We are LIVE on a cloudy Saturday afternoon on campus at Appalachian State University in Boone for a key Southern Conference basketball matchup between the ASU Mountaineers and the Western Carolina Catamounts.There may not be an Old Mountain Jug on the line today, but that doesn't mean there aren't ramifications tied into the outcome of today's contest. ASU stands at 10-8 overall, with 1-3 record in conference play, while Western Carolina is 15-3, with a 5-1 conference record.
Among WCU's highlights of their tremendous season thus far was a 91-83 win at Louisville, with its only losses this season coming at Texas, at Clemson, and at Georgia Southern. Appalachian is 3-1 in its last four games, with wins at Davidson and wins at home over Elon and UNC-Greensboro.
Some further tidbits on this afternoon's game:
- Western Carolina's seniors have never won at the Holmes Center in their collegiate careers. including team's leading scorer and former Pisgah HS standout Jake Robinson who averages a team-high 12.9 points per game and scored a team-high 20 points off the bench in Western's last game Wednesday at Davidson.
- Appalachian is 7-2 at home this season, and head coach Buzz Peterson is a pe
rfect 10-0 against Western. - WCU and ASU are the top two scoring teams in the Southern Conference. Western averages 75.4 ppg, while ASU is just behind them at 72.9 points per contest.
- Appalachian had won 10 straight games in the series prior to an 89-84 loss in Cullowee last season. The Mountaineers have won more games over Western (108) than they have against any other opponent.
Appalachian State's women's team is hosting Davidson prior to this afternoon's men's game, and the ASU football team is featured today with autograph sessions and special recognitions throughout the afternoon in Boone. Stay tuned, and thanks for reading!
Update #1: Appalachian's women's team just defeated Davidson 72-61 in the precursor to this afternoon's men's contest. Four Lady Mountaineers scored in double figures as ASU improves to 10-9 overall and 6-4 in the SoCon.
Update #2: Western starts the game on an 8-0 run before an ASU timeout. 17:13 left in the opening half and the Catamounts have the early 8-0 advantage.
Update #3: We've reached the first media timeout and the Mountaineers have cut into the Western lead. At the 15:25 mark the Catamounts hold a 10-6 edge. Four minutes have elapsed and with 11:39 left in the half the Catamounts lead it 16-9. A pair of WCU players have a pair of fouls trying to battle ASU's Ike Butts on the block. It may become a greater issue as the game progresses.
Update #4: Neither team shoots well for a stretch of a couple of minutes. Lots of physical play and the refs are letting the players play. Western maintains a five point edge at 21-16 with 6:55 to play in the half. Kellen Brand leads the Mountaineers with nine points thus far, while Brandon Giles has 10 to lead the Catamounts.
Update #5: 3:50 left in the first half and Western leads App 25-22. Western has hit the offensive glass hard thus far in the half with a 9-2 edge, but the team also has two players with three fouls and another frontcourt player with a pair of fouls. ASU comes out of the media timeout with five straight points from Donald Sims to take its first lead of the game at 27-25, prompting a Western time out. 2:59 to play in the first half of action.
Update #6: At halftime the Mountaineers hold a 35-33 lead. A Donald Sims drive-and-dish to Marcus Wright for a three-pointer as time expired gave App the edge at intermission. Donald Sims and Kellen Brand lead the Mountaineers with 11 points apiece, with 13 points by Brandon Giles to lead the Catamounts.
At halftime the ASU athletics department recognized of the greatest all-time ASU players from its football history, dating back from the early 90s to the team's most recent run of 3 national titles and five consecutive Southern Conference championships.
Western Carolina shot 33% from the field for the first half, while ASU shot the basketball at 42.9% from the field. Western holds a 23-18 rebounding advantage through 20 minutes.
Second half coming up!
Update #7: The game is tied at 41-41 with 15:44 left in the game. The game continues to be physical and Western continues to generate multiple shots on the offensive end of the floor. ASU has done a good job with creating turnovers, but have not been as effective at getting second-chance opportunities at the basket.
Update #8: Appalachian has shot the basketball well in the second half but only lead by a single point at 51-50 with 11:59 to play. Western has done a superb job of crashing the offensive glass, holding a 13-3 advantage on the offensive boards. Marcus Wright has scored 9 points off the bench for the Mountaineers, while Donald Sims leads ASU with 18 for the game thus far.
Update #9: A 9-2 Mountaineer scoring run gives ASU its largest lead of the game at 60-52, forcing a Western time out with 9:42 to play.
Update #10: ASU leads 62-56 with 7:39 left in the game. Both teams have multiple players with three or more fouls. Crunch time coming up in this Southern Conference showdown!
Update #11: Final media timeout of the game comes with 3:13 to play. Appalachian leads 75-69 and Donald Sims has heated up offensively, leading all scorers with 25 points. Marcus Wright has 13 off the bench, with 17 points from Kellen Brand. Richie Gordon has 12 points for Western, but also has four fouls. Both Josh Hunter and Ike Butts have four fouls apiece for the Mountaineers.
Update #12: A Jake Robinson three-pointer cuts the deficit to 81-74 Appalachian with 1:21 to play. ASU missed a pair of free throws and have also committed an offensive foul to give Western the basketball back on offense. 1:02 left to play and ASU holds a seven-point lead. High drama in Boone!
Update #13: Appalachian's defense comes up big in the end, as 28 points from Donald Sims leads the Apps to an 87-74 win over Western Carolina. Brand finishes with 19 points, with 15 from Wright. Jake Robinson scores 11 for the Catamounts, with 18 from Giles. ASU improves to 11-8 overall, 5-3 in SoCon play, while Western falls to 15-4, 5-2 in SoCon play. That'll do it from Boone. Thanks for reading!
