Jeremy Clayton got his 16th career double-double with a career-high 21 points and 11 rebounds (Photo: Bill Sheffield) Game statistics

Clayton's Near-Perfect Night Leads ASU to an 84-66 Victory
by Appalachian Sports Information

January 24, 2007 - GREENVILLE, S.C. - Senior Jeremy Clayton scored a career-high 21 points with 11 rebounds to key an 84-66 victory over Furman Thursday evening at Timmons Arena. Clayton was a perfect 8-of-8 from the floor with six assists, two blocks and two steals to give the Mountaineers their seventh-consecutive win.

Clayton’s only blemish on the evening was a miss on one of his six free-throw attempts as he quelled any concerns over the ankle injury he suffered against Georgia Southern. Clayton’s mate in the paint, Donte Minter scored 19 points on an 8-of-10 night from the floor. Reigning SoCon Player of the Week Donald Sims continued his strong play with 14 points and eight assists. ASU’s (12-6, 7-2 SoCon) starting five had 20 assists to three turnovers in the winning effort.

Furman (3-16, 2-8 SoCon) was led by Connor Nolte’s 15 points off the bench. The Paladins shot 39.7 percent in the loss while the Apps continued their sizzling shooting by hitting 56.9 percent of their attempts from the field and 76 percent of their free throws.

The Mountaineers opened the game with an 8-0 lead and held Furman scoreless for the first 4:27 of the game until the Paladins answered with a 10-2 run to take a 12-10 lead with 12:41 left in the half. The teams traded buckets over the next four minutes with Furman eventually building up a three-point lead, 22-19, on a Nolte three-pointer.

However, the Apps quickly turned the tables and ended the half on a 27-10 run to carry a 46-32 lead into halftime. Minter keyed the run, scoring eight of the first 10 points of the spurt underneath the goal. Sims also drained two three-pointers during that stretch and with 0.7 seconds left, stole a Furman inbound pass and drew a foul behind the three-point arc. Sims made two of the free throws to finish the half with eight points while Minter dropped in 13 points.

Appalachian maintained the halftime lead throughout the entire second half and ran it out to as many as 18 points twice on three-pointers by Ryann Abraham and Sims with the last one coming with 9:54 left to put ASU up 69-51.

Facing what could have become a blowout, a pesky Paladin squad would stay within striking distance by hitting three three-pointers over the next seven minutes to pull within 12 points, 78-66, with just under three minutes left. ASU answered that charge by ending the game with six-straight points, the last bucket via a J.R. Archer runner in the lane with 12 seconds left to account for the final 84-66 margin.

The Mountaineers will remain on the road and travel to Chattanooga to face the Mocs in a battle for North Division supremacy Saturday afternoon. UTC, which was idle on Thursday, also holds a 7-2 mark in league action. One of its losses came to ASU in the first meeting this year by a 92-83 tally in Boone. The contest will be televised regionally on SportSouth.