TROY, Ala. – After grinding out an overtime win against the South Alabama Jaguars in Mobile on Thursday, the App State Mountaineers (11-3, 2-0 SBC) trek 167 miles up the road to Troy, Ala., where they will face the Troy Trojans (8-6, 2-0 SBC) at Trojan Arena on Saturday. Tipoff is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. ET (3:30 p.m. CT) and can be streamed on ESPN+.
With the overtime victory on Thursday, the Mountaineers started the Sun Belt portion of their schedule 2-0 for the second time under Kerns and only the second time in the last 11 years. The Mountaineers have yet to start Sun Belt play 3-0 as a member of the league and haven't started conference play 3-0 since 2008-09. Since 2000, the Mountaineers have started 3-0 in conference play just four times.
The Mountaineers enter play against the Trojans having won 10 of their last 11 games, marking the best 11-game stretch since the 2009-10 team won 10 of 11 games. Additionally, the Mountaineers have won 11 of their first 14 games, which is the best 14-game start to a season since 2006-07 when Houston Fancher's squad won 12 of their first 15 games to begin the season.
The Matchup
- Who: App State at Troy
- Where: Trojan Arena
- When: Saturday, January 6 // 4:30 p.m. ET (3:30 p.m. CT)
Tune In
- Watch: ESPN+
- Listen: 97.3 WKBC, 96.5/1450 WATA, 790/93.7 WETB, 1250/103.9 WBRM
- Live Stats: appstatesports.com
Last Time Out
In a high-scoring affair that needed overtime to be decided, the Mountaineers soared past the South Alabama Jaguars 91-84 in Mobile on Thursday. The 91 points scored by the Mountaineers marked the highest-scoring game put up by the Mountaineers against a Sun Belt opponent under Kerns. The last time App State scored 90 or more points against a Sun Belt foe came just over three years ago when the Black & Gold scored 90 points against Troy in a 31-point victory.
Five Mountaineers reached double-figures on Thursday with Spillers leading the way, scoring a Mountaineer-best 23 points on 11-13 shooting. The junior's 23-point barrage against the Jaguars was the highest-scoring night put up by any Mountaineer this season.
As a team, the Black & Gold shot an impressive 56 percent from the floor, which was the highest team field goal percentage since shooting 60 percent against UNC Wilmington on Nov. 21. App State has shot greater than 50 percent from the floor seven times this season, winning every game they have done that.
Scouting the Mountaineers
The Mountaineers enter play against Troy at 11-3 and have won 10 of their last 11 games. The Mountaineers have already posted nine double-digit wins this season and five wins by at least 20 points. Both numbers lead the conference. Additionally, the Mountaineers have held at least a 10-point lead in all but one win this season.
App State plays a complementary style of basketball as they come into play on Saturday with the 35th-highest scoring margin in the country at 14.7. The Mountaineers pair the lowest-scoring defense in the conference with the third-highest scoring offense to get to that number. App State is one of just 41 teams in the nation to have a scoring margin of 14 points or higher.
Offensively, the Mountaineers boast a deep team that takes care of the basketball and scores at an efficient clip. Entering play against Troy, the Mountaineers carry the second-best team field goal percentage in the Sun Belt and the 15th-best assist/turnover ratio in the country at 1.64. Coach Kerns' squad averages just 9.8 turnovers a game, which is the lowest mark in the Sun Belt.
Defensively, the Black & Gold play stifling defense and block shots at one of the best rates in the country. The Mountaineers are currently ranked third in the country in blocks per game and fourth in opponent field goal percentage, holding opponents to just 37 shooting this season. Two Mountaineers currently sit in the top three in the Sun Belt in blocked shots in
Justin Abson and
Tre'Von Spillers, while Abson sits seventh in the nation in blocks and blocks per game.
Scouting the Trojans
Troy comes into Saturday's contest with an 8-6 record and is 2-0 in the Sun Belt after defeating Old Dominion by 13 points at home on Thursday. The Trojans have been hard to beat at home in recent history, winning six of seven contests at Trojan Arena this season and 17 of their last 21 home contests over the last two seasons.
Christyon Eugene, a preseason All-Sun Belt first team selection, leads the Trojans in scoring, averaging 15.8 a night. Eugene has scored at least 10 points in all but two games this season.
Head coach Scott Cross carries an extensive head coaching career as he is in his 17th year as a head coach at the Division I level. Overall, Cross has compiled 293 wins in his career and has guided the Trojans to a postseason appearance as recently as 2021-22.
Series History
Saturday's matchup between the Mountaineers and Trojans marks the 22nd meeting between the two programs in what is the Mountaineers' third-longest series between current Sun Belt foes. The two teams have squared off at least once every year since 2015. App State holds the lead in the all-time series 12-9, but Troy has found success in recent history, winning four of the last five matchups.
In the lone matchup between the two teams last year, App State claimed a 58-45 victory at the Holmes Center.
Terence Harcum paced the Mountaineer charge, scoring a game-high 15 points, while the defense held the Trojans to just 26 percent shooting from the floor.
Kerns is 4-5 in his career against Troy.
Next Up
After play concludes on Saturday, the Mountaineers will head out to Conway, S.C., for a matchup with the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers next Thursday. Tipoff is slated for 7 p.m. and can be streamed on ESPN+.
