Appalachian State has beaten a power conference team in each of the last two seasons, and Sunday afternoon might provide the Mountaineers’ only chance to keep that streak intact.
The Mountaineers (1-1), fresh off blowing out an NAIA opponent this week, face Wisconsin on the road at Madison, Wisc. The Badgers (2-0) also have victories over lesser opponents to open the season.
Appalachian State coach Dustin Kerns wasn’t as impressed about the score in his team’s 108-54 win over St. Andrews of North Carolina on Wednesday as he was with the degree of effort.
“It doesn’t matter your opponent,” Kerns said. “You’ve got to play the right way, have the habits of being unselfish, making tough plays, like Myles Tate diving on a loose ball four times in the first half. That has nothing to do with your opponent.”
In nine minutes on Wednesday, Tate made the only shot he took, a 3-pointer, after netting 21 points in the Mountaineers’ season-opening 77-63 loss to Miami (Ohio) on Monday, but he made four steals.
Appalachian State freshman Michael Marcus Jr. racked up 18 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks to lead the win over St. Andrews.
“I really wanted to see our habits improve — 23 assists, six turnovers, I thought was really good,” Kerns said, after his team had 19 giveaways vs. 11 assists in Monday’s defeat.
Appalachian State defeated visiting Auburn of the Southeastern Conference 69-64 last season, and edged host Louisville of the Atlantic Coast Conference 61-60 early in the 2022-23 season. The Badgers are the only power conference school on Appalachian State’s regular-season schedule.
Wisconsin overpowered visiting Holy Cross 85-61 in its season opener, but not before falling behind by 16 points nearly midway through the first half.
The Badgers were also big favorites at home against Montana State on Thursday and prevailed 79-67, but the Bobcats were within four points for most of the first half before Max Klesmit carried Wisconsin the rest of the way.
Klesmit, who hit 39.8 percent of his 3-pointers last season, went just 1-for-7 from long range and finished with seven points against Holy Cross before nailing 6 of 11 from deep and scoring 26 against Montana State. He netted 15 points in the second half.
“Yeah, you know he’s not gonna be going 1-for-7 very often, or for very long,” Wisconsin coach Greg Gard said. “He’s been putting a lot of time in working with our coaching staff. Cleaning up some things with his shot, and getting more reps. And, shooters shoot, and obviously he was feeling it tonight.
Klesmit is averaging 16.5 points through two games, second on the team to Missouri transfer John Tonje’s 18.
