BOONE, N.C. - After a thrilling, gritty win over the Charlotte 49ers on Friday night, the App State men's basketball team (4-2) will conclude its two-game homestand by hosting the Elon Phoenix (3-2) at the Holmes Center on Monday night. App State and Elon will renew one of the longest series in App State's program history as Monday's game will be the 98th meeting all-time between the two teams. Tip off from Boone is slated for 6:30 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
With App State's win over Charlotte on Friday night, head coach
Dustin Kerns sits one win away from 150 for his career. Entering Monday, Kerns owns a 149-118 career record, with 118 of those victories coming at App State over the last seven years. Last year, Kerns surpassed 100 career victories at App State, and became the third-fastest App State head coach to reach 100 career wins when he did so. Entering Monday, Kerns owns the fifth-most wins in program history.
App State is set to play its fourth game at the Holmes Center in 2025-26 on Monday, a place where it is 3-0 this season. The Mountaineers have also won 28 of their last 32 games at home. Over the last 32 games at the Holmes Center, the Mountaineers have outscored their opponents by an average of 16 points a game. So far this season, App State is outscoring its opponents by 23.3 points a game.
Monday night's game will mark the Mountaineers' fourth game against an opponent from North Carolina this season. App State will square off with seven in-state opponents in nonconference play, the most such games in the Kerns era. Entering Monday, the Mountaineers are 3-0 against North Carolina foes this season.
The Matchup
- Who: App State vs. Elon
- Where: Holmes Convocation Center // Boone, N.C.
- When: Monday, Nov. 24 // 6:30 p.m.
Tune In
- Watch: Watch (ESPN+) | David Jackson (PxP), John Reisterer (Color), Bob Dillner (Sideline)
- Listen: FLAGSHIP 97.3 (North Wilkesboro), 950 AM/92.7 FM (Greensboro), 790 AM/93.7 FM (Johnson City) | Matt Present (PxP)
- Live Stats: appstatesports.com
Last Time Out
Following a late basket to tie the score at 63 with nine seconds to play, App State needed a heroic shot to win in regulation. Taking the inbounds pass across halfcourt,
Kasen Jennings got into the paint and pump-faked two Charlotte players into the air before calmly nailing the game-winning basket with two seconds to play. The 49ers got a shot off at the horn, but it didn't fall, which clinched a thrilling 65-63 Mountaineer victory in their return to the Holmes Center last Friday.
Charlotte carried a seven-point lead into the locker room and led by as many as nine points in the game. But the Mountaineers made the correct defensive adjustments in the second half and outscored the 49ers by nine points in the final half. The 49ers made seven first-half 3-pointers, but ended the game by shooting just 1-8 from the long line.
App State saw major contributions from its bench last Friday as it outscored Charlotte's bench by 16 (27-11).
Michael Marcus Jr.,
Andrin Njock and
Jalen Tot each accounted for seven or more points, with both Tot and Marcus Jr. hitting big second-half shots. Additionally,
Jason Clarke Jr. changed the game with his defense late, drawing a crucial offensive foul with 36 seconds left in regulation to steal a possession for the Mountaineers.
Scouting the Mountaineers
App State enters play on Monday with a 4-2 record and has won four of its last five games. App State's offense has shined in its wins this season as it is scoring 79.5 points per game, compared to just 59.5 points a game in its losses. App State will look to start a season with five wins through its first seven games for the sixth consecutive season on Monday night.
Not only have the Mountaineers posted a 28-4 record at home since the start of the 2023-24 season, but they have also won 12 of their last 13 nonconference home games since 2023-24. The only loss during this stretch came against Miami (Ohio) in the 2024-25 season opener. During this stretch, the Mountaineers have tallied nine victories by double digits.
App State's depth has been on full display entering Monday as it sees six different players who average at least seven points a game in Jennings, Banks, Wilson, Dodd, Njock and Tot. Six different Mountaineers have posted a double-digit point game this season, which includes multiple from Jennings, Wilson and Dodd. Entering play on Monday, the Mountaineers get 27.7 points a game from their bench unit, which would be the second-highest bench points per game average in the Kerns era if the season ended today.
The Mountaineers' defense has done well over the last five games at contesting shots and forcing tough looks from its opponents. Since Nov. 5, App State is allowing just 36.9 percent (99/268) of its opponents' field goals to fall - the highest opponent field-goal percentage the Mountaineers have allowed over the last four games is 42.9 percent against Dartmouth.
Scouting the Phoenix
Elon comes to Boone with a 3-2 record, tallying two high-scoring wins over UNCG and Gardner-Webb, as well as a victory over Belmont Abbey to start the year. Elon's losses have come to Sun Belt rival Marshall and Miami in its last contest.
The Phoenix have scored at one of the best rates in the country entering Monday, as they score 89.4 points a game, the best average in the CAA and the 50th-best clip in the country. Chandler Cuthrell, the reigning CAA Player of the Week, leads the team and stands 43rd in the country in scoring entering Monday, netting 22.6 points a night.
Passing has been one of Elon's strongest points this season, as it enters Monday with at least 15 assists in each of its first five games this season. The Phoenix stand first in the CAA in assist/turnover ratio (1.58) and second in assists per game (16.8). Elon sees two players (Ja'Juan Carr and DeMarco Johnson) in the top 10 in the league in assists.
Series History
For the first time since the 2013-14 season, the Mountaineers and Phoenix will meet on the hardwood. The series between App State and Elon, which began in the 1935 season, will see its 98th installment when the ball is tipped on Monday night.
App State owns the edge in the series 52-45 and has dominated the Phoenix at home, posting a 33-8 record in Boone against Elon. Monday's matchup will be the 11th game between the two teams at the Holmes Center, with App State owning an 8-2 record.
Although there is a long history between App State and Elon, Kerns has never faced the Phoenix in his coaching career.
Next Up
In what will be a quick turnaround for the Mountaineers, App State will hit the road following Monday's game for a contest at Mercer on Wednesday. Tip off is scheduled for 2 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
