 |
|
| Mountaineers fall to Cougars 65-63, in danger
of last seed in SoCon tourney |
by Brad Norman
Senior Staff Writer
Seven is not a lucky number for everyone.
Seven certainly is not lucky for the Appalachian State University
men’s basketball team, which lost its seventh straight game
against College of Charleston Tuesday, 65-63.
Appalachian fell to 8-16 overall, 3-8 for the conference and are
in danger of getting the last seed from their division in the upcoming
Southern Conference Tournament.
Although the game swung back and forth early during the first half,
Appalachian went on a 20-5 run during the final 9:00 to take a 32-20
halftime lead. Appalachian State shot 50 percent in the first half
en route to their 12-point lead while C of C connected on only 28
percent of their shots. Junior guard Noah Brown led the scoring
effort in the first half, chipping in 10 points.
Just three minutes into the second half, the Cougars cut the Appalachian
lead to two points after a 10-0 run.
Charleston cut the Mountaineer lead to one point seven different
times and finally tied the game at 61 with 1:22 on a Thomas Mobley
jumper.
On the next possession, Stanley Jackson made a lay-up on a fast
break to give the Cougars their first lead since leading 15-14 in
the first half.
Although Appalachian has been a poor free throw-shooting team down
the stretch, Johnathan Mitchell hit two clutch free throws to tie
the game with 38 seconds left.
On the Cougars final possession, Appalachian guard Corwin Davis
fouled Dontaye Draper.
Draper made both foul shots and Mitchell’s last-second lay-up
was strong off the backboard.
A miscommunication led to the Cougar’s winning foul shots.
Coach Fancher said they made a call to double-team the ball handler,
but Davis interpreted the double team signal as the signal the team
uses to foul.
The game itself was a mirror of two teams going in different directions.
The Cougars, who are first place in the South Division, are familiar
with winning close games.
As for Appalachian, they were once again left with the familiar,
bitter taste of a game that got away. In their seven-game losing
streak, four of the games have been decided by four points or less.
Brown led the Mountaineers in points with 14 and added six rebounds.
Mitchell and Derek Thomas both came off the bench to score 10.
Appalachian returns to Boone tomorrow and will host Western Carolina
University.
The game could have a direct effect on the seedings for the Southern
Conference tournament.
Although in last place, Appalachian is just one game behind Western
and within striking distance of a third-place division finish.
|
|
|
For an up tp date sports calendar and box scores
click below!
|
|
 |
 |
