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Appalachian State holds off Western
Appalachian State held off Western Carolina for a 74-71 Southern Conference basketball victory before 3,114 fans at the Ramsey Center on Feb. 7.
Nathan Cranford scored 18 points for the Mountaineers. He was joined in double figures by Douglass McLaughlin-Williams with 15, D.J. Thompson with 13 and Clint Deas with 10.
David Berghoefer paced the Catamounts with 24 points and 11 rebounds. Trey Hopkins added 18 points, and Antonio Russell had 14.
Western Carolina’s David Berghoefer scored 24 points and pulled down 11 rebounds in last week’s 74-71 loss to Appalachian State. – WCU photo by Mark Haskett
After trailing almost the entire first half, Western opened the second period with 10 straight points, including four by Russell, for a 50-42 lead with 16:20 on the clock.
ASU turned things around with a 13-2 spurt, including five by McLaughlin-Williams, to go up 57-54 at the 8:37 mark. The Mounties extended the margin to 70-62 after D.J. Thompson’s three-pointer with 2:44 remaining.
The Cats closed within 72-69 on Trey Hopkins’ three-pointer with 43 seconds left. He made one of two foul shots with 29 seconds remaining cutting the gap to 72-70.
After an ASU miss at the line, Western had a chance to tie, but Russell made just one of two free throws with seven seconds to go.
McLaughlin-Williams had a breakaway layup with three seconds to play, and Hopkins missed a desperation three-pointer at the buzzer.
Appalachian started the game hot from the outside as Cranford drained a pair of treys and McLaughlin-Williams hit one for an 11-2 advantage in the first three minutes.
ASU held a 23-12 advantage after Cranford’s three-pointer at the 11:12 mark.
A 9-1 run, including six by Berghoefer, trimmed the deficit to 24-21 with 7:45 on the clock.
WCU ran off eight straight points to take its first lead since the opening basket, 38-37, on a Russell layup with 1:21 remaining.
Demetrius Scott’s layup at the buzzer sent the Mounties to the locker room on top 42-40.
ASU shot 46.7 percent from the floor compared to Western’s 44.3 percent.
Led by Deas and McLaughlin-Williams with eight apiece, the Mounties held a 36-33 edge on the boards.
Appalachian turned the ball over 18 times, and the Cats had 16 miscues.
Completing the WCU scoring were Corey Muirhead with five, Rans Brempong with four, and Lunzaya Nlandu, Kyle Greathouse and Jared Outing all with two.
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