matchup against ULM fell on Feb. 7, National Girls and Women in Sports day. COVID senior Taylor Lewis shared how the perception of women’s sports has changed in her time as a collegiate athlete.

“I think this year has been the best year around women’s sports,” Lewis said. “I think we’ve had a lot more fans to come out and I think, for the continuing years and for everybody out there, you guys should really come see these girls play. Emily Carver is a superstar, Faith Alston is one of the best guards in the nation, so, I think women’s sports should be taken more seriously.”

Elderkin shared what it meant to her that women’s sports are becoming more mainstream.

“I have to say, there was a boy’s team behind our bench,” Elderkin said. “They come to our camp. That stuff makes my heart so happy. They’re behind like ‘come on Faith, come on Zada,’ they know our players by name. Our female student-athletes by name. That is special and that just doesn’t happen everywhere.”

Elderkin pointed out that, while women’s sports are gaining more attention, there’s still progress to be made in the High Country.

“Although we’ve come a long way, we’re nowhere near where we need to be” Elderkin said. “Women’s basketball is on the rise. So, Boone, come on, let’s go, let’s start to show these ladies some love.”

As a team, App State shot at a 41 percent clip, compared to ULM’s 37 percent mark. The Mountaineers out-rebounded the Warhawks, 44-35, including 11 offensive boards leading to 11 second-chance points. App State held the lead over ULM for all but 90 seconds.

“How do you deal with adversity?”

Whistles were blown on 50 fouls in the matchup. Those fouls were punctuated by a tense moment with just over five minutes left in the fourth quarter, resulting in a technical foul each for App State’s Alexis Black and ULM’s Brianna Harris. Warhawk guard Jakayla Johnson also received a technical foul in the contest.

With the loss, the Warhawk’s losing skid extends to three games. ULM looks to bounce back Feb. 10 as they travel to Toledo for the second leg of the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge. Tipoff is set for 12 p.m. and can be streamed on ESPN+.

App State moves to 12-11 with a 6-6 Sun Belt record with the victory. The Mountaineers look to continue their winning ways Feb. 10 as they travel to face Western Michigan in the second installment of the MAC-Sun Belt Challenge. The game is slated to tipoff at 2 p.m., and can be streamed on ESPN+.

By Zach Smith. STATESBORO, Ga. — An old saying suggests, “You get what you pay for.” The 2,412 fans in Hanner Fieldhouse on Feb. 3 got that and more: an overtime thriller of a basketball game that saw visiting Appalachian State outlast Georgia Southern, 85-84. 

Mountaineer guard Terence Harcum once again led his team’s offensive production. His 26 points — the most points scored by a Mountaineer this season — propelled App State past the Eagles in this heated rivalry that dates back to when both were members of the Southern Conference.

But Harcum was far from alone in App State’s offensive output. Sophomore Justin Abson netted a career high 20 points to go along with four critical blocks on the defensive end. Meanwhile, junior forward Tre’Von Spillers posted his sixth double-double of the season with 10 points and 11 rebounds. Myles Tate dished out a team-best five assists.

Justin Abson netted a career high 20 points to go along with four critical blocks.

Georgia Southern was led by a 24-point performance from Tyren Moore, while Avantae Parker cashed in on a career-best 19 points.

Both sides traded jabs through the first 10 minutes of the game, though App State held a narrow advantage. The visitors’ edge didn’t last long as the Eagles went on a 16-2 tear to take a game-high, 9-point lead. The Mountaineers clawed back thanks to consecutive three-pointers by Tate. Georgia Southern countered with two buckets late in the half to take a six-point advantage into the locker room at intermission.

No. 9? No. 9? No. 9?

The second half was a game of runs. Following early, back-and-forth scoring that resulted in another Georgia Southern nine-point lead, App State went on a 9-0 run of its own. The Eagles countered with still another 9-point streak but the Mountaineers followed that up with yet another — you guessed it — run of nine consecutive points.

Timely three-pointers from Harcum and junior forward Christopher Mantis punctuated each of App State’s runs. With just 24 seconds remaining in regulation, the Mountaineers took their first lead since the 7:47 mark of the first half. With the game on the line, GSU’s Parker nailed a driving layup to tie the game and send the contest into overtime.

The bonus minutes were just as exciting as the 40 minutes of regulation. Abson notched his career-best 18th point to open the overtime period, then Parker responded for the Eagles with two baskets in the paint to put Georgia Southern back on top. Both sides converted dueling layups before Parker once again stepped up, this time cashing in on his lone shot from beyond the arc to give the Eagles a 83-80 lead with 59 seconds on the clock. Harcum followed up with his most important three points of the night, draining his fifth deep-ball of the afternoon. 

