A new phenomenon has taken hold at Appalachian State University. It’s called basketball.
    The men’s basketball team is drawing record crowds at the George M. Holmes Convocation Center this year and has a 12-1 home record to show for it.
    The Mountaineers have a 10-3 overall record in the Southern Conference and are currently ranked at the top of the North Division.
    On top of all that, Appalachian, who is averaging 86 points per game, is the top-ranked scoring offense in the nation. That’s right—the nation.
    The team has averaged more points per game than the University of Kansas, the University of Arizona and even Duke University.
    This is impressive for a team that finished at or near the bottom of the conference during the previous two seasons.
    Unfortunately, Appalachian’s undefeated home record was snapped last weekend when the College of Charleston came to town and won 108-96.
    With a 12-0 record going into the game, Appalachian had already accomplished something no other ASU men’s basketball team had done.
    In their first two seasons in the Holmes Center and under head coach Houston Fancher, the Mountaineers won a total of 13 games.
    The Mountaineers host Davidson College, the defending 2002 SoCon champions, this Saturday in the team’s final home game of the season.
    The winners of the tournament will earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
    If the Mountaineers keep up the level of play they’re at now, it is very likely they will make a trip to the “Big Dance.”
    For most it will be the last chance to see the senior guard duo of Shawn Hall and Graham Bunn in action as well as seniors Nate Carson and Josh Shehan. Hall is Appalachian’s leading scorer and is averaging 20.6 points per game.
    For the team, a win against Davidson could secure the North Division title.
    Davidson gave Appalachian it’s second conference loss earlier in the season, and if the Wildcats sweep the Mountaineers, it could give them the edge to take the lead.
    The Appalachian women’s team will take on the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga this Saturday before the men’s game.We urge all fans to come out and support both basketball teams as they wind down their seasons and prepare for a trip to Charleston, S.C., for the 2003 Southern Conference Tournament.