Men's Basketball Looks to Remain Perfect at Home on Saturday

BOONE, N.C. -- Appalachian State men's basketball puts their perfect 3-0 home record on the line on Saturday, hosting South Florida inside the Holmes Center at 7 p.m.

TICKETS

Fans can still purchase a 2017-18 Appalachian State basketball season tickets, which reserves a seat for all 26 regular-season games at the Holmes Center (13 men's, 13 women's), costs just $175 for courtside. Non-courtside season tickets are $100 for adults, $80 for senior citizens (ages 60 ) and Appalachian State faculty/staff and $50 for youth (ages 3-12). Appalachian State basketball season tickets can be purchased online by clicking here, by phone at (828) 262-2079 or in person at the Appalachian State athletics ticket office, located at the Holmes Center (Monday - Friday; 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.). 

A valid ticket stub from Saturday's home football contest against Louisiana will allow free admission to the game.

THE SERIES

• This is the second meeting all time between the two schools, with South Florida holding a 1-0 edge.
• The Bulls won the only previous meeting in the 1994-95 season by a 86-71 score in Tampa.

LAST TIME OUT

• App State fell at VCU on Tuesday evening 85-72.
• Junior Ronshad Shabazz paced the Black and Gold with 19 points and a season-best five rebounds.
• Freshman Justin Forrest added 12 points and four rebounds.
• Sophomore Isaac Johnson finished with 10 points on a perfect 5-of-5 shooting to go along with six rebounds.
• Appalachian won the rebounding battle 42-31, including a 16-8 advantage of the offensive glass.

SCOUTING THE MOUNTAINEERS

• App State stands at 4-4 on the season and owns one of the best offenses in the country.
• Appalachian currently ranks sixth in the nation in three-pointers made (88) and is 15th in scoring offense (90.0 ppg).
• The Mountaineers are also one of the top rebounding teams in the nation, averaging 47.3 rpg, which is third in the country. In addition, App State also ranks fourth in total rebounds (378) and 12th in rebound margin (+11.6).
• Shabazz leads the team in scoring at 22.1 ppg. His scoring total ranks second in the Sun Belt and 22nd in the nation.
• Forrest is also averaging double figures at 16.9 ppg. He is also the reigning Co-Sun Belt Player of the Week, after averaging 26.0 points on 16-of-29 (55.2 percent) shooting and a 9-of-17 (52.9 percent) mark on three-pointers, 2.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals in 34.0 minutes.

SCOUTING THE BULLS

• South Florida stands at 4-4 on the season, after falling in overtime 79-78 at Elon on Thursday evening.
• Against Elon, Payton Banks scored a career-high 23 points, while Stephan Jiggets poured in a career-high 21 points.
• Three Bulls players are averaging double figures, led by Banks, who is averaging 13.4 ppg, while Jiggets is averaging double figures at 11.5 ppg.
• Tulio Da Silva is averaging 10.0 ppg and is also pulling down a team-high 6.6 rpg.

NEXT UP

• The Mountaineers will begin a season long four-game road trip on Monday evening at Western Carolina. Tip is set for 7 p.m.