App State Uses Second-Half Surge to Rally Past LU
LYNCHBURG, Va. - After facing a first-half deficit, Appalachian State University women’s basketball (2-1) used a dominating second-half performance to pull out a 66-57 win at Liberty Friday evening at the Vines Center.
With the win, the Apps have won back-to-back non-conference road games for the first time since the 2013-14 season while handing Liberty it’s third-straight loss at home to start the season.
App State outscored LU (0-3), 43-25, in the second half while shooting 48.3 percent (22.2 percent in the first half).
Joi Jones scored a game-high 18 points (16 in the second half) on an efficient shooting performance going 5-of-8 from the field and tying her career high with eight made free throws. She also added four boards and two assists. Q Murray and Ashley Bassett-Smith both added 12 points to round out the leading scorers. Bassett-Smith corralled a team-best six boards and three swats, and Murray dished out three assists, grabbed four boards and two steals.
The trio took on the scoring load for App State combining for 42 of the team’s points, hit 13 of the team’s 20-made field goals and 15 of the 23 converted foul shots. Madi Story had an all-around game scoring six of her eight points from the line while bringing down five boards along with three dimes.
App State held a dominating 23-7 advantage in free throws while turning Liberty over 22 times for 21 points. App State improved in the turnover column once again with just 10 miscues.
The Apps and Flames went back and forth in the opening quarter with Appalachian holding a 4-2 edge for its only lead until the fourth quarter. Liberty went on a 7-0 run over a 1:28 span to go in front, 9-4, before Appalachian scored 10 of the next 15 points to tie the game at 14-apiece.Trailing by three,14-11, Bria Carter grabbed one of her five boards for a putback before Story went 1-for-2 at the line to tie things up. LU would score the final three points to go into the quarter with a 17-14 advantage.
The low scoring continued in the second period where LU would outscore the Black and Gold, 15-9, both teams shot a combined 19.3 percent from the field. Despite the Mountaineers’ woeful shooting, they managed to shoot 7-for-8 from the free throw line to stay within striking distance. After trailing by five, 19-14, the Black and Gold narrowed the gap to one thanks to a pair of free throw from Murray. However, the Flames’ 11-3 run over the final 5:20 of the half to go into the locker room with a 32-23 advantage.
After Liberty had scored the first five points of the third quarter, it was a different story. Jones started and finished a 15-5 run over the final 8:07 of the third quarter to tie the game, 42-42, thanks to her jumper at the buzzer. Murray and Mikaya Wilson had a hand in five of the final seven points and caused chaos on both ends of the floor with three steals in the process.
App State shot an impressive 8-of-15 (53.3 percent) while holding LU to 33.3 percent shooting from the floor.
Despite the bench scoring just 11 points, six of those couldn’t have a came at a bigger time when Brooklyn Allen hit two of her fourth-quarter 3-pointers in the first 1:59 to put the Apps up by fix, 50-44. App State kept up the pressure on the struggling Flames extending the lead to as much as 11 (59-48) with 2:50 left in the game. Liberty sliced the deficit to six, but the Apps hit their last four foul shots to clinch the win.
App State will look for its first 3-1 start since the 2014-15 campaign when it plays its second game in four days on the road at Richmond. Tip-off is slated for 5 p.m.
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JAGUARS GET FIRST WIN OF THE SEASON OVER THE BADGERS 38-33
MOBILE, Ala. – The University of South Alabama women's basketball team (1-2) got its first win of the 2016-17 season against Spring Hill 38-33 on Thursday night at the Mitchell Center. The Jaguars scored the first basket of the game and were able to maintain their lead the rest of the way.
"It was an ugly game, but a win is a win," said head coach Terry Fowler. "Hopefully we can learn some lessons from this. We didn't get shots to fall and that slowed us down. We had 13 points in the second half. We just didn't get the ball inside as much as we wanted, and even when we did, we didn't convert like we needed to. Still a great win, and it's a win to start off the season. We'll focus our attention on New Orleans on Saturday."
With the Jaguars leading 34-29 more than two minutes into the fourth quarter, the Badgers' Jennifer Clark cut the deficit to just three with a layup with over seven minutes left. South Alabama's defense limited Spring Hill to just one basket the rest of the way to hold onto the five-point victory.
"Defensively we stuck to the game plan," said Fowler. "They only had 33 points and we had 38, but we did what we needed to do. I thought we played pretty well outside defense, so I was pleased with that."
The Badgers trailed 27-18 early into the third quarter after LaNeetra Guillory hit a layup but outscored the Jaguars 11-4 for the rest of the quarter. Erin Autio and Candice Williams had the only buckets for the Jags as they went 3-15 from the field in the quarter and had six turnovers.
Guillory scored the first two points of the game on a jumper in the lane, and a fast break layup off a steal by Colby Davis and a free throw by Candice Williams gave South Alabama a 5-0 lead. Spring Hill's first basket came over five minutes into the game on a jumper by Alishia Drayton-Lewis. Williams, Kennedi Centers and Davis added baskets to give the Jags an 11-4 lead at the end of the quarter.
South Alabama's largest lead came in the second quarter. The Jags went on a 9-2 run that covered over six minutes for a 21-9 lead with over two minutes left in the half. Guillory started the run with two free throws, and Autio then added a layup. India Hall hit back-to-back jumpers before Guillory capped the run with another pair of free throws.
The Jaguars finished the game shooting 28% while Spring Hill went 27% from the field. South Alabama had the advantage in turnovers (17-