Update #11: ASU wins its season-opener by the final score of 90-61. The Mountaineers will travel to ETSU on Tuesday, Nov. 15, while the Bobcats will host Mars Hill College on Monday, Nov. 14. Read the Sunday edition of the Watauga Democrat, as well as next week's edition of The Avery Journal-Times for a full report of this game.
Update #10: At the 4:43 mark the Mountaineers are in firm control, leading 81-50. Ten different Bobcats players have scored in the contest, with Jeremiah Henry leading the way with seven points. ASU has five players in double-figures, led by Andre Williamson's 16 points.
Update #9: 7:08 remains in the contest and the Mountaineers hold a 73-42 lead. The Bobcats have hung with ASU on the glass, only out-rebounded by eight at 39-31, but four Mountaineers scoring double-figures and 18 LMC turnovers have not helped the comeback cause.
Update #8: 11:41 remains in the game, and the Mountaineers lead 63-38.
Update #7: LMC has cut the ASU lead to 61-38 and has been crashing the boards at a higher rate than the Mountaineers, forcing Coach Jason Capel to take a timeout with 13:21 to play in the contest. the Bobcats have pushed the pace and worked the basketball inside with success, especially in transition.
LMC does have some depth and injury issues, as a pair of players, Sepokas and DJ Brown, are sitting on the bench with ice on their respective left ankles. The injuries leave Coach Scott Polsgrove with only nine healthy players, three of which have four fouls.
Update #6: ASU has doubled up the score on LMC, leading 60-30 with 15:54 to play in the game. Carter leads the Mountaineers with 14 points and six rebounds, while Corey Young and Sepokas are tied with five points each.
Update #5: ASU puts together a late run to close the half, using transition to build a 46-21 lead at intermission.
Update #4: Less than four minutes remain in the opening half, with the Mountaineers holding a 31-17 advantage. Carter remains the only player for either team in double-figures with 10. No Bobcats player has more than four points for the contest. Both Bobcats starting forwards have accumulated three fouls each defending down low, with more than three minutes left in the half.
Update #3: With 7:58 to play in the first half, ASU has stretched its lead to 14 points at 25-11. The Bobcats have done a good job of making things difficult for ASU offensively, drawing a charge as well as trying to limit ASU to one shot. Neither team has shot extremely well, as the Mountaineers have shot 40-percent to LMC's 20-percent (4-for-20).
Update #2: ASU leads 21-9 with 11:33 left in the opening half. Carter's 10 points still lead the Mountaineers, while DJ Brown's three points leads the Bobcats.
Update #1: ASU leads 16-7 at the first media timeout. Carter already has 10 of ASU's points, while Daniel Sepokas leads Lees-McRae with five points thus far. The size of the Mountaineers will prove a tough challenge for the Bobcats, whose tallest player, Gideon Oji, stands at six-feet, nine-inches.
In the early going, ASU holds a 13-5 advantage thanks to a couple of three-point baskets from Omar Carter and a trifecta from Jamaal Trice. We'll be updating throughout this evening's contest.
We're LIVE from Holmes Convocation Center for tonight's basketball season-opener between Lees-McRae College and Appalachian State University.
ASU and Lees-McRae last played two seasons ago in Boone, with the Mountaineers pulling away for a victory.
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