Donte Minter led ASU with 12 points in Saturday's loss (Photo: ASU Athletics) Game statistics

Spartans Hand Appalachian a 79-55 Loss
by Appalachian Sports Information

February 16, 2008 - GREENSBORO, N.C. - UNC Greensboro handed Appalachian State men's basketball its second-straight loss with a 79-55 decision on Saturday afternoon in Fleming Gym. Donte Minter led ASU in the loss with 12 points, but the defense had no answer for Kyle Hines and Ben Stywall's combined 41 points.

The game was a complete reversal of the two teams’ previous meeting in Boone that saw the Mountaineers prevail 91-68. UNCG shot 52.9 percent in Saturday’s win while limiting ASU to just 41.9 percent from the floor.

Hines dumped in 26 points for the Spartans and helped UNCG (14-10, 8-7 SoCon) outscore Appalachian (16-10, 11-6 SoCon) 32-18 in the paint. UNCG also scored 26 points off of Appalachian’s 22 turnovers, the most by an ASU opponent this season. Appalachian’s Eduardo Bermudez chipped in with eight points in the losing effort.

The Mountaineers fell behind early again as the Spartans built up a 31-16 lead with 3:35 left in the first half behind 12 points from Stywall. However, the Apps closed the half on a high note, going on a 10-2 run to close the half on a pair of three-pointers from Abraham and Bermudez to trim the UNCG advantage to 35-26 at halftime.

Unfortunately, that momentum dissolved during intermission and UNCG opened the second stanza with a 17-5 run over the first 5:40 to stretch the lead out to 21 points on a three-point play from Daniel Oliver. ASU would get no closer than 17 points the rest of the way and would see UNCG extend its lead to as many as 28 at one point en route to the convincing win.

With the ASU loss and Chattanooga’s win over The Citadel Saturday afternoon, the Apps dropped back into a tie with the Mocs atop the SoCon North Division standings.

The Mountaineers will return to the Holmes Center hardwood on Thursday evening when they continue the SoCon schedule against Furman at 7 p.m.