By Zach Smith. BOONE, N.C. — “How about them Mountaineers?” App State head coach Dustin Kerns said after defeating Auburn in front of the largest home crowd since 2009. The Mountaineers defeated the Tigers, 69-64, in the first-ever nationally televised game at the Holmes Convocation Center.

App State once again proved they can rely on multiple scorers. Four Mountaineers posted double-digit points. Junior guard Myles Tate led the way for the home team with 18 points, while Donovan Gregory (12), Terence Harcum (12) and CJ Huntley (10) rounded out the leading scorers.

The first half was as close as the Mountaineer faithful could have hoped. Auburn rode a 9-0 run to a 19-10 lead but App State countered with 10 straight points to put the Tigers’ largest lead to bed. The rest of the half was back-and-forth with neither side taking a lead of more than three points. Freshman guard Jordan Marsh put the exclamation mark on the first period by hitting on a driving layup with under five seconds on the clock. App State took a 33-31 lead into the locker room with all 7,037 fans in attendance on their feet.

… I’ll remember that court-storming because I really wanted to get that moment for our players/

The Mountaineers never relinquished their lead in the second half, despite Auburn’s best efforts. App State went on a 7-0 run halfway through the period, and junior forward Christopher Mantis drained a three-pointer to give the home team their largest lead of the day. Shortly after, Auburn went on a 6-0 run of their own, closing the deficit to three, but a Gregory midrange jumper and a Tate 3-pointer put the game to bed for the Mountaineers.

Dustin Kerns showed pride in his team, afterwards.

“Just a great day for our program and the university,” Kerns said. “Just so proud of our players, you know. (Auburn has) a really good team. They’ll be in the top 25 here in a couple weeks.”

Kerns was also sure to give credit to the fourth-largest crowd in App State men’s basketball history.

“Thanks to everybody that came,” Kerns said. “That can do one of two things: it can really raise the level of your team and it can hurt the other team and I thought it did both. So, really, really thankful for all the people that came out to be a part of this moment.”

Kerns spoke on what the historic victory meant for him and how people view App State basketball.

“When I met with [App State Director of Athletics] Doug Gillin and I was interviewing here, he asked me ‘what are you going to do to change the perception of App State basketball?’” Kerns said. “And he believed that I was the guy to do it. It’s been a lot of work with a lot of people, and I definitely think the perception of App State basketball is changing. I’ll remember that court-storming because I really wanted to get that moment for our players.”

Kerns compared the victory over Auburn to another iconic App State upset.

“You know, the Michigan game (2007) was a moment for App State football,” Kerns said. “Maybe this was our moment.”

Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl has made it a habit to get mid-majors on Auburn’s schedule. According to Pearl, his appreciation for smaller schools dates back to the beginning of his coaching career at D-II Southern Indiana. As an assistant coach at Iowa, a road trip to Northern Iowa solidified the idea that he would continue to play mid-majors as he moved on to head coach at the high-major level.

Pearl was complimentary of App State and their fan base post-game.

“Great environment in here, great fan base,” Pearl said. “We knew coming in this was going to be like playing a middle to lower-half SEC team, so credit them. Their guards, in particular, lined us up and drove us.”

Pearl also was sure to mention his team’s sub-par shooting.

“I think when you miss 10 free throws and make nine, and you miss 24 threes and make three, it’s not going to win many games,” Pearl said. “Some of that was defense, but a lot of it was open shots.”

For Auburn, junior Johni Broome posted his second consecutive double-double, scoring a game-high 21 points while grabbing 13 rebounds. Sophomore guard Tre Donaldson was the only other Tiger to score in double-digits, cashing in for 12 points.

The win improves App State’s win streak to five, improving the early season record to 6-2. Auburn’s loss snaps a five-game win streak, the record falling to 5-2. The Tigers’ only other loss on the season was to No. 20 Baylor at a neutral site.

Auburn’s next test isn’t until Saturday (Dec. 9), when they’ll travel to Atlanta to face Indiana. That game will be broadcast at 1:00p.m. on ESPN2.

App State returns to action on Tuesday, when they’ll team up with the women’s basketball team for a doubleheader at the Holmes Convocation Center. App State’s women’s team will tipoff against College of Charleston at 5:30p.m., and the men’s team will face D-II Central Penn approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the first game. Both games can be streamed on ESPN+.

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Get your favorite guacamole recipe polished up. Appalachian State will face Miami (OH) on Dec. 16 in the Avocados From Mexico Cure Bowl, in FBC Mortgage Stadium on the campus of the University of Central Florida.

