FORT MYERS, Fla. – Playing in a Thanksgiving week tournament for the first time since 2021-22, the App State Mountaineers (1-2) take to Fort Myers, Fla., where they will square off with the UNC Wilmington Seahawks (4-0) on Tuesday and the Murray State Racers (2-2) on Wednesday. Both games are slated for noon and can be streamed
here.
App State's appearance in the Fort Myers Tip-Off Event in Fort Myers, Fla., will mark the fourth time in program history that the Mountaineers will compete in an in-season tournament in the state of Florida. The last time the Black & Gold participated in an in-season tournament in Florida came back in Nov. 2021, when they competed in the Gulf Coast Showcase in Estero, Fla.
The Mountaineers will play two games at the Fort Myers Tip-Off Event, which will cap off a four-game stretch away from home, tying the longest road stretch of the season. After play concludes on Wednesday, the Mountaineers will head back to North Carolina and won't leave the state again until Jan. 4, 2024.
The Matchup
- Who: App State vs. UNC Wilmington // App State vs. Murray State
- Where: Suncoast Credit Union Arena // Fort Myers, Fla.
- When: Tuesday, Nov. 21 at noon // Wednesday, Nov. 22 at noon
Tune In
- Listen: 97. WKBC, 96.5/1450 WATA, 790/93.7 WETB, 1250/103.9 WBRM
- Live Stats: appstatesports.com
Last Time Out
In the team's first trip to the state of Oregon in program history, the Mountaineers battled Oregon State to overtime after a furious second-half comeback, eventually falling to the Beavers 71-81 last Tuesday.
Donovan Gregory and
Terence Harcum fueled the Mountaineers' second-half comeback, scoring eight points and nine points in the second half, respectively. Gregory's tip-in layup off his own missed shot at the buzzer would force an extra five minutes in Corvallis.
Sophomore forward
Justin Abson posted one of his best games of his career against the Beavers, recording his first career double-double (12 points, 10 rebounds) and blocking a career-high six shots. His six blocks pushed him into the top 10 in blocked shots in App State history.
Scouting the Mountaineers
Expectations are high for the Mountaineers coming into the 2023-24 campaign as they were picked to finish second in the Sun Belt in the preseason coaches poll, giving them their highest preseason conference ranking since they were picked to be the co-favorites in the Southern Conference in 2010-11.
App State has had no problem scoring the ball thus far this season as they are averaging 78.7 points per game and have scored at least 70 points in all three games this season. The last time the Mountaineers netted 70 points in each of their first three games came in the 2020-21 season when the Black & Gold scored 70 or more in each of their first four games.
The Mountaineers boast a balanced offensive attack as six players currently average at least eight points. Additionally, four players score at least 10 per night with two of those four players currently sitting in the top 25 in the Sun Belt Conference in scoring.
Offensive rebounding and second-chance points have been a major component of App State's offensive production so far this season as they are outrebounding their first three opponents 46-28 on the offensive glass. The 18-rebound advantage on the offensive backboard has resulted in 47 Mountaineer second-chance points compared to just 22 for their opponents. Of App State's 236 points this season, 20 percent of them have come off second-chance buckets.
Scouting the Seahawks
UNC Wilmington is 4-0 on the young season, beating three of its four opponents by double digits. Trazarien White leads a high-powered Seahawk offense that averages 96.8 points per game, scoring 19 points a night.
Head coach Takayo Siddle is in his fourth season at the helm of the program and has turned his squad into one of the best mid-major programs in the country. The Seahawks enter play at the Fort Myers Tip-Off Event as the sixth-best team in the Mid Major top 25 poll.
The Seahawks have posted 51 wins over the past two seasons, which is the second-most wins over a two-year stretch in their program's history. Additionally, UNC Wilmington was the College Basketball Invitational champion in 2021-22, winning four games in Daytona Beach, Fla.
Scouting the Racers
The Racers are 2-2 on the season so far, winning their first two before losing to Western Kentucky at home and UNC Wilmington on a neutral floor. Murray State currently has four players averaging at least 10 points a night with Rob Perry leading the way, scoring 17 a game.
Murray State relies heavily on their starting five to score points as the Racers rank near the bottom in the NCAA in bench scoring, averaging just 15 a night. Of the team's 331 points this season, 82 percent of them have been scored by the starters.
Racer head coach Steve Prohm is in his second stint and sixth year overall at Murray State, compiling a 115-45 record over those six years. Prohm spent six years as the head coach at Iowa State from 2015-2021 where he won the sixth-most games in program history during his tenure.
Series History // UNC Wilmington
App State and UNC Wilmington will meet for the 20th time overall and the first time since 2009 on Tuesday. App State holds a slight 11-8 edge in the all-time series and beat the Seahawks 79-68 the last time the two teams squared off.
Kerns has never coached against UNC Wilmington or Seahawk head coach Takayo Siddle and no player on the roster has ever played against the Seahawks.
Series History // Murray State
The Mountaineers and Racers will meet for the first time ever on Wednesday, marking the third time already this season that App State has faced a 2023-24 opponent for the first time.
Kerns has never coached against Murray State and none of the players on the roster have faced the Racers. Murray State head coach Steve Prohm has faced the Mountaineers in his career as head coach at Iowa State when the Cyclones and Mountaineers matched up at the Puerto Rico Tip-Off at Myrtle Beach tournament in 2017. Iowa State came away with a six-point victory in a high-scoring contest, 104-98.
Next Up
After Wednesday's action against Murray State, the Mountaineers will return home to start a four-game homestand against the Austin Peay Governors on Sunday. Tip off from the Holmes Convocation Center is set for 1 p.m. and can be streamed on ESPN+.
