Box Score JONESBORO, Ark. – After getting out to an 11-0 lead at the first media timeout of the game, Appalachian State University men's basketball never looked back and raced to an 86-72 victory over the previously undefeated Arkansas State Red Wolves on Saturday night. The win also proved to be the first Sun Belt conference loss for the Red Wolves during the 2015-16 season, including football, volleyball and both men's and women's basketball.

Frank Eaves notched hits fourth 30-point game of the season with 31 points on 9-of-17 shooting from the field and was a scorching 7-for-10 from behind the arc and 6-for-8 from the line. Two other Mountaineers scored in double figures as Ronshad Shabazz finished with 13 points and Emarius Logan notched 12 points in the rout.

For just the second time this season, the Mountaineers (4-13, 2-4 Sun Belt) finished with 50-plus rebounds. The Apps finished with 52 boards on the night, including 19 on the offensive glass. Shabazz and Michael Obacha both led the Mountaineers with nine rebounds.  Those 19 offensive boards led to 19 second-chance points for the Apps.

The Black and Gold opened up the game 5-for-9 from the field and held A-State to 0-11 at the first media break of the first half and led 11-0. By the next media timeout, App State had stretched its lead to 20-3 with 11:44 remaining and would stretch its lead to its largest of the game at 24-3 following a Logan bucket and a foul - Logan converted the free throw.

Over the course of the next 8:51, A-State began to slowly work its way back into the game and would trail by just 10 points at 40-30 with 2:34 remaining. However, Appalachian would end the half on a 7-0 run keyed by a Shabazz three and back-to-back jumpers from Logan.

Jacob Lawson chipped in six points in the first half. Lawson finished the game with two more blocks and has now tied his career high with 28 on the season.

Appalachian would keep the Red Wolves (8-8, 4-1 Sun Belt) at a distance in the second half and used its first half cushion to its advantage. The momentum would shift 100 percent in App State's favor with 2:43 left in regulation. The Mountaineers led 79-64 and A-State's Anthony Livingtson made a layup and drew the foul.

However, because of action prior to the play the Red Wolves' bench drew two technical fouls which led to Eaves hitting 3-of-4 from the line and putting App State up 82-66.

The Mountaineers would ride out the remaining two and a half minutes of the game and coast to an 86-72 conference road victory.

For the game, App State outscored A-State's bench 26-2 and crushed the Red Wolves in second-chance points to the tune of 19-9.

Appalachian State will look to continue its great play on the court when it returns home next week for a pair of conference games against Georgia State and Georgia Southern, respectively. App State will play Georgia State on Thursday, Jan. 21 at 7:30 p.m. before taking on Georgia Southern on Saturday, Jan. 23 at 3:45 p.m.