More than any other FBS conference, the Sun Belt Conference has an astonishing 12 out of 14 teams going to college football bowl games in 2023, including all six teams in the SBC East division.

The entire Sun Belt lineup:

• • Dec. 16 – Avocados From Mexico Cure Bowl: Appalachian State vs. Miami (OH)
  • Dec. 16 – Myrtle Beach Bowl: Georgia Southern vs. Ohio
  • Dec. 16 – R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl: Louisiana vs. Jacksonville State
  • Dec. 18 – Famous Toastery Bowl: Old Dominion vs. Western Kentucky
  • Dec. 19 – Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl: Marshall vs. UTSA
  • Dec. 23 – 76 Birmingham Bowl: Troy vs. Duke
  • Dec. 23 – Camellia Bowl: Arkansas State vs. Northern Illinois
  • Dec. 23 – Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl: James Madison vs. Air Force
  • Dec. 23 – Famous Idaho Potato Bowl: Georgia State vs. Utah State
  • Dec. 23 – 68 Ventures Bowl: South Alabama vs. Eastern Michigan
  • Dec. 23 – EasyPost Hawaii Bowl: Coastal Carolina vs. San Jose State
  • Dec. 26 – SERVPRO First Responder Bowl: Texas State vs. Rice

Orlando is a great destination for the App State football team and our passionate Mountaineer fan base.

For App State, it will be the program’s first meeting with the Redhawks of Miami (OH), this year’s MidAmerica Conference champion after defeating Toledo, 23-14.

“Orlando is a great destination for the App State football team and our passionate Mountaineer fan base,” App State Director of Athletics Doug Gillin said. “Thank you to Alan Gooch and his team for the invitation. We are thrilled to represent Appalachian State University and the Sun Belt Conference in the Cure Bowl.”

“We are excited to play in the Cure Bowl against Miami (OH),” App State head coach Shawn Clark said. “Our team kept digging all season. We have battled through adversity, and we won the Sun Belt East division. We will be proud to travel to Orlando and represent our university and one of the best conferences in America (the Sun Belt).”

The inaugural Cure Bowl was held in 2015, and the game shines a spotlight on the fight against breast cancer. By the time the 2022 game was complete, the Orlando Sports Foundation had donated more than $4.1 million to cancer research.

A dozen teams competing in college bowl games is not only a Sun Belt Conference record but also a national best in 2023 among the ten NCAA Division I FBS conferences. The SBC’s 12 outpaces the ACC (11), the Big Ten (9), the Big 12 (9), the SEC (9), and the Pac-12 (8). None of the other non-autonomy conferences has more than seven bowl qualified schools representing them in bowl games this year, including the Mountain West (7), the AAC (6), the MAC (6), and C-USA (4).

By David Rogers. TROY, Ala. — There was no hidden army in a Trojan horse. Everything was out in the open at Veterans Memorial Stadium.

What could have been a Cinderella story came to a disappointing end on Dec. 2. Turnovers and quarterback sacks are offensive drive killers in football and Appalachian State suffered too many of both in the Sun Belt Conference Championship Game won by host Troy, 49-23.

It could well be argued that two late Trojan touchdowns when the game was already all but decided made the score more lopsided than the game really was but, truth be told, Troy lived up to its billing of having a sack-happy, stingy  defense and a dynamic running back in junior Kimani Vidal.

In Troy’s NCAA Division I history, there have been only two seasons when two players have had nine or more sacks, 2010 and 2023. Going into the  SBC championship, Troy junior defensive end Javon Solomon was tied with University of Texas-San Antonio’s Trey Moore for second in the FBS nation but not any more. The quick, 6-2, 249 lb. Solomon from Tallahassee, Fla. sacked App State QB Joey Aguilar twice on the night, bringing his total to 16 on the season and arguably elevating him to the nation’s leader. Teammate Richard Jibunor is tied for No. 19, with nine on the year.

Troy’s defense also kept the Mountaineers’ rushing attack in check, partially because of the costly sacks and turnovers denying opportunities. The three primary running backs employed by Appalachian were somewhat contained, limited to just 147 yards combined and two TDs. Although redshirt freshman Kanye Roberts was the starter and carried the ball 13 times for 53 yards, accounting for both rushing TDs, senior Nate Noel (14 carries, 47 yards) and junior Anderson Castle (8 carries, 47 yards) both provided a spark in relief, particularly in the second half.

Meanwhile, Troy’s Kimani staked a legitimate claim to being the Sun Belt’s leading rusher, carrying the ball 26 times for 233 yards and five touchdowns. The shifty junior RB from Marietta, Ga. seemed at times impossible to bring down, gaining large chunks of yardage after initial contact.

