After a week of showing improvement, Appalachian State is hoping for a follow-up beginning with tonight's game at defending Southern Conference champion Wofford.
The Mountaineers had a win against Furman and then a narrow four-point loss to league-leading Davidson in SoCon play last week, performances that drew some praise from coach Jason Capel.
"I thought we did a pretty good job, especially on the defensive end and rebounding the basketball against a pretty good Furman team," Capel said.
"Our guys are growing up and learning how to win down the stretch. The Davidson game was one of our better efforts all year."
Capel said he is encouraged, but not content.
"At this point in the year, we're not hanging our hat on effort," said Capel, whose team is 7-9 overall and 3-3 in Southern Conference play. "That has to be expected. We have to finish games. Davidson is a very good team. It was a tough loss, but we understand we did a lot of things to contribute to that loss."
Next for the Mountaineers is a game at Wofford on the road, before returning to Boone and a game against North Division rival Western Carolina on Saturday.
One player who won't be with the Mountaineers is junior guard Rodney Milum.
Capel said Wednesday that Milum — who returned home to Houston, Texas, to tend to a family matter after ASU's game against Campbell on Dec. 22 — has withdrawn from school and won't return to the team. Milum has missed the Mountaineers' past five games.
Milum, who played the past two seasons at Midland (Texas) College, played in 11 games for ASU, starting three. He averaged 9.5 points and was considered a prime long-range shooting threat. He was 26 of 69 on 3-point attempts (38 percent) for the Mountaineers.
Wofford (10-8, 3-3) has won the past two SoCon titles and is in the mix this season despite losing four starters from last season.
The Terriers have won three straight games against ASU, two of which were in the SoCon tournament, including the 2009-10 title game. Wofford is coming off an 88-63 win against Georgia Southern, and is the top defensive team in the SoCon.
"They're a very good defensive team," Capel said. "When they are at their best their games are in the 50s or low 60s…. The personnel on that team has changed but the system has remained."
The Terriers are led by seniors Kevin Giltner and Brad Loesing, the lone returning starter from last season's title team.
"They have perimeter guys that hurt you, where it was inside guys that did it last year," Capel said. "They're still a very good team, a tough team that plays stingy defense."
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