Box Score Monday, March 8, 2010
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CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Wofford men’s basketball team used strong defense to survive a second-half push by the Appalachian State Mountaineers to claim the 2010 Southern Conference Championship by a score of 56-51. The win marks the Terriers’ first Southern Conference championship.
Wofford has won thirteen in a row and is 26-8 on the season and 15-3 in the SoCon. Appalachian State is 22-12 overall and 13-5 in the conference.
The Terriers were led by junior Cameron Rundles, who recorded a game high 20 points. Junior Noah Dahlman added 10 points and junior Tim Johnson paced the team with 13 rebounds, including 11 defensive boards.
Senior Ryan Abraham led the Mountaineers with 12 points while sophomore Andre Williamson added 12 points and notched a double-double with 12 rebounds.
The Terriers scored first, but the Mountaineers answered with a three. Noah Dahlman then scored back-to-back lay-ups, followed by a three by Junior Salters for a 9-3 lead at the 16:31 mark. Wofford continued the amazing 15-0 run to take a 17-3 lead with 12:28 on the clock. The Mountaineers ended the run at 11:18, an over seven-minute span without a point.
A lay-up by Kevin Giltner enabled the Terriers to push the lead to 21-5 at the ten minute mark of the first half. A bucket by Noah Dahlman in traffic gave Wofford a 23-7 lead two minutes later. The Mountaineers responded with the next seven points to cut the lead to 23-14 at 5:28. Wofford answered with a put-back by Terry Martin and a three by Cameron Rundles to make it a 28-14 lead with 3:37 left in the first half. Rundles added four free throws for a 31-18 advantage. Jamar Diggs hit a floater in the lane with one second left for a 33-18 lead at the half.
Wofford opened the second half with a three by Junior Salters, but the Mountaineers answered with three points from the line for a 36-21 score four minutes into play. Appalachian State continued the 10-0 run with a three by Donald Sims and four points by Andre Williamson as the lead was cut to 36-28 at the 11:44 mark.
While the Terriers went almost ten minutes without scoring, Corey Godzinski ended the Mountaineer run with a bucket with 9:33 left in the half. Junior Salters hit a shot to make it a 40-32 game at the six minute mark.
After a three by Ryann Abraham, the Mountaineers made it a five point game at 42-37 with 5:13 on the clock. Noah Dahlman added a bucket, which was matched by two free throws by Appalachian State. Cameron Rundles was fouled on a three point shot, but only hit two. The Mountaineers added a free throw for a 46-40 score with 3:04 remaining. After a jumper by Jamar Diggs, the Mountaineers used a four-point play by Ryann Abraham to make it a 48-44 game with 2:24 left. Each team then went one-and-one for a 49-45 score at the one minute mark.
Terry Martin hit two free throws at one end and Donald Sims made a lay-up on the other for a 51-47 advantage with 39 seconds remaining. Cameron Rundles hit two free throws, and the Mountaineers answered with a bucket by Andre Williamson to keep it a four point game. Brad Loesing added one free throw and a turnover by the Mountaineers put Rundles back on the line where he made one.
Wofford shot 35.2% from the floor and was 33.3% (3-9) from three. From the free throw line, the Terriers shot 60.0%. Appalachian State was 28.8% overall and 23.5% from behind the arc. They shot 70.8% from the line.
Appalachian’s 18 points in the first half were a season low as Wofford held the Mountaineers to 28.0% from the floor. Noah Dahlman fouled out with 1:31 left in the game, the first time he has fouled out this season.
Noah Dahlman scored in double-figures for the 34th time this season and has a streak of 47 games with ten or more points. With the victory, the Terriers have 26 wins on the season, the most in school history since the 1959-60 season.
Four Terriers earned All-tournament honors, with Tim Johnson and Cameron Rundles being named to the All-Tournament Second Team and Jamar Diggs and Noah Dahlman earning First Team honors. Dahlman was also named the 2010 Tournament MVP.
With the win, the Terriers have earned the conference’s automatic bid to the 2010 NCAA Tournament. The 2010 men’s basketball selection show will be held Sunday, March 14 at 6:00 p.m. and will be televised on CBS.