Troy senior Gunnar Watson completed an efficient 15 of 24 passes for 192 yards and one TD to complement Vidal’s attack on the ground, although App State QB Joey Aguilar had even better numbers, completing 28 of 39 passes for 275 yards. The only deficiencies? No touchdowns and being sacked five times.

As theY have had a habit of doing at times in 2023, the Mountaineers fell behind after a scoreless first quarter, giving up two Vidal touchdowns. Arguably, they “won” the middle eight minutes in countering with a Kanye Roberts TD with just 39 seconds left in the first half, then again with Roberts punching the ball across with 10:11 left in the third quarter to tie the game at 14-14.

But when Troy came right back with a 51-yard scoring pass from Watson to sophomore wide receiver Chris Lewis and the Mountaineers had to settle for field goal, the margin widened as Troy found ways to find the end zone.

After the game, Mountaineer head coach Shawn Clark congratulated Troy and Trojan head coach Jon Sumrall on their win and second consecutive Sun Belt championship. He reiterated how proud he is of the App State program and team for starting the season 3-4 and digging out a five win streak to claim the title of East Division representative with James Madison being ineligible. He went on to say that the team’s sights are now set on a bowl game championship, the location of which should be determined in the next few days.

Scoring Summary

POST-GAME NOTES FROM APP STATE SPORTS

• • Playing in its league-best fourth Sun Belt championship game in the six-year history of the event, App State lost the title game for the second time. The Mountaineers won both games they hosted – in 2018 and 2019 against Louisiana – and lost at Louisiana in 2021.
  • The home team has won every Sun Belt championship game that’s been played.
  • With eight wins, App State is bowl eligible and will find out its destination and opponent on Sunday.
  • This was App State’s first loss of the season that wasn’t decided by one possession and in the final seconds of the game.
  • The loss snapped the Mountaineers’ five-game win streak that closed the regular season, as well as a five-game win streak over the Trojans dating back to 2018. App State’s lead in the all-time series against Troy is now 8-4.
  • After trailing 14-0, App State scored a touchdown with 0:39 left in the second quarter and then again on the opening drive of the third quarter to knot the score at 14-14. It remained a one-possession game until Troy went ahead 28-17 with 10:57 left in the fourth quarter.
  • The Mountaineers were -1 in the turnover battle with one takeaway and two turnovers committed. Under head coach Shawn Clark, the Mountaineers are now 18-1 when winning the turnover battle, 6-12 when losing, and 10-4 when they have the same number of turnovers as the opponent.

OFFENSE

• • Joey Aguilar passed for 275 yards on 28-of-39 attempts and broke the single-season school record for passing yards. Through 13 games, he stands at 3,546 yards, surpassing Chase Brice’s 2021 total of 3,337. Aguilar already owns the school record for passing touchdowns in a season with 33.
  • Aguilar spread the ball to 11 different receivers, the eighth time this year that nine or more different receivers have caught a pass.
  • This was only the second game of the season (Wyoming) that Aguilar did not throw multiple touchdown passes.
  • Kanye Roberts started at running back and rushed for a team-high 53 yards on 13 carries with two red-zone touchdowns. It’s his first career two-score performance.
  • Tight end Eli Wilson scored the Mountaineers’ other touchdown with a fumble recovery in the end zone.

DEFENSE

• • This was the most points allowed in a game this season and most allowed in regulation since last year’s season-opening loss to North Carolina, 63-61.
  • Defensive tackle Santana Hopper recorded the Mountaineers’ only sack of the game, giving him 2.5 for the season. His 6.5 TFLs this season are second-most on the team behind Nate Johnson’s 8.5.
  • Cornerback Ethan Johnson had a career-high 1.5 tackles for loss.

SPECIAL TEAMS

• • Milan Tucker recovered a muffed Troy punt return for a huge turnover of events midway through the third quarter with the Mountaineers trailing 21-14.
  • Michael Hughes connected on a 41-yard field goal on the ensuing drive to cut Troy’s lead to four.
  • Hughes improved his season field goal tally to 17 makes on 20 attempts. His 17 field goals are tied for fourth-most in a season in program history.
  • Mitchell Lake pinned three of his five punts inside the 20 and had a 41.4 average on the day.

By Jacob Plecker. BOONE, N.C. — Riding a four-game winning streak, the App State Mountaineers (5-2) welcome the Auburn Tigers (5-1) to the Holmes Center for the venue’s first ever nationally televised contest on Sunday. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. and will be televised on ESPN2.

