UPDATE #7: ASU defeats Charleston 93-81 to advance to to the tournament quarterfinals. Charleston has mounted an admirable comeback from a large deficit, but today appears to be ASU's day. The Mountaineers will take on the North Division top seed UNC-Greensboro at noon tomorrow (Saturday).
Omar Carter has 21 points, with 22 from Mike Neal, 15 points from Tab Hamilton and 11 from Ike Butts.
UPDATE #6: After ASU holds a lead as large as 16 points, CofC has been raining three-pointers, cutting the Mountaineer advantage to only eight points at 82-74 with 2:03 to play in the game. ASU will need to make free throws down the stretch to protect its advantage.
UPDATE #5: The Mountaineers' lead has been extended to 69-55 with 5:42 to play. Omar Carter has a pair of three-pointers over the past four minutes, while ASU has crashed the boards with a passion. Ike Butts has chipped in with 11 thus far for ASU.
CofC has three players in double-figures, led by Wiedeman's 14.
UPDATE #4: ASU leads 54-46 with 11:30 and counting to play in the ballgame.. Tab Hamilton has 11 points for the Mountaineers, while Trent Wiedeman paces CofC with 14 points.
UPDATE #3: We are at halftime in Asheville and ASU holds a 33-30 lead over College of Charleston. App held a lead of close to 10 points before the CofC comeback late in the half. Second half action to come!
UPDATE #2: CofC has cut the ASU lead to 26-22 with 3:35 left in the first half. Andre Williamson leads the Mountaineers with six points, while Wiedeman's eight points still leads the Cougars.
Update #1: ASU has gone on a scoring run to take a 26-19 lead lead with under five minutes to play in the first half. Mike Neal has five points, as does Isaac Butts. The Mountaineers have also hit a pair of three-point baskets in the half thus far. Trent Wiedeman is pacing the Cougars with eight points.
From ExploreAsheville.com Arena (formerly known as Asheville Civic Center) it's the 2012 Southern Conference Men's Basketball Tournament.
With 12:30 left to play in the first half, College of Charleston and Appalachian State are tied at 7-7..ASU is the visiting club as the #4 seed out of the North, with CofC playing as the No. 3 seed out of the South Division.
We'll be updating progress throughout not only the ASU game, but each of today's first-round contests, including Western Carolina v. The Citadel (2 p.m.), Samford v. Furman (6 p.m.) and Georgia Southern v. Chattanooga (8:30 p.m.)
