LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Donald Sims was hot from downtown with five treys in 10 attempts, but it was not enough to power Appalachian State University men's basketball past No. 16 Louisville, as the Mountaineers fell 80-53 on Monday evening at Freedom Hall.
The junior guard tallied a season-best 19 points on 7-of-15 shooting to accompany four rebounds and a pair of assists as the Mountaineers sought their first road win of the season.
Louisville applied full-court pressure early and often, but the Apps were able to consistently battle through the press to work into the offense. Shots began falling at both ends of the court and the Cardinals worked up a 23-11 advantage.
The Apps (2-3) fired back with a 12-2 run to close within a bucket at 25-23, but were unable to challenge the Cardinals (4-0) any further.
ASU trailed by a manageable nine points at the intermission, 39-30, but the home squad scored the first six points in the second half and never looked back. The Cardinals stretched the lead to as many as 28 points in the waning minutes to secure the win.
Jeremi Booth made 4-of-6 field goal attempts and all four foul shots to score a season-best 14 points, while Sims and Kellen Brand hauled in four rebounds each to lead Appalachian.
Brand had his first off-night and made just 1-of-7 attempts for two points, but contributed to the effort with three assists and four steals.
It was the first time the Apps were outrebounded by an opponent, as Louisville finished with a 37-26 advantage on the glass. The 26 boards were easily the lowest total of the season for Appalachian.
Conversely, ASU sank a season-best 42 percent of its longball attempts, as Sims, Booth, Webb and Ryann Abraham connected on a combined 11-of-21 from beyond the arc.
It was the first time all season that Abraham did not lead the team in both assists and steals, but the senior point guard matched a season high with nine points to go along with a pair of rebounds.
Samardo Samuels scored 16 points to lead UL in the game while Rakeem Buckles secured 10 rebounds.
ASU returns home for a three-game homestand, beginning with Morgan State on Saturday at 7 p.m.
