App State Men’s Basketball Pulls Off Upset Win Over High Point Panthers in Hickory
Appalachian State men’s basketball secured an impressive neutral site victory against the 8-2 High Point University Panthers in Hickory on Sunday, edging out the Panthers with a final score of 86-78.
The Mountaineers came out strong, starting the game on a 16-2 run highlighted by four three-pointers from the Black and Gold. During this stretch, the Panthers struggled offensively, going 1-for-11 from the field. Notably, junior guard Eren Banks broke his drought by making his first three-pointer in 14 attempts over the last two games.
High Point responded by knocking down four three-pointers of their own, narrowing the lead to 18-16 in favor of App State. However, the Mountaineers went cold afterward, going scoreless for four minutes. A classic three-point play by redshirt sophomore center Luke Wilson, followed by a three-pointer from Banks, helped extend the lead to eight points.
With just under eight minutes left in the first half, the Panthers went on a 12-0 run, taking their first lead of the game at 30-26. The lead was short-lived as senior guard Alonzo Dodd hit back-to-back three-pointers to put App State back on top, 32-30. The Mountaineers held a slim 34-33 advantage heading into halftime.
Graduate student guard Kasen Jennings and Dodd carried the offensive load for App State, scoring 10 and 11 points respectively in the first half. Both teams were aggressive from beyond the arc, making seven three-pointers each. High Point managed to out-rebound the Mountaineers, securing extra offensive opportunities.
The second half started with Dodd sinking a deep three-pointer, followed by Jennings’ baseline jump shot to make it 39-36 early in the half. Banks continued his hot shooting, hitting his third three-pointer of the game to stretch the lead to 44-36. Dodd added his third three of the night, this time from near the half-court logo. Freshman guard Jacari Brim also contributed a three-pointer, helping App State extend their lead to 50-40.
However, momentum shifted as High Point’s forward Cam Fletcher delivered an emphatic and-one poster dunk. The Panthers then went on a 12-0 run fueled by four turnovers from the Mountaineers over three minutes, capitalizing on App State’s struggles to break their full-court press.
Banks reignited the offense with his fourth three-pointer of the day, putting App State ahead 53-52 with over eight minutes remaining. The Panthers regained control with a series of buckets, taking a 58-53 lead. A strong and-one play by Wilson brought the Mountaineers within two points at 58-56 with just over five minutes left. Although High Point responded with a three-pointer to push their lead back to five, a technical foul on App State gave the Panthers two free throws and possession, but they failed to convert on the ensuing basket.
Wilson took charge down the stretch, scoring six consecutive points to bring the score to 63-59 before sophomore forward Michael Marcus Jr. fouled out on a High Point jump shot. Wilson then sank two important free throws to extend the lead to 68-64 with under two minutes remaining.
The game tightened as Banks made a layup with 30 seconds left, cutting the deficit to three. Jennings followed with a layup of his own, closing the gap to 70-69. After an App State foul, the Panthers went 1-for-2 from the line. In the final seconds, Jennings dribbled down the court and nailed a layup at the buzzer to tie the game, sending it into overtime and thrilling fans eager for more basketball action.
Overtime began with Dodd knocking down a free throw, giving the Mountaineers their first lead since early in the second half. Wilson added a basket, and Dodd made two free throws to put App State up 76-73. Jennings extended the lead to six with a critical three-pointer with just over two minutes left. Another bucket from Wilson seemingly sealed the game, although the Panthers cut the lead to three with a late three-pointer.
Strong defense and clutch free-throw shooting in the closing moments helped App State secure the win.
Head coach Dustin Kerns praised his team’s resilience after the game: “I’m just proud of our guys with the resolve of being in the moment, being focused at the task at hand, getting down eight with two and a half left to play and just finding a way on both ends of the floor.”
Luke Wilson was a standout performer, recording his third straight double-double with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Reflecting on the team’s effort, Wilson said, “I always say we got the best bigs in the country in my opinion. We some dogs.”
Looking ahead, App State will aim to clean up turnovers and avoid prolonged scoring droughts as they prepare for conference play. Their next challenge will be a home game against the Coastal Carolina University Chanticleers this Thursday. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. and the game will be live streamed on ESPN+.
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