Sunday’s contest marks the first time since Nov. 2000 that a high-major opponent will visit the High Country when the No. 6 North Carolina Tar Heels opened the building. The Mountaineers have never beaten a high-major opponent at the Holmes Center. The last time App State defeated a high-major opponent on their floor came back in 1993 when the Mountaineers toppled Nebraska at Varsity Gym.

This marks the 30th time that the Mountaineers will face a current SEC opponent and the first time since December 2020. The Mountaineers have beaten just two current SEC schools in their history with the last win coming against Arkansas in 2007.

With a win on Sunday against a Power Five school, the Mountaineers will have beaten a Power Five opponent in back-to-back years for the first time since the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons. The Mountaineers dethroned ACC opponent Virginia at the San Juan Shootout in Puerto Rico in 2006 before downing Arkansas on the road in 2007.

The Matchup

• • Who: App State vs. Auburn
  • Where: Holmes Convocation Center // Boone, N.C.
  • When: Sunday, December 3 // 1 p.m.

Tune In

• • Watch: ESPN2, ESPN+
  • Listen: 97.3 WKBC, 96.5/1450 WATA, 790/93.7 WETB, 1250/103.9 WBRM
  • Live Stats: appstatesports.com

Last Time Out
Renewing one of the longest rivalries in program history, the Mountaineers got off to a scorching start and took down the ETSU Buccaneers 72-61 last Wednesday. App State never trailed in the contest and led by as much as 20 points.

Tre’Von Spillers notched a game-high 15 points, recording the fourth consecutive game that he has tallied double figures, while also grabbing 11 rebounds for his first double-double as a Mountaineer. Spillers has had a tremendous start to his Mountaineer career as he led the team in scoring for the fourth time already this season on Wednesday.

The Mountaineers shot a remarkable 50 percent from the field again on Wednesday, marking the third time in four games that they have done that, while also holding ETSU under 40 percent from the field. App State hasn’t allowed a team to shoot greater than 40 percent from the field since Nov. 14 against Oregon State.

Scouting the Mountaineers
App State comes into play on Sunday riding a four-game win streak, which is the second-longest active win streak in the Sun Belt. The Mountaineers are outscoring their opponents by a combined 71 points during their streak and have beaten each opponent by at least 10 points. Additionally, App State has held at least a 20-point lead in four of their five victories this year.

The Mountaineers play a complementary style of basketball as they boast the third-largest scoring margin in the Sun Belt at 12.3. App State pairs the second-lowest scoring defense with the fifth-highest scoring offense in the conference.

Coach Kerns boasts one of the deepest squads of his tenure as nine players typically see the floor each night. The Mountaineers have seen at least nine players score a basket in four of their seven games to start the season. Fifth-year guard Donovan Gregory leads the charge, averaging 13.1 points per game, but seven players come into play on Sunday averaging at least seven points.

Defensively, the Mountaineers are one of the nation’s best teams at blocking shots this season, averaging 6.6 blocks per game, which is tied for the fourth-highest mark in the nation. App State currently has two players in the top three in the Sun Belt Conference in blocked shots in Abson (20) and Spillers (13).

Scouting the Tigers
Auburn comes to the High Country also riding a four-game winning streak after defeating Virginia Tech as part of the inaugural SEC/ACC challenge. The Tigers received the seventh-most votes of unranked teams in this week’s AP Poll.

Two players score in double-figures for the Tigers in Johni Broome and Aden Holloway. Broome leads the way, averaging 17.8 points per contest while also pacing the team in rebounding at 8.5. Auburn also carries a deep team as 10 players on the roster have appeared in every game this season and five players score at least eight points a game.

Tiger head coach Bruce Pearl is in his 10th season at the helm of the program and has led Auburn to four NCAA Tournament appearances and 178 wins. Pearl currently ranks No. 13 among active head coaches in NCAA Division I wins.

Series History
Sunday’s matchup marks the third battle between the Mountaineers and the Tigers. App State traveled to Neville Arena in Dec. 2020. This will be Auburn’s first trip to the High Country in program history.

Donovan Gregory and CJ Huntley are the only two players on the team to see the floor against the Tigers in their career. Gregory played 36 minutes in the 2020 matchup, scoring seven points, grabbing four rebounds and dishing out two assists.

Switching sides, four current Tigers have played against the Mountaineers in their career. Jaylin Williams tallied a game-high 15 points in 2020’s matchup.