With less than 30 seconds, each possession seemed to last a lifetime, fans of both sides holding their breath. Georgia Southern’s Eugene Brown III drove to the rim and drew what proved to be a critical foul. He converted on only one of his two shots from the charity stripe, giving the Mountaineers a chance to take a late lead. With just nine seconds on the clock, fifth-year forward Donovan Gregory drove to the rim, scoring on a layup to put App State ahead by one. Following timeouts by both head coaches, Georgia Southern had one final chance with just four seconds remaining. Parker attacked the rim, but a dramatic block by Abson sealed the victory for the Mountaineers.

Despite their late stand, App State struggled defensively for the majority of the afternoon. Georgia Southern shot at an impressive 53 percent clip, besting the Mountaineers’ 48 percent mark. App State won the rebounding battle, 42-34, including 18 offensive boards leading to 21 second-chance points. The Mountaineers led just over 14 minutes, compared to the Eagles’ nearly 24 minutes in the driver’s seat.

With the loss, Georgia Southern falls to 5-18 overall, with a 5-6 Sun Belt record. The Eagles look to rebound Wednesday (Feb. 7) as they travel to face South Alabama. Tipoff is slated for 8 p.m. and can be streamed on ESPN+.

App State’s eighth consecutive win makes them the only D-I program to have multiple 8+ game win streaks this season, becoming the first Sun Belt team to reach 10 conference wins in the process. The Mountaineers cap their three-game road trip with a visit to Texas State on Feb. 7. Tipoff is 8 p.m., and the game can be streamed on ESPN+.

 

By Zach Smith. CONWAY, S.C. — Following losses to three of the top four schools in the Sun Belt Conference women’s basketball standings, App State looked to get back into the win column on Feb., traveling to Conway, S,C. to face Coastal Carolina. Behind a barrage of three-pointers by Alexis Black, Faith Alston, Emily Carver and Taylor Lewis, the Mountaineers snapped a four-game losing skid in defeating the Chanticleers, 80-70.

Each of App State’s top four scorers netted at least three shots from beyond the arc in their victory over Coastal Carolina. Alston’s 18 points led the way for the Mountaineers, while Lewis (16 points)), Black (15) and Carver (13) rounded out the App State scoring effort. Lewis’ points and her five made three-pointers marked career highs for the senior guard. Carver was the key distributor for the Mountaineers, dishing out six assists.

Coastal Carolina was led by a season-high 25 points from Arin Freeman. Makaila Cange also performed well for the Chanticleers, posting a “double-double” of 17 points and 10 rebounds.

The first quarter was dominated by Lewis. The COVID senior netted 12 of her 16 points in the period, going 4-5 from beyond the arc. The Mountaineers shot at a 53% clip in the opening quarter and a pressing defense limiting Coastal Carolina to just a 32% mark in the process.

Three-point shooting didn’t slow down for App State in the second period. The Mountaineers cashed in on another six shots from deep, three from Black. Coastal Carolina had a chance to close the gap with 11 free-throw attempts in the quarter, but were only able to convert on five. App State took a 10-point lead into the locker room.

The Mountaineers stretched their lead to as many as 19 in the third stanza, riding three separate runs of at least five consecutive points to extend the deficit. Alston netted 11 of her team-high 18 points in the period. Cange scored the last bucket of the frame for the Coastal Carolina, but the Chanticleers still trailed by 17 entering the fourth quarter.

Coastal Carolina came to life early in the final period. The Chanticleers went on a 10-1 run over the first three minutes of the quarter, and looked to mount a furious comeback. App State’s defense stood their ground, though, and Coastal Carolina was held without a made shot from the field over the final 2:48 to play.

As a team, App State shot 47% from the field, punctuated by a stratospheric 52% clip from beyond the arc. The Mountaineers led wire-to-wire, never giving up their advantage over the final 38:46.

With the loss, Coastal Carolina falls to 2-9 in Sun Belt play, ahead of only South Alabama in the conference standings. The Chanticleers look to bounce back Wednesday (Feb. 7) as they host Texas State before going on the road for their next four games. Tipoff is slated for 6 p.m. and can be streamed on ESPN+.

App State’s victory improves the team’s  Sun Belt record to 5-6. The Mountaineers return to Boone for five of their next six contests, the lone road test being a trip to Western Michigan for the second leg in the Sun Belt-MAC Challenge. The first match-up in App State’s conference home  stand is a battle with ULM on for Wednesday, Feb. 7, with tipoff set for 6:30 p.m., and streamed on ESPN+.