Box Score MONROE, La. – Appalachian State University men's basketball got off to a sluggish start in Thursday's 72-56 loss at UL Monroe and ultimately it wouldn't be able to overcome an early deficit.

The Mountaineers (2-10, 0-1 Sun Belt) are now riding a seven-game losing streak into Saturday's conference tilt at UL Lafayette. App State would struggle offensively right out of the gate, however, freshman Bennett Holley would pour in a career-high 13 points on 5-of-8 shooting from the field, including 3-of-6 from long range and would be a bright spot for the Mountaineers going forward.

At the 16:19 mark of the first half,  a Tyrell Johnson layup would be the Mountaineers first points. Johnson finished the game with 11 points and six rebounds. The freshman would lead the Black and Gold on the glass and of his six rebounds, four came off the offensive glass. Fortunately, ULM started rather sluggish as well and the Warhawks (6-7, 2-0 Sun Belt) would lead just 5-2 heading into the first media timeout.

Appalachian would get down as many as 14 points on three separate occasions in the opening half of play, but would hold strong to close to within just eight points at the half. Down 35-21 wth 3:27 left until halftime, App State would go on an 8-2 run keyed by back-to-back steals and fastbreak layups from Frank Eaves.

The Apps' leading scorer would finish with 12 points in the game on just 3-of-9 shooting from the field and 0-for-4 from downtown. However, Eaves finished 6-of-8 from the charity stripe to lead an App State team that finished 18-of-24 for the game. Appalachian's night at the foul line was its most attempts since a 73-62 win over Liberty on Nov. 26.

Following Eaves' buckets and two free throws from Ronshad Shabazz, Shabazz would create a steal with just 4.0 seconds remaining and get the ball up the floor to Johnson for a high-flying dunk to end the half and close the deficit to eight points.

Throughout much of the first half Appalachian was forced to deal with some tough foul trouble situations as it racked up seven team fouls in the first 7:51 of the contest and would finish the half with 14 team fouls and four student-athletes with two fouls each and one with three.

A Johnson free throw would close the Warhawk lead in the second half to seven point at 37-30, but ULM would engineer an 8-0 run to take a 15 point lead at 45-30 with 17:43 still left in regulation.

The Mountaineers would get back to within just nine points following a Shabazz layup with 14:29 left, but ULM surged ahead and gained complete control after constructing a 21-7 run over the next seven minutes for its largest lead of the game at 68-45.

The Warhawks' Majok Deng led all scorers with 18 points as UL Monroe had four total student-athletse in double figures. The Warhawks would shoot 49.1 percent from the field for the game compared to just 32.1 percent from the Apps.

Appalachian will take the court again on Saturday, Jan. 2 when it travels to UL Lafayette for the second and final game of their Louisiana trip to begin Sun Belt Conference play. Game time is slated for 8:15 p.m.