By Bret Strelow | App State Athletics
BOONE, N.C. — Immediately after directing App State past host James Madison in a packed, raucous arena on Jan. 13, coach Dustin Kerns challenged the fans of his program to return the favor when the late-January rematch occurred in the High Country.
Kerns could sense that App Nation was ready to answer the challenge well before tipoff Saturday. The game sold out, drawing a crowd of more than 8,000 fans, including a group of students who lined up outside the Holmes Center in rainy conditions roughly five hours before an 82-76 victory that was also seen by a national-television audience on ESPN2.