Next Up
Following action on Sunday, the Mountaineers will conclude their four-game home stand with a matchup against NCAA Division II opponent Central Penn on Tuesday as part of a doubleheader with the App State women’s team. The women’s game is scheduled to start at 5:30 with the men’s game to follow approximately 30 minutes after. The matchup can be streamed on ESPN+.

By David Rogers. DAVIDSON, N.C. — Poor shooting and being outrebounded usually makes for a miserable night on the hardcourt. The Appalachian State women’s basketball team had that thought underlined on Nov. 9 in the John M. Belk Arena, losing to Davidson College, 64-41.

On the surface, the outcome was lopsided but the fast-paced, up-tempo play by both sides was highly entertaining for the almost 400 fans in attendance.

The Mountaineers fought back from a 6-2 early deficit to momentarily take 1n 11-10 lead in the first quarter, but that was all but it for the rest of the night.

Five of Davidson’s rostered players are from Australia, hailing from Perth, Sydney (2), Queensland, and Victoria. Three of them were the Wildcats in double figure scoring on the night, including Suzi-Ross Deegan’s game-high 21 points, Charlise Dunn (16), and Millie Prior (14). Prior also collected a game-high 13 rebounds to record the game’s only double-double of the evening.

With a clear height advantage, Davidson dominated the boards while disrupting Mountaineer shots, often forcing App State’s playmakers to make off-balance attempts. The Wildcats’ 47-27 advantage in rebounding reflected the final score, including 37 defensive rebounds vs. the Mountaineers five offensive boards. Where there were plenty of errant App State shot attempts, those Wildcat defensive rebounds all but eliminated any second chance opportunities for the Mountaineers.

From the time Davidson went on a 12-0 scoring run in the second quarter, the Wildcat momentum grew and the home team’s lead grew with every minute. Their biggest lead of the night, 25, came with just 16 second left in the game.

While the App State moments were few, a couple of performances stood out. Guard Faith Alston scored a team-high 14 points and was not bashful about attacking the basket. Evidence of that: she was fouled five times.

Chae Harris came off the Mountaineer bench to also get into double figures, with 11 points. She hit two times from long distance, the two successful shots from behind the 3-point arc for App State out of 16 attempts. Forced by the Davidson height and size advantage to shoot from outside, the Mountaineers could only find success in the hands of Harris.

After the game, Mountaineer head coach Angel Elderkin acknowledged that the height and size advantage of the Wildcats was bothersome for her charges but it was more, too.

“Their physicality,” said Elderkin. “We didn’t match it.”

Asked what the team took from the experience, Elderkin didn’t hesitate.

“These non-conference games are about preparing for our (Sun Belt) conference play,” Elderkin said. “We will learn from this and grow as a team.”

App State returns to the Holmes Center hardwoods on Dec. 5, vs. College of Charleston with a 5:30 p.m. tipoff.

BONUS PHOTOS

All photographic images by David Rogers. Click on any image for slideshow mode.

By Zach Smith. BOONE, N.C. – A renewed regional rivalry was on display at the Holmes Convocation Center on Nov. 29 as the App State men’s basketball team faced off against long-time foe East Tennessee State. Wednesday’s contest marked the 129th all-time meeting between the two schools in a series that dates to 1927. The Mountaineers earned their fourth victory in a row, defeating the Buccaneers, 72-61.

While four Mountaineers scored in double figures, Tre’Von Spillers led the way. The junior JUCO-transfer posted a double-double, scoring 15 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Spillers also led both teams in blocks, swatting away four Buccaneer shots. Jordan Marsh (14 points), Myles Tate (12) and Terence Harcum (11) also scored in the double digits.

App State all but dominated the first half by playing suffocating defense. ETSU shot just 21.2% from the field, thanks in large part to six Mountaineer blocks. App State also dominated the boards in the first half as they out-rebounded ETSU, 25-14. The Mountaineers rode a 20-4 run into the break, taking a 42-22 lead to the locker room.

The second half started slow for App State as ETSU opened with a 12-4 run. App State was able to hold the surging Buccaneers off long enough, though, and the Mountaineers eventually put ETSU to bed. App State’s shooting dipped in the second half, but their 40% clip was more than enough to hold the home side’s lead.

I really think it started with the defense for us.

For the game, the Mountaineers shot 52% to ETSU’s 34%. App State out-rebounded the Buccaneers, 40-35.

App State head coach Dustin Kerns gave credit to ETSU after the game.

“Really proud of our team, the way we came out against a really good team. I think Brooks Savage is the right guy for the job at ETSU,” Kerns said. “I think he’s done a really good job. Their team fights. We knew they were going to fight. It’s not the first time they’ve done that, so credit them.”

