November 6, 2009

BOONE, N.C. - Donald Sims made his first eight field goal attempts and finished the night with a game-high 33 points as Appalachian State University men’s basketball defeated Mars Hill, 94-81, in an exhibition on Friday night at the Holmes Center.

The junior made 11-of-13 shots on the night and was 5-of-6 from beyond the arc. He also led the Mountaineers with four assists and three steals in 35 minutes.

Jeremi Booth also started at guard and poured in 20 points on 7-of-11 shooting. He added four rebounds, an assist and a steal. Preseason all-SoCon selection

Kellen Brand added 16 points while Marcus Wright also reached double-figures with 14.

Stoney Polite (Morganton, N.C.) led MHC with 21 points while Danny Sanders (Shelby, N.C.) recorded 18 points and a team-best seven rebounds.

Seeing his first competitive action of the preseason, Isaac Butts hauled in 10 of ASU’s 37 rebounds in 21 minutes off the bench. The center finished a fast break with a layup for his only points of the night. ASU held a 37-34 advantage on the boards.

Appalachian held a 46-32 halftime advantage and made its first six shots of the second half. Buzz Peterson’s squad shot 56 percent from the field and sank 10-of-18 three-point attempts on the night. The team made 22-of-26 free throws and held Mars Hill to just nine foul shots in the game.

The Mountaineers stretched the lead to as many as 26 points late in the second half before a late Lion surge to pull within 13 points at the buzzer.

Mars Hill will open the 2009-10 regular season hosting Milligan College on November 16. Game time in Stanfdord Arena is set for 7 p.m.

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