Donald Sims scored 28 points to lead Appalachian State to an 87-74 victory over Western Carolina on Saturday.
Sims was 9-for-11 from the field, including three 3-pointers as the Mountaineers (11-8, 5-3 Southern Conference) won for the fourth time in five games and ended Western Carolina's three-game winning streak.
Kellen Brand added 19 points for Appalachian State, which used a 13-2 run to take a 62-52 lead on Marcus Wright's layup with 8:46 left, before holding off the Catamounts (15-4, 5-2) at the free throw line.
Wright, who finished with 15 points, scored five points and Isaac Butts had four in that span.
The Mountaineers were 10-for-14 from the line in the final 2:52, scoring one field goal in the final 3:28.
Brandon Giles scored 15, Richie Gordon had 14 and Jake Robinson added 11 for the Catamounts, who were 12-for-25 from the free throw line (48 percent).