Kerns was also sure to give a shout out to the crowd, including the “Mountaineer Menace” student section.

“I thought our crowd, our students, were terrific,” Kerns said. “ Really helped us get off to a great start.”

Three of the top four scorers are new additions to the locker room.

Kerns also spoke on what went well for the Mountaineers.

“We made our free throws and we made some really big plays,” Kerns said. “We had some guys in foul trouble, you know, some things just weren’t normal as usual, but we found a way and I’m really proud of our team.”

Three of the top four scorers for App State are new additions in the locker room. Transfers Myles Tate and Tre’Von Spillers joined Jordan Marsh as new Mountaineers to make an impressive mark against ETSU. Kerns spoke on how they’ve impacted the team since arriving in Boone.

“They’re quality people, high character. They come from great families and so they impact the locker room that way,” Kerns said. “But also just on the court, they’ve been great additions. From rebounding, to ball handling, to scoring, to defense, a little bit of everything.”

App State’s defense held solid in the first half, despite some early foul trouble. Kerns credited App State’s ability to limit ETSU’s scoring with setting the tone early.

“I thought we played really good defense,” Kerns said. “I think once we settled down and stopped fouling, we really got out some stops and got out and transitioned. We just really got the tempo of the game where we wanted it. I really thought it just started with the defense for us.”

While ETSU still has a stronghold on the series record over App State, the Mountaineers earned their third-straight victory over the school from Johnson City.

ETSU will round up their road trip when they travel to face Jacksonville State next. Tipoff is Sunday (Dec. 3) at 3:00p.m.

App State’s next matchup is their highly anticipated home contest vs Auburn. The game is set to be only the third sell-out crowd since the Holmes Convocation Center opened in 2000. It will be the first time that App State has hosted a Power 5 conference team since the first game at Holmes vs North Carolina. Tipoff is set for 1:00 p.m. on Sunday (Dec. 3).

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — It was not a pleasant “first date” — at least as far as one party is concerned. In the first ever meeting of their men’s basketball teams, Appalachian State rolled over Austin Peay (Clarksville, Tenn.), 78-58, on Nov. 26 in the Holmes Convocation Center in front of paid attendance of 1,298.

(Click on any image for slideshow mode)

The Governors came into the game with a known offensive commodity in sharpshooting playmaker Demarcus Sharp, one of six transfers from Northwestern State (Natchitoches, La.) who followed head coach Corey Gipson, now in his first year at Austin Peay. Sharp is a graduate student transfer, averaging 19 points per game and eight rebounds per game, including the App State results and the team leader in most statistical categories.

Although Sharp was coming off a 33-point performance in the Governors’ last outing against Sacramento State at a tournament in San Juan Capistrano, Calif., the Mountaineers “contained” him to a game-high 22 points.

“Demarcus Sharp is such a challenging player to defend,” conceded Mountaineer head coach Dustin Kerns afterwards. “He does so many things well and they have surrounded him with good (players).”

For a third straight win after back-to-back victories over UNC-Wilmington and Murray State in a Fort Myers, Fla., the Mountaineers used disruptive defense and opportunistic offense from up and down the roster. Eight players scored, contributing to a 51 percent field goal percentage (29-of-57), 39 percent from long distance (9-of-23), and 92 percent from the charity stripe (11-of-12).

App State held a 36-22 advantage inside the paint, as well as a 32-15 edge in points contributed from the Mountaineer bench. Underlining the defensive performance were seven blocked shots from five different players, including two each from Justin Abson and C J Huntley. As a team, the Mountaineers collected 28 defensive rebounds, led by 6-7 junior transfer from Charleston, S.C. native Tre’Von Spillers (seven total rebounds, six on the defensive end).

Spillers poured in a team-high 20 points. Graduate student forward Donovan Gregory and freshman guard Jordan Marsh also scored in double figures with 17 and 13 points, respectively.

Next up for App State is a midweek date at home vs. East Tennessee State (3-3) on Nov. 28, then a much anticipated (sold out) test in hosting SEC power, Auburn (4-1), on Sunday, Nov. 3.

By David Rogers. BOONE, N.C. — Win the turnover battle. CHECK. Make the right adjustments. CHECK. Pummel your opponent into submission. CHECK. Impress the storied alumni players in attendance. CHECK CHECK.

The final score says it all: Appalachian State 55, Georgia Southern 27.

Although the game may not have lived up to its “Deeper than Hate” pre-game description for bitterness and fisticuffs, the Nov. 25 edition of the ongoing rivalry had a lot of storylines, both inside the game as well as outside the contest.

