Tough start
for ASU
By Steve Behr
sports@wataugademocrat.com

CHARLOTTE — Even a 27-point performance from Kellen Brand could not overcome 21 turnovers in Appalachian State’s 84-78 loss to Charlotte in front of 7,065 energized fans at Halton Arena Monday night.

Brand, who averaged just 6.2 points per game last year, hit 5-of-5 from beyond the 3-point arc and 10-of-14 from the field. But two things, turnovers and Charlotte point guard Leemire Goldwire, neutralized Brand’s outstanding performance.

Goldwire did his part by scoring a career-high 33 points, hitting 12-of-14 from the foul line and 8-of-15 from the field. He also had five 3-pointers and added six rebounds to his totals.

“Goldwire is an excellent player,” Brand added. “He’s the type of player where if you turn your head or look at the ball, you’ll slip up. When I turned my head, he knocked down a three.”

Turnovers, 21 of them to be precise, proved to a problem for the Moun-taineers. Playing without the graduated D.J. Thompson for the first time in four years, the Mountaineers had a combined 10 turnovers from point guards Ryann Abraham and freshman Donald Sims, making his college debut.

Abraham, a redshirt sophomore, finished with 11 points, hitting all four of his shots from the outside. Three of them were 3-point bombs as the Mountaineers connected for 9-of-14 treys in the game.

Donte Minter did his damage in the middle, scoring 19 points. But Appalachian State’s other frontcourt players did not fare as well. Jeremy Clayton scored five points before fouling out in the second half. Doug McLaughlin-Williams hit a 3-pointer just before halftime to give the Mountaineers a 41-35 lead heading into the locker room, but did not score the rest of the game.

Freshman center Isaac Butts also did not score, but pulled down two rebounds and had an assist.

“We beat a very good team that is well coached and is hard to defend,” 49ers coach Bobby Lutz said. “They are very good offensively. Obviously, Minter can really score and they’ve surrounded him with guys who can really shoot it.”

Appalachian State (0-1) overcame a 24-15 first-half deficit by outscoring the 49ers 26-11 to take a 41-35 halftime lead. But the Mountaineers struggled offensively at the start of the second half as the 49ers on a 14-2 run capped by two foul shots by Lamont Mack.

Appalachian State pulled to 61-57 on two baskets by Minter, but the 49ers (2-0) surged back in front with a 10-3 run, capped by a stickback from An’Juan Wilderness, to take a 71-60 lead that would never seriously be challenged. Appalachian State would never get closer than five points, but would never trail by more than 11.

It helped the 49ers to put more pressure on Brand, who hit just one 3-pointer, off a fast break, in the second half.

“In the second half they did a better job of pressuring me a little bit,” Brand said. “Watching me come off screens and getting there, I have to do a better job getting through the screens. I have to do a better job of getting open next time.”

Charlotte managed to hit its foul shots down the stretch and finished 27-of-38 from the free throw line. The 49ers committed just 15 turnovers and outrebounded Appalachian State 31-25.

Ian Andersen and Charlie Coley each added 10 points for the 49ers. Wilderness scored nine.

The Mountaineers have until Thursday to correct any mistakes before taking on Lipscomb College in the Middle Tennessee State Tournament in Murfreesboro, Tenn. Appalachian State also plays San Jose State Friday night and Middle Tennessee State Saturday.

“This is a great thing for us,” Fancher said of the upcoming road trip. “It gives us a chance to play a lot of people, a chance to learn a lot and a chance to grow together on the road. We’re going to have four nights together just to learn about each other and I don’t think there’s a better opportunity for us right now to get to a neutral site against a couple of these teams and then play one of the teams at home on Saturday night.”

Charlotte 84, Appalachian State 78
Appalachian State (0-1)
Clayton 1-4 3-6 5, Minter 8-14 3-4 19, Abraham 4-4 0-0 11, Bermudez 3-6 3-4 9, Brand 10-14 2-3 27, Sims 2-3 0-1 4, Booth 0-1 0-0 0, Highsmith 0-0 0-0 0, Butts 0-0 0-0 0, Bowne 0-2 0-2 0, McLaughlin-Williams 1-2 0-0 3. Totals 29-50 11-20 78.
Charlotte (2-0)
Mack 2-5 2-2 6, Wilderness 3-10 3-6 9, Jones 2-6, 3-4 7, Harris 1-1 3-6 5, Goldwire 8-15 12-14 33, Coley 4-7 2-4 10, Ngoundjo 1-1 0-0 2, Andersen 3-7 2-2 10, Dewhurst 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 25-53 27-38 84.
Halftime score—ASU 41, UNCC 35. 3-point goals—ASU 9-14 (Brand 5-5, Abraham 3-3, McLaughlin-Williams 1-2, Sims 0-1), UNCC 7-17 (Goldwire 5-11, Andersen 2-6). Rebounds—ASU 25 (Minter 6), UNCC 31 (Goldwire 6). Assists—ASU 13 (Bermudez 3), UNCC 13 (Harris 6). Steals—ASU 3 (Minter 2), UNCC 7 (Three with two). Turnovers—ASU 21, UNCC 15. Total fouls—ASU 27, UNCC 22. Fouled out—Clayton, Abraham. Technical fouls—None. A—7,065.