RICHMOND, VA. -- Appalachian State men's basketball came up on the short end of a 85-72 decision at Virginia Commonwealth University on Tuesday evening.
Junior
Ronshad Shabazz (Raleigh, N.C./Huntington Prep) led three Mountaineers (4-4) in double figures with 19 points. He also pulled down a season-best five rebounds.
Reigning Co-Sun Belt Player of the Week
Justin Forrest (Decatur, Ga./Greenforest McCalep Christian Academy) added 19 points. Sophomore
Isaac Johnson (Charlotte, N.C./Providence Day) finished with 10 points, on a perfect 5-of-5 shooting, six rebounds and a season-high tying two steals.
Senior
Griffin Kinney (Delaware, Ohio/Fork Union Military Academy) tallied eight points, a game-high seven rebounds and a career-high tying four assists.
The Rams (4-3) scored the first eight points of the game, forcing an early Mountaineer timeout. The Apps were able to respond and a jumper from sophomore
O'Showen Williams (Macon, Ga./Stratford Academy) pulled the Black and Gold within two points at 11-9 with just under 15 minutes to go in the opening half.
VCU would push its lead back eight points at 22-14, but Appalachian chipped away at the lead and jumped in front 31-29 on a pair of free throws from junior
Tyrell Johnson (Atlanta, Ga./Stephenson) with 5:03 remaining in the opening half.
From there, the lead would change hands nine times in the final five minutes of the first stanza, with VCU taking a 46-45 lead into the break on a three-pointer from Jonathan Williams in the closing seconds.
In the second half, VCU scored eight of the first 10 points to open a 54-47 edge with 17:31 to play in the contest.
After the Apps pulled within four points at 58-54, but VCU answered right back with seven consecutive points to open a 65-54 lead with just under 12 minutes to play.
Appalachian would pull to within nine points two times, but a late 10-1 run by the Rams put them in front 79-62 with 5:36 to go. The Black and Gold countered with six straight points to trim the deficit to 11 points, but could get no closer.
Justin Tillman led four VCU players in double figures with a game-high 21 points.
Appalachian held a 42-31 advantage in rebounding, including a 16-8 edge on the offensive glass. The Black and Gold also outscored the Rams 14-7 in second chance points.
The Mountaineers will be back on the hardwood on Saturday at 7 p.m., as they host South Florida in the Holmes Center.
