NORFOLK, Va. – Fresh off a season-long four-game homestand, the App State Men's Basketball team (9-7, 3-2 SBC) will now set off on a season-long four-game road trip, starting with a visit to Chartway Arena to take on the Old Dominion Monarchs (8-9, 4-1 SBC) on Thursday. It will mark the third stretch in the Kerns era in which the Mountaineers will play four consecutive true road games. Tipoff from Norfolk, Va., is set for 7 p.m. and can be streamed on ESPN+.
The Mountaineers' contest at Old Dominion on Thursday will mark the third of four straight games against Sun Belt East foes. Since Kerns became the head coach at App State, the Mountaineers have done well against Sun Belt East opponents, playing to a 37-15 record (71 percent win percentage). This mark includes a perfect 13-0 record against Sun Belt East opponents a season ago. App State has won 15 straight against Sun Belt East foes after defeating Coastal Carolina and James Madison last week.
Over the past 15 games against SBC East opponents, the Mountaineers have picked up nine wins by double-digits and five victories by at least 20 points. The Mountaineers have outscored their Sun Belt East opponents by 13.5 points a game during this streak. Additionally, the App State offense has scored 78.6 points a game over the last 15 games against Sun Belt East rivals.
After last Saturday's win over James Madison, the Mountaineers have now won six straight contests against programs from the state of Virginia, which includes a 2-0 mark this season (wins over JMU and William & Mary). The last time App State lost to a program from Virginia was Feb. 18, 2023, when Old Dominion took down App State in Boone. Thursday's contest will mark the first of two games this season in Virginia, a state in which App State hasn't lost in in the Kerns era (4-0).
The Matchup
- Who: App State at Old Dominion
- Where: Chartway Arena // Norfolk, Va.
- When: Thursday, Jan. 16 // 7 p.m.
Tune In
- Watch: Watch (ESPN+) | Scott Jackson (PxP), Billy Mann (Color)
- Listen: FLAGSHIP 97.3 (North Wilkesboro), 96.3 (Winston-Salem/Greensboro), 1350/96.1 (Asheville), 1250/103.9 (Marion), 790/93.7 (Johnson City) | Matt Present (PxP)
- Live Stats: appstatesports.com
Last Time Out
Despite the Boone weather dumping nearly six inches of snow on the ground the night before, a crowd of 2,407 people made the trek to the Holmes Center to watch the Mountaineers throttle the James Madison Dukes to a score 86-66. App State's 86 points marked the first time it has reached 80 points against a Division I opponent this season.
The Mountaineers shot 54 percent from the field and 59 percent from 3-point land against the Dukes. The 59 percent clip marked the highest percentage the Mountaineers have shot in a game this season. On the defensive side, App State held James Madison to just 35 percent shooting, which was the third straight game in which the Mountaineer defense has held its opponents below 40 percent from the field.
Both
CJ Huntley and
Myles Tate led all scorers with 21 points, becoming the first Mountaineer duo to both eclipse 20 points in the same game since Feb. 9, 2024, against Toledo.
Jalil Beaubrun matched his season high with 16 points against the Dukes and
Jackson Threadgill added nine on a perfect 3-3 shooting performance. Overall, eight different Mountaineers found the bottom of the net in the contest.
Scouting the Mountaineers
App State wrapped up its four-game homestand by posting three consecutive double-digit wins over Texas State, Coastal Carolina and James Madison. During this three-game winning streak, the Mountaineers are outscoring their opponents by 54 points. Of App State's nine wins entering Thursday's game at Old Dominion, seven have come by double digits, which includes five against Division I opponents.
Making 10 more threes against the Dukes last Saturday, the Mountaineers have now made at least 10 threes in three consecutive games entering Thursday. It is just the third time in the last 10 seasons that App State has made at least 10 3-pointers in three consecutive games, with the last streak coming from March 5, 2021, to March 8, 2021 (four games). During this streak, App State is shooting 32-62, good for a 52 percent clip.
Stifling defense has continued to be the story for App State this season as they enter play on Thursday with the Sun Belt's second-best scoring defense and the nation's 26th-best scoring defense, allowing just 64.1 points a game. App State hasn't let an opponent get over 70 points in each of its last eight games, which is the longest streak in which App State has held its opponents below 70 points since it held 13 straight opponents under 70 in the 2021-22 season. During this streak, App State is giving up just 61 points a contest.
The Mountaineers have been especially stellar at defending the three this season, keeping their opponents to just 114 made threes on 403 attempts, which is good for a 28.3 percent mark. App State has let just two opponents make at least 10 3-pointers against it this season and boast the best 3-point defense in the conference entering Thursday. The Mountaineers are one of two Sun Belt teams that keep their opponent to less than 30 percent from the long line entering Thursday.
Scouting the Monarchs
Despite starting the year 3-8, Old Dominion enters Thursday's matchup tied with South Alabama atop the Sun Belt standings with a 4-1 record in Sun Belt play. ODU has won four of its last five games with their lone loss in league action coming against preseason favorite Arkansas State.
The Monarchs are led offensively by Robert Davis Jr. and Sean Durugordon who both enter play on Thursday averaging 14 points a game. Since the calendar flipped to conference play, Durugordon is the Sun Belt's leading scorer at 19.8 points a game and is coming off a 27-point, 18-rebound performance at South Alabama last Saturday.
Old Dominion has been one of the best teams in the conference at rebounding through its first 17 games of the season as the Monarchs are second in the conference in rebounding entering Thursday, averaging 39.5 boards a game. Durugordon and Stephaun Walker both sit in the top 10 in the SBC in rebounding as of Thursday, with each grabbing seven rebounds a contest.
Series History
App State and Old Dominion will square off for the first of two matchups this season on Thursday. Since Old Dominion joined the Sun Belt Conference in 2022, the two squads have played four times with the Mountaineers owning a 3-1 record against the Monarchs.
Thursday's contest will be App State's third trip to Chartway Arena all-time. The Mountaineers haven't lost at ODU's home arena, which includes a double-digit win in Norfolk last February. App State swept last year's season series in convincing fashion, outscoring ODU by 40 points in two games played.
In two games last year against the Monarchs, Tate accounted for 23 points and Huntley tallied 15. Tate recorded 14 points, six rebounds and five assists in the contest at Chartway Arena last February while shooting 6-7 from the field. Thursday's game will be Huntley's fifth career contest against Old Dominion.
Next Up
Once play concludes on Thursday, the Mountaineers will head to Harrisonburg, Va., to meet the James Madison Dukes for the second time in a week on Saturday. Tipoff from the Atlantic Union Bank Center is set for 4 p.m. and can be streamed on ESPN+.
The 2024-25 men's basketball season is presented by Foscoe Companies.
