2023-24 North Carolina Sports Network
NC Basketball Spotlight, 10-Year Snapshot:
Appalachian State
By David Glenn
North Carolina Sports Network
School: Appalachian State
Location: Boone, N.C.
NCAA DI Member Since: 1971-72
Conference: Sun Belt Conference (SBC)
SBC Member Since: 2014-15
SBC Ranking Among 32 Leagues (KenPom): 14th (2023), 17th (2022), 21st (2021), 14th (2020)
NCAA Tournament Bids: 3 (1979, 2000, 2021)
Conference Titles: 3 (1979-SoCon, 2000-SoCon, 2021-SBC)
Conference 1st-Place Finishes: 10 (1978, 1979, 1981, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2010)
Head Coach: Dustin Kerns (43 years old, fifth season at App State)
As A Player: did not play in college (2002 Clemson graduate)
Record At App State (Through Dec. 2): 75-60 (.556) in 4+ seasons
Previous Head Coaching Experience: Presbyterian (two seasons, 31-37)
College AC Experience: Santa Clara (2007-13); Wofford (2004-07; 2013-17)
Assistant Under: Kerry Keating, Mike Young
2022-23 Record: 16-16, 9-9 (7th in 14-team SBC)
2023-24 Preseason Prediction (Coaches): 2nd in 14-team SBC
2023-24 Record (Through Dec. 1): 5-2, 0-0 SBC
2023-24 Midseason Ranking (KenPom): #94 nationally (2nd in SBC)
Upcoming Schedule Highlights: Auburn (12/3), Gardner-Webb in Greensboro (12/16), UNC Asheville in Hickory (12/21)
SBC Opener: Louisiana-Monroe (12/30)
Appalachian State coach Dustin Kerns clearly doesn’t mind challenging jobs.
Presbyterian had never enjoyed any significant success as a Division One program and had won only five games during the season before Kerns took the school’s head coaching job. During his second season with the Blue Hose, in 2018-19, he led them to their first — and still only — winning record (20-16) and their first — and still only — postseason invitation (CIT). Since Kerns’ departure, the program has won less than 30 percent of its games.
In its first 49 years as a Division One member, App State had been to only two NCAA Tournaments: in 1979, under 31-year-old head coach Bobby Cremins (who left for Georgia Tech in 1981), and in 2000, under 36-year-old coach Buzz Peterson (who left immediately for Tulsa). In both years, the Mountaineers won the Southern Conference title and received the league’s automatic bid to the Big Dance.
In just his second season at App State, in 2020-21, Kerns led the Mountaineers to their first Sun Belt championship (and automatic NCAA bid) and their third all-time NCAA Tournament invitation. Now in his fifth season in Boone, Kerns has built a seemingly strong foundation that combines player retention/development and top-notch team defense.
Kerns’ 2023-24 roster, which returns four of last year’s starters (see below) and more than 130 career starts, has created the highest expectations for the App State men’s basketball program in many years. In their preseason poll, the Sun Belt’s head coaches picked the Mountaineers to finish second, behind only James Madison.
“Listen, expectations are a good thing, but it just can’t be our focus,” Kerns said. “North Carolina was preseason #1 last year, and they didn’t even make the (NCAA Tournament). UConn wasn’t ranked, and they end up winning the national championship.
“We’re at our best when we’ve got that chip on our shoulder and we’ve got something to prove. We’re focused on the process it takes to be a good team — getting better in the film room, getting better in practice every day.”
With their early annihilation (86-56) of a UNC Wilmington team that just shocked Kentucky in Lexington, and even their overtime loss in a true road game against Oregon State of the Pac-12, the Mountaineers looked like one of the Sun Belt’s favorites in the season’s opening month during their 5-2 start.
Utilizing a frequently rotating nine-man lineup in which no player averages more than 26 minutes per game (that’s extremely unusual), App State manages to maintain its defensive intensity for 40 minutes and typically does an excellent job of protecting the paint and controlling the defensive boards.