There was the record-setting performance by Mountaineer quarterback Joey Aguilar, whose four touchdown passes gave him 33 TD aerials for the 2023 campaign, surpassing the previous record of 31 passes in a single season set by Taylor Lamb in 2015. He is within about 80 yards of the all-time passing yards in a single season, with two games to go (Sun Belt Championship and an expected bowl game.

Aguilar has reached almost folk hero status among the AppNation faithful after throwing for a TD on his first pass as a Mountaineer vs. Gardner Webb on Sept. 2, with three more TD passes to follow when he came on in relief of Ryan Burger (broken finger). “Joey California” may have been edged out for the starting job by Burger in the preseason, but it is going to take a lot to take it from him after what he has done since being given the opportunity.

Aguilar completed 23 of 36 passes for 296 yards and four TDs vs.1 interception, helping the Mountaineers do their part in making a trip to Troy next week as the East Division representative in the Sun Belt Conference Championship Game.

Last week’s Mountaineer victim, James Madison, did its part, too, by clobbering Coastal Carolina, 56-14, paving the way for App State to advance to the title game. Technically, James Madison won the East Division title with just the one loss to the Mountaineers, but is ineligible to play in the championship game the first two years since joining the conference last year, per terms of its moving up to the FBS level.

Aguilar scattered his 23 pass completions around to eight different receivers but most prominently to senior wide receiver Kaedin Robinson, who caught eight of ten targets for 108 yards and two TDs. Tight end Eli Wilson (4-53-1) and Christan Horn (2-46-1) also caught scoring aerials as well as stretched the field for key first downs.

Not to take anything away from the performance of Aguilar and his receivers, one of the most impressive things about this win was how deep the running back room proved to be without the services of No. 1 rusher, Nate Noel. Kanye Roberts, Anderson Castle and Maquel Haywood each had rushing TDs to cap off their turns running the football. Roberts was the day’s workhorse, with 14 carries for 108 yards but Watauga native Castle (6 carries, 63 yards) and Haywood, a Wake Forest transfer, both arguably had breakout game performances.

App State now travels to Troy, the West Division champion, to play in the Sun Belt Conference Championship game for the fourth time in the six years the title game has been played.

To understand the magnitude of earning a berth in the Sun Belt Conference title game, look no further than the fact that of the 14 teams competing in the two divisions, 12 are now bowl-eligible. That is a stunning number, reflecting how competitive the conference has become as well as the teams, in aggregate, earning wins over other FBS opponents.

Post-Game Notes from the App State Sports Strategic Communications team:

• • App State clinched a berth into the Sun Belt Conference Championship Game as the East Division Champion for the first time since 2021. When they travel to West Champion Troy next Saturday, the Mountaineers will be making their fourth appearance in the six-year history of the championship game (2018 win, 2019 win, 2021 loss), tying Louisiana for the most appearances by a league school.
  • At the FBS level, App State has now closed the regular season with a winning streak of at least five games on three occasions: 2023 (3-4 to 8-4), 2021 (4-2 to 10-2) and 2014 (1-5 to 7-5).
  • Attendance at Kidd Brewer Stadium was 31,248, a record for a post-Thanksgiving home game. For the third straight year, App State has broken the all-time Sun Belt and school attendance record with an average crowd of 34,734 at The Rock. The previous records were set in 2021 (30,441) and 2022 (33,566).
  • The Mountaineers were +3 in the turnover battle with four takeaways and one turnover committed. Under head coach Shawn Clark, the Mountaineers are now 18-1 when winning the turnover battle, 6-11 when losing, and 10-4 when they have the same number of turnovers as the opponent.
  • App State won on Senior Day at Kidd Brewer Stadium for the 25th time in the last 26 years.
  • App State improved its record in the Georgia Southern series to 22-16-1 overall and 6-4 at the FBS level. In Boone, the Mountaineers improved to 15-5-1 overall against the Eagles and 4-1 as FBS foes.
  • In the series, App State has won six of the last nine games, nine of the last 13 and 13 of the last 19.
  • Since the rivals began playing annually in 1993, the 28-point win was App State’s second-largest margin of victory over Georgia Southern, topped only by a 52-16 win in 2009. Overall, it’s the third-largest margin of victory for App State in the series, as the Mountaineers won 59-0 in 1939.
  • The 55 points were the Mountaineers’ second-most in a game against the Eagles behind that 1939 total.
  • App State improved to 53-10 in home games since the 2014 FBS transition.
  • App State improved to 65-18 in games against Sun Belt foes since the 2014 FBS transition.
  • App State’s 87 wins since 2015 are sixth-most in the FBS behind Alabama, Clemson, Georgia, Ohio State and Oklahoma.

