USA @ App State 7:30 PM Holmes Convocation Center

[asu66]

ASU men's basketball RPI #267 (6-10, 3-4 Sun Belt) goes for its third-straight Sun Belt Conference victory, as the team plays host to South Alabama RPI #304 (6-12, 4-4) tonight (Thursday) at 7:30 p.m. on the HCC hardwood.

The Mountaineers are coming off a 69-64 win over Troy on Saturday while the Jaguars are also seeking their third win in a row after knocking off UALR, 66-64, on Saturday.

The Jaguars possess one of the most explosive offense attacks in the Sun Belt. USA has scored at least 80 points four times this season and has failed to score more than 70 just 9 times in 18 games.

• Ken Williams leads a trio of double-digit scorers for the Jaguars at 15.0 points per game. Taishaun Johnson (12.9 ppg) and Dionte Ferguson (10.9) also average in double figures.

• Ferguson also leads the team in rebounding (6.9 rpg) and blocks (24) while ranking second in shooting percentage (54.0 percent).

• The Jaguars are particularly potent from long range, where they connect at a league-best 35.0 percent from beyond the arc.

• However, South Alabama ranks dead last in the Sun Belt in turnover margin (-2.44) and has committed 257 turnovers.

Our Apps will look to even the series between the two clubs as USA took a 104-95 win over the Apps in Mobile earlier this month; the first game between the new conference rivals. Coach Fox spent a lot of time talking about defense during the weekly radio shoe on Tuesday evening. He felt that very little effective defensive effort was shown by the Apps in the game in Mobile. He's expecting better defensive play tonight.

The numbers depend on the service you choose to read. RealTimeRPI.com has ASU by 6 (76-70). ESPN-RPI has the game a virtual cliffhanger--favoring the Apps by 1 point in another home-court nail-biter.

It is concerning that one of USA's most recent wins was over a pretty good UL-L Ragin' Cajun team. That team simply ran away with the game against the Apps.

The first 1,000 App State students in attendance on Thursday will receive free glowsticks as part of the night's various promotions for Student Night and #TurnUpThursday. Also, members of the Student Yosef Club, will be given vouchers to use at concession stands as well as be given the chance to make an entrance tunnel for the team as they take the floor.

[hapapp]

Of course UL has lost three straight since beating us.

[moonshine]

I know the start time says 7:30 but with the double headers, what has been the average start time for the guys to tip-off?

[huskie3]

I hope both teams are on tonight and can record 2 wins. It seems one will win and the other lose.

[appgrouch]

I know the start time says 7:30 but with the double headers, what has been the average start time for the guys to tip-off?

At home, the tip has been at 7:30. The way it works is that there is a minimum 30min warm-up period before the men's game. We have been factoring in a 2.5 hour window for the women's games for several years and the run time of the games barring overtime is about 130 min. The warm up clock will normally start about the same time ASN signs on (45-40 min prior).

[McLeansvilleAppFan]

Women are putting on a clinic.

[JTApps1]

Solid first half for the men. Both defenses are playing tough and the refs are letting them go at it. This pace definitely suits our guys much better than a high scoring game.

[ComebackShack]

Couldn't make it to the game tonight. How does the crowd look?

[McLeansvilleAppFan]

Up 15 with 6 min to go. Looks like a good crowd for two games in a row.

[eggers76]

Apps win again!!!!!!

[McLeansvilleAppFan]

Fox likes his gum and dropping his r's. I am ok with both.

[huskie3]

Yea, both teams win tonight!

[BUTCH1991]

DJ said the crowd was just under 1,600. Not great at all, but a lot better than some nights.

[appgrad]

Winning 3 in a row like this after a tough start seems to indicate to me that the team is "buying in". I hope that is the case. This is exactly what you want to see with a new coach.

[SpeedkingATL]

Nothing better than a double dip win at Holmes! Nice job Apps!

[Goapps15]

Crowds are getting better. Last year we did not have more than 1,600 very often. People like Fox's fire. Students are coming out more and more. It is going to be a process but the people who have come are coming back. It is a great sign.

On the game, it was refreshing to see us win on a night that Eaves was not putting 25+ on the board. Burgess had 5, Babic & Clarke had 6, Lawson and Kinney had 7. Everyone who played contributed in a big way. That is huge for us to win games down the stretch.

[MountainMan]

Nice game for the Mountaineers!

It was not just the win, but the overall way the team played. Tough defense, getting rebounds, getting positive production from both starters and the bench, cuts to the basket, a sense of organization and purpose (not just some random dribble around and throw it up) -- this team just "looks" different. And the more they play together with Coach Fox, the more these things seem to be sinking in.

I don't want to claim all is well yet, but I sure feel better about the future. The next few games on the road will be quite tough. Should be interesting. GO APPS!

[T-Dog]

Just remember that this team, talent wise, is at the bottom of the Sun Belt. Good thing talent doesn't mean everything but every win is big.

The women are already in the air going to Austin, which is a short drive to San Marcos. The men are leaving in a little bit because the coaches wanted the players to go to class this morning. They'll be getting in later.

[24AppState]

"The first 1,000 App State students in attendance on Thursday will receive free glowsticks as part of the night's various promotions for Student Night and #TurnUpThursday"

How did this turn out? I thought I read they were going to make a tunnel for the team to run through. Seems like it could be cool if a lot of students were there. GO APPS!

[T-Dog]

I didn't see a single glowstick last night. They had glowsticks last week, but not a human tunnel. They were all in the stands.

If promotions but half as much effort into getting a raucous student section as they did the Junior Mountaineer Kids Club, it'd be great. A raucous student section would be a high tide that raises all ships. Cause if the students don't care, why should any casual person care?

It's gonna take a William Wallace type student to organize and get fellow students excited not just to go to the games, but to go nuts during the game.