2023-24 App State Mountaineers
(5-2, 0-0 SBC; through Dec. 2)
Starters
PG Xavion Brown, Jr. — 19 mpg, 2 ppg, 4 rpg, 38% FG, 43% FT, 0 threes, 23/12 ATO, 2 blocks, 5 steals
(6-3/180); part-time starter in 2023; from Sheldon HS in Sacramento, Calif.
G Terence Harcum*, Jr. — 25 mpg, 10 ppg, 2 rpg, 27% FG, 74% FT, 22% threes, 4/5 ATO, 1 block, 4 steals
(6-3/190); two-year starter; from Granville Central HS in Stem, N.C.
F Donovan Gregory*, Gr. — 25 mpg, 13 ppg, 4 rpg, 62% FG, 79% FT, 50% threes (few), 19/19 ATO, 0 blocks, 2 steals
(6-3/190); four-year starter; 2023 third-team All-SBC; from Carmel Christian in Matthews, N.C.
F Tre’Von Spillers, Jr. — 26 mpg, 12 ppg, 8 rpg, 62% FG, 67% FT, 0 threes, 1/1 ATO, 13 blocks, 2 steals
(6-7/205); 2023 1st-team NJCAA All-American at Moberly Area CC; from Charleston, S.C.
F Justin Abson*, So. — 25 mpg, 7 ppg, 8 rpg, 52% FG, 46% FT, 0% threes (few), 6/8 ATO, 20 blocks, 4 steals
(6-9/235); two-year starter; 15th nationally in bpg (2023); from North Broward Prep in Coconut Creek, Fla.
Key Reserves
PG Jordan Marsh, Fr. — 16 mpg, 8 ppg, 3 rpg, 47% FG, 62% FT, 41% threes, 16/1 ATO, 3 blocks, 7 steals
(5-10/165); led in-state Moravian Prep to 33-4 record as HS senior; from Charlotte, N.C.
G Myles Tate, Jr. — 19 mpg, 7 ppg, 3 rpg, 35% FG, 85% FT, 29% threes, 18/11 ATO, 1 block, 7 steals
(6-0/170); Butler transfer (18 starts over three seasons); from Dorman HS in Spartanburg, S.C.
F Christopher Mantis, Jr. — 22 mpg, 9 ppg, 2 rpg, 44% FG, 25% FT (few), 40% threes, 9/2 ATO, 2 blocks, 6 steals
(6-7/185): part-time starter in 2023; from Lowell HS in Lowell, Ind.
F CJ Huntley*, Sr. — 22 mpg, 7 ppg, 4 rpg, 48% FG, 36% FT, 32% threes, 6/7 ATO, 4 blocks, 2 steals
(6-11/221); two-year starter; from Davidson Day School in Davidson, N.C.
*—returning starter (started at least 50% of current team’s games last season)
Appalachian State Mountaineers
10-Year Snapshot
Season — Overall, League (Place), Postseason
2022-23 — 16-16, 9-9 SBC (7th), no postseason (Dustin Kerns)
2021-22 — 19-15, 12-6 SBC (2nd), TBC 1st Round (Dustin Kerns)
2020-21 — 17-12, 7-8* SBC (7th), NCAA First Four (Dustin Kerns)
2019-20 — 18-15, 11-9 SBC (6th), no postseason (Dustin Kerns)
2018-19 — 11-21, 6-12 SBC (10th), no postseason (Jim Fox)
2017-18 — 15-18, 9-9 SBC (5th), no postseason (Jim Fox)
2016-17 — 9-21, 4-14 SBC (11th), no postseason (Jim Fox)
2015-16 — 9-22, 7-13 SBC (9th), no postseason (Jim Fox)
2014-15 — 12-17, 9-11 SBC (6th), no postseason (Jim Fox)
2013-14 — 9-21, 5-11 SoCon (9th), no postseason (Jason Capel)
*—conference champion
NOTE: Please visit the North Carolina Sports Network’s 2023-24 profiles and 10-year snapshots for all 19 Division One men’s basketball programs in North Carolina.
