BOONE, N.C. - The road to a 10th Southern Conference title begins on Thursday night when Appalachian State University men's basketball hosts Furman in the league opener at 7 p.m.
The Mountaineers (4-3) enter the contest on a two-game winning streak after taking down Morgan State and Winthrop over the past week. The Apps 4-0 at the Holmes Center this season and have won five-straight home games against the Paladins (4-1).
Jeremi Booth led the way against the Eagles with a season-best 20 points while Isaac Butts recorded his second-straight double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds in the 70-51 win. Andre Williamson made his first-career start in place of injured senior Josh Hunter, and grabbed 10 rebounds to go along with four points and three assists.
Furman is 1-1 on the road this season with a loss at Rice and win against UNC Asheville. Despite a four-game losing streak to the Mountaineers, Furman gave ASU trouble last season, as both games were decided by a combined seven points.
Butts averaged 14.0 points and 13.0 rebounds against the Paladins last season, as the Apps held a 38.0-28.0 rebound advantage in the two meetings. Donald Sims led all players with 20 points in the last meeting between the SoCon rivals, a 77-75 home win.
Buzz Peterson holds a 5-1 records against FU, as his lone loss came in his first season at the helm of ASU, by four points on the road in 1996-97.
Following Thursday's game, Appalachian takes the weekend off before taking on Wofford in Spartanburg on Monday. ASU's final home game of the calendar year is Dec. 17 against Milligan.
Scouting Furman
• The Paladins enter Thursday's contest at 4-1, 1-1 on the road.
• Furman's win at UNC Asheville snapped a string of 20-straight losses on the road, dating back to 2007-08.
• The team's lone loss came at Rice on Nov. 24. The South Main Owls shot 52.7 percent from the field in the 77-65 win.
• Amu Saaka leads the Paladins with 16.6 points per game while Jordan Miller is close behind at 16.0.
• Saaka also grabs 7.4 boards per contest as the squad averages 34.0 as a team.
• FU has a +3.2 turnover margin and and 1.1 assist to turnover ratio, led by Darryl Evans' 27 assists.
• Furman allows just 63.2 points per game, the fourth-best mark in the league. At 77 percent, the squad is the best free throw shooting team in the SoCon.
• The Paladins are tops in the SoCon and 16th nationally with a 43.5 three-point field goal average, led by Miller's 42.3 percent mark.
• The Paladins look to rebound from a 4-16 showing in the SoCon last season.
