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GAME NOTES: The Appalachian State Mountaineers, leaders in the North Division of the Southern Conference at the moment, take a break from their routine as they prepare for the arrival of the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles as part of the annual BracketBusters event.

Appalachian State had recently enjoyed a four-game win streak against league foes, but on Wednesday night the team was stopped by the College of Charleston in a narrow 73-72 final on the road. The defeat dropped ASU to 10-5 in conference, yet the program is still alone in first place in the division nonetheless.

As for the Golden Eagles, they've been forced to play an additional 15 minutes over the last two games after losing in double-overtime to Tennessee State at the start of the week, 109-102, and then suffering a 77-72 overtime loss to Austin Peay two nights ago. As a result, Tech has now dropped five of the last six games on the schedule and has only Jacksonville State remaining on the regular-season schedule for next Saturday before the conference tournament begins on March 2nd.

With respect to the all-time series between these two schools on the hardwood, the Mountaineers hold a slim 3-2 edge.

Ahead by three late in the second half, the Golden Eagles allowed Austin Peay to tie the game at 67-67 on a three-pointer and then never led in the overtime period. Kevin Murphy scored a team-best 21 points and pulled down seven rebounds, followed by Frank Davis and Elijah Muhammad with 15 points apiece for a squad that shot only 38.1 percent from the field and 4-of-16 behind the three-point line. Tech is scoring a solid 75.7 ppg this season, but the problem is the squad is giving up 78.2 ppg as well. Murphy is the leading scorer with his 15.1 ppg and has been one of the better rebounders with his 3.9 boards per outing. Davis (14.6 ppg) and Muhammad (12.4 ppg) are the other two reliable scorers, the former connecting on 47.2 percent of his three-point tries and the latter setting up teammates with 127 assists over the course of 27 starts.

Down by as many as 14 points, the Mountaineers refused to give up and managed to take a one-point lead of their own with less than a minute to play before CofC's Andrew Goudelock knocked down a pair of free throws with 19 seconds left to seal the deal for the Cougars. Jeremi Booth scored just six points, the only starter not to hit for double digits as Donald Sims posted 18 points on 4-of-8 shooting behind the three-point line. Josh Hunter dropped in 14 points, Kellen Brand and Isaac Butts 10 apiece, the latter backing it up with seven rebounds as well. Sims, who has at least held a share of the scoring lead for the Mountaineers in 10 of the last 11 games, is responsible for 19.8 ppg as a 42.1 percent shooter from three-point range. Even more impressive is the fact that Sims, who earlier this season posted 44 points versus Davidson on the road, has made all but six of his 136 free throws, which means his 95.6 percent accuracy is one of the best marks in all of college basketball. While Sims handles the play out on the perimeter, Butts muscles his way for a team- best 7.9 rpg.

With Sims in his comfort zone, Tennessee Tech would be foolish to think that it could actually upset the Mountaineers on the road tonight.