Eagles Eek Out a Win over Appalachian State
1/21/2010 3:05:00 AM | Men's Basketball
STATESBORO, Ga. - Georgia Southern hit 67 percent of its field goals (12-18) in the final 10 minutes of the game and relied on its defensive effort to defeat Appalachian State 68-65 at Hanner Fieldhouse Wednesday night. Down nine points with 4:40 left in the game, the Eagles had an 8-2 run to pull within three points, 57-60, with 2:37 left in the game. With 91 seconds to go, senior guard Antonio Hanson (Ft. Worth, Texas) hit a three-pointer to pull GSU within two points, 62-64, and then hit another to help regain the lead. Hanson finished with a game-high 21 points which included five treys. Willie Powers III (Gainesville, Fla.) had 20 points, 14 coming in the second half, to spark the victory.
"What a win," said Eagles Head Coach Charlton Young. "It was great to start our four-game homestand with a win and all we can say is thank you, thank you, thank you to our fans, who continue to support us. It was the sixth man that made the difference tonight. It was so important psychologically. We've now beaten the number-one and number-two teams in the North Division and we know if we meet these teams in Charlotte, we can win. This was great for our confidence."
The Eagles started the second half sluggish, going 0-12 from the field until Johntavious Rucker (Decatur, Ga.) hit a jumper at the 10:28 mark. During this time, the Mountaineers had built a lead of12 points, settling at 10, 36-46, when Rucker hit the first GSU basket of the half. ASU's Jeremi Booth knocked in a three to put Appalachian State up by its largest margin, 13, before the Eagles started to battle back. Hanson, Powers and Colby Wohlleb (Boca Raton, Fla.) hit threes to counter Mountaineer baskets and to bring the deficit down to eight points. Powers added two more one-handed jumpers and Wohlleb sunk another three to cut the ASU lead to six, 52-58 at 3:49.
Wohlleb, who earned his first start of the 2009-2010 season and scored all nine of his points in a five-minute span, hit a long-range three at 2:59 to pull the Eagles within five, 55-60. Powers had two jumpers and fed Hanson for a three to put the Eagles up one point with 54 seconds left to play. Powers secured the win hitting three of four free throws in the waning seconds.
Georgia Southern raced to a 13-0 lead off at the beginning of the game off two treys by Hanson. Isaac Butts put the first points on the board for the Moutaineers at the 15:42 mark and baskets by Andre Williamson and Kellen Brand brought ASU to 6-13 score. Georgia Southern had a 20-10 lead midway through the half before a 10-2 Mountaineer run over two and a half minutes put the Eagles up by only two, 22-20
Josh Hunter and Ryann Abraham hit free throws for Appalachian State to tie the game at 24 all with 6:16 left in the first period. Antoine Johnson (Atlanta, Ga.) hit a layup at 2:52 and a jumper at 1:47 to give the Eagles their only baskets in the final 8:10 of the first half. Hanson converted two free throws to keep GSU up two at the break, 30-28.
Three Mountaineers scored in double figures with Donald Sims leading the way with 16. Isaac Butts (14 points, 10 rebounds) and Josh Hunter (12 points, 11 rebounds) each had double-doubles for Appalachian State.
Powers had a career-best nine assists and tied his career mark with eight rebounds. Both Hanson and Powers each had their third 20-point game of the season.
Three Mountaineers scored in double figures with Donald Sims leading the way with 16. Isaac Butts (14 points, 10 rebounds) and Josh Hunter (12 points, 11 rebounds) each had double-doubles for Appalachian State.
Georgia Southern plays its second of four games at home on Saturday vs. Davidson at 2 p.m. The game will be shown on SportSouth as part of the Southern Conference SoCon Saturday package.
