Thursday, December 17
Balanced Scoring Effort Paces Appalachian State to Win over Richmond
BOONE, N.C. - For the first time since the 2011-12 season, five student-athletes scored in double figures for Appalachian State University women’s basketbal (2-6) as the Mountaineers defeated Richmond 73-59 on Thursday night inside the Holmes Center.
App State Starters: #3 Bria Carter, #10 Joi Jones, #23 KeKe Cooper, #34 Madi Story, #42 Mia Marshall
Richmond Starters: #1 Bria Powell, #4 Janelle Hubbard, #11 Micaela Parson, #21 Salita Greene, #32 Ronnie Harrison
The Apps dominated Richmond (6-4) in all facets of the game shooting a season-high 46.3 percent from the field while the 73 points were also a season best. Appalachian held a dominating 45-31 edge on the glass and posted a 10-point advantage in second-chance points with 16 off 15 offensive boards.
Carter had her best game of the season in her first start of 2015-16, pouring in a season-high 12 points, seven boards and handing out a career-high five assists. Cooper kept her efficient shooting going with a season high of 13 points on 6-for-8 shooting from the floor with nine boards, while Kaila Craven came off the bench to tie a team high with 13 points on 5-of-10 shooting from the floor.
Marshall dominated the boards once again producing her second double-double of the season with a career-high 12 points and 10 boards. It’s the third consecutive game the center has notched double-figure rebounds. Story got in the mix with 11 points, four rebounds and two assists, both of which were slick passes to Carter and Marshall.
The Apps finally got off to the fast start they've been wanting shooting 7-for-11 (63.6) in the opening quarter, including five-straight buckets to end the period. With the game tied 6-all, The Black and Gold outscored Richmond 12-5 over the final 4:57 of the frame. Marshall played a pivotal role in the run putting up six points en route to Appalachian taking an 18-11 lead into the second quarter.
Coming out of the huddle, the Spiders got back into the contest with a 9-0 spurt over the first 3:15 of the second period to take its only lead at 20-18. From that point on, the Apps stopped the momentum scoring 10 of the next 13 points to go in front by five, 28-23. Richmond would cut the App State lead to a possession, 28-26, but a layup from Cooper and a free throw from Carter gave Appalachian a 31-26 lead going into the break.
Cooper and Marshall led the team with eight points apiece at halftime while the Mountaineers assisted on six of its first 12 field goals.
Appalachian started to gain separation midway through the third quarter when Craven and Farrahn Wood hit consecutive trifectas that sparked a 19-9 run while tied 33-33 over the final 7:40 of the third period to take a commanding 52-42 lead going into the final quarter.
App State went 9-for-13 from the line during the run and limited Richmond to nine points on 3-for-10 shooting from the floor after the Spiders scored seven points in the first 2:20 of the second half.
Until the final horn sounded, it was all App State as the hosts were never threatened in the fourth quarter pushing the score to 74-57, and eventually giving the Apps their second win of the season over an opponent that went to the postseason in 2014-15.
“Tonight was a great effort from our team,” said head coach Angel Elderkin. “I am really proud of the work we put into practice and to see it transfer to the game. We are building our identity and I love our process moving forward.”
App State will look to keep the momentum going on Sunday in its final non-conference game against Furman at 2 p.m. inside the Holmes Center.
Georgia Southern Falls to Robert Morris
STATESBORO, Ga. – A Niki Stamolamprou tallied 14 points, five rebounds and three steals, and Robert Morris held Georgia Southern to 27 percent shooting in the final three quarters to earn a 64-49 women's basketball victory over the Eagles Thursday afternoon on Field Trip Day in Hanner Fieldhouse. Attendance eclipsed 1,500 as five local elementary and middle schools were in attendance.
Angel McGowan registered a game-high 17 points, six rebounds and five assists to lead Georgia Southern (3-4), which saw its three-game win streak come to an end. Patrice Butler tallied 13 points and seven rebounds, and Alexis Sams scored nine points.
Megan Smith contributed 14 points and nine rebounds for Robert Morris (5-5), while Ashley Ravelli scored eight. Leah Womack added eight points and seven rebounds.
The Eagles held Robert Morris to 32 percent shooting from the field, but the Colonials used 15 offensive rebounds to score 19 second-chance points and collected 19 points off of 14 Eagle turnovers.
THE STORY
The Colonials outscored Georgia Southern 16-6 in the second period to open a seven-point lead at halftime. Trailing 23-22 early in the frame, six different Colonials made baskets in a 12-4 Robert Morris run over the final 8:30 of the period. Robert Morris outscored Georgia Southern 15-4 over the first 7:36 of the third quarter to open a 49-32 lead on a Wormack jumper in the lane.
The Eagles trimmed the margin to 11 points on an Abby Hix three-pointer with 6:16 to go but that was as close as they would get. Robert Morris went 6-for-6 from the free throw line inside the final minute to dash any comeback hopes.
Georgia Southern hit five three-pointers and made eight of its first 12 shots in the opening period, and Sams led the way with her nine points on three treys.