OFFENSE

• • The Mountaineers’ 55 points were their most this season and their sixth time scoring 40+. The 532 total yards marked their fourth time eclipsing 500 total yards this year.
  • With four passing touchdowns on the day, Joey Aguilar ran his season total up to 33, eclipsing Taylor Lamb’s previous school record of 31 in 2015. Aguilar’s total also ranks him second in a season in Sun Belt history (behind Justice Hansen’s 37 for Arkansas State in 2017) and among the top five touchdown passers in the FBS this year.
  • Aguilar completed passes to eight different receivers en route to a 23-for-36 day for 296 yards with four touchdowns and one interception. It’s the 11th time in 12 games that he’s passed for multiple touchdowns, and the third time this season with four scoring passes.
  • Aguilar became the fifth quarterback in school history with a 3,000-yard passing season. His 3,271 yards so far are fourth-most in the school records behind Chase Brice in 2021 (3,337), Armanti Edwards in 2009 (3,291) and Jamal Londry-Jackson in 2012 (3,278).
  • Kaedin Robinson led the receiving corps with eight catches for 108 yards and touchdown catches of 27 yards and 10 yards. His 10 receiving TDs are the most in a season since Corey Sutton’s 10 in 2018 and tied for fifth-most in a season in school history.
  • On the day that Armanti Edwards’ No. 14 was permanently retired, the current No. 14 Kanye Roberts rushed for 109 yards and a touchdown on 14 attempts, his third 100-yard game of the year (all three exactly 109 yards). He is tied for the team lead with five rushing scores this season.
  • Other touchdowns included catches by wide receiver Christan Horn (sixth of the season) and tight end Eli Wilson (fifth of the season) and rushing touchdowns by Anderson Castle (second of the season) and Maquel Haywood (second of the season).

DEFENSE

• • This was the third game of the year and the second straight week the Mountaineers’ defense held their opponent under 100 rushing yards.
  • Tyrek Funderburk had two interceptions and Jordan Favors added another in a game that the defense accounted for three of the four takeaways. Funderburk and Favors are tied for the team lead with four picks apiece this season.
  • Michael Fletcher had a solo sack, and Montez Kelley and Nate Johnson teamed up for another. Johnson entered the weekend as the nation’s leader among FBS freshmen with 7.0 sacks.

SPECIAL TEAMS

• • Michael Hughes went 2-for-2 on field goals of 24 and 28 yards. For the season, he’s made 16 of 19 attempts, including both tries from beyond 50 yards. He’s also connected on 51-of-51 PATs.
  • Andre Hamilton, with some help from fellow special teamer Ahmani Marshall, forced a fumble on a Georgia Southern kick return that was recovered by Trevor Moffitt at the GS 13-yard line and turned into an App State touchdown on the ensuing play.

By Jacob Plecker. FORT MYERS, Fla. – On a day where offense came at a premium, the App State Mountaineers (3-2) ground out a tough, 67-57 win against the Murray State Racers (2-2). On less than 24 hours of rest, the Mountaineers finished the Fort Myers Tip-Off Event 2-0 against two teams who have each made NCAA Tournament appearances in the last five seasons.

App State’s back-to-back wins on back-to-back days marks the first time App State accomplished that feat since winning four games in four days at the Sun Belt Tournament to win their first ever SBC Championship. The two wins also mark the first time App State has won back-to-back games on a neutral floor since the Mountaineers won the Sun Belt Tournament in 2021.

It was another balanced scoring effort for the Mountaineers on Wednesday as nine players saw the floor and all nine scored at least two points. App State extended its streak of consecutive games with at least two double-digit scorers to 11 as Donovan Gregory, Terence Harcum and Tre’Von Spillers each crossed the 10-point threshold.

Top Performers

As indicated, three Mountaineers finished the game with at least 10 points on Wednesday. Donovan Gregory led the way with 16 points on an efficient 6-of-7 from the field. Meanwhile, Terence Harcum finished with 13 points, marking the third straight game he has scored in double-figures. Rounding out the double-digit scorers on Wednesday was Tre’Von Spillers, making his second consecutive start on Wednesday. Spillers’ 10 points and seven rebounds was the third time this season he has posted at least 10 points and at least seven rebounds.

Next Up

The Mountaineers return home for the first time since Nov. 7, takomg on the Austin Peay Governors for the first time, on Sunday, Nov. 26. Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. and can be streamed on ESPN+.