ASU holds off Campbell
By Steve Behr
sports@wataugademocrat.com

BUIES CREEK — Once Appalachian State took a big lead, it was not going to let Campbell work its way back into a position to win the game.

The Mountaineers used a 12-0 run late in the first half to build a 17-point halftime lead. From there, Campbell never got closer in than nine points in Appalachian State’s 71-64 victory in front of 947 in Campbell’s Carter Gym.

Leading 27-22, the Mountaineers (3-2) scored 12 straight points in the final 3:05 of the first half to take a 39-22 halftime lead. Appalachian State scored on its final six possessions, including a stickback from Doug McLaughlin-Williams with 40 seconds left in the half.

Campbell (1-3) did not score after Eddie Brown hit the first of two foul shots with 4:09 left in the half.

During that stretch, the Camels turned the ball over twice and went 0-for-4 from the field. They also missed two free throws.

“We talked about keeping the ball on one side of the floor, especially against a zone. We’ve got to reverse the basketball either with a drive or with a pass inside out or a straight reversal,” Mountaineers coach Houston Fancher said. “During our run, we A — were reversing the ball and getting straight shots, and, B — we were in a zone ourselves and that’s when they were stagnant.”

Appalachian State, winners of three of its last four, can turn its attention to Davidson, which was ranked 25th in the nation before losing last week. The Wildcats, who pushed No. 1 North Carolina before falling by four points, returns all five of their starters from last year.

The Mountaineers will follow Thursday with a showdown against Wichita State. Appalachian State beat the Shockers 60-58 in a Bracket Busters game last year, and Wichita State travels to Boone to complete the series.

“They’re a top 25 team,” Fancher said of Davidson. “They’re very talented, they’re very well-coached and they’re very dynamic as to what they can do offensively. They put points on the board and they’re very physical on the defensive end.”

Appalachian State would like to at least shoot as well against the Wildcats and the Shockers like it did against Campbell. The Mountaineers hit 50 percent (22-of-44) from the field and 7-of-20 from 3-point range in the small confines of Carter Center. Appalachian State is hitting 52 percent of its shots this season, compared to opponents connecting on just 38 percent of their shots.

Campbell made a run at the Mountaineers after Appalachian State took its largest lead, 41-22, on a Donte Minter basket. The Camels eventually pulled to within nine (51-42) with 8:22 left on two foul shots by Jose Cami, but never got closer than seven. The Camels trailed 62-55 with 1:43 left on two Rodriguez foul shots, but could not overcome the Mountaineers from that point.

The Mountaineers had four players score in double figures, led by 14 points from Ryann Abraham. Three other Mountaineers — Kellen Brand, Davis Bowne and McLaughlin-Williams — each scored 10 points.

Donald Sims added eight points.

McLaughlin-Williams also pulled down nine rebounds, while Bowne had eight.

“We’re not where we want to be, but it’s November,” Fancher said. “At this point, I had nothing to gauge where we were going to be or wanted to be, because there’s a lot that’s new. We’re pleased with where we are defensively, but we’ve got to get better offensively. Human nature says when you’re up 19, kids tend to get careless with the ball and to Campbell’s credit, they fought hard and got back into the game and got to the free throw line a lot.”

Jonathan Rodriguez led the Camels with 21 points and 12 rebounds, while Kyle Vejraska added 17. Reggie Bishop scored eight.

App. State 71, Campbell 64
Appalachian State (71)
Clayton 2-4 0-0 4, Minter 3-4 0-1 6, Abraham 3-6 6-8 14, Bermudez 2-5 0-0 5, Brand 2-7 4-6 10, Sims 2-5 3-4 8, Highsmith 0-1 0-2 0, Butts 2-2 0-0 4, Bowne 3-4 4-6 10, McLaughlin-Williams 3-6 3-5 10. Totals 22-44 20-32 71.
Campbell (1-3)
Rodriguez 4-16 13-14 21, Dodson 0-3 0-2 0, Vejraska 7-13 1-2 17, Bishop 3-10 0-0 8, Perkins 2-6 2-6 6, artley 0-0 0-0 0, Brown 2-5 1-2 6, Fagbenle 2-3 0-0 4, Cami 0-5 2-5 2. Totals 20-61 19-31 64.
Halftime score—ASU 39, Campbell 22. 3-point goals—ASU 7-20 (Brand 2-4, Abraham 2-5, McLaughlin-Williams 1-4, Sims 1-4, Bermudez 1-2, Highsmith 0-1), Campbell 5-15 (Vejraska 2-3, Bishop 2-4, Brown 1-2, Cami 0-3, Rodriguez 0-3). Rebounds—ASU 42 (McLaughlin-Williams 9), Campbell 35 (Rodriguez 12). Assists—ASU 18 (Four players with three), Campbell 13 (Three players with three). Turnovers—ASU 21, Campbell 9. Total fouls—ASU 26, Campbell 25. Fouled out—Minter, Bermudez. Technical fouls—None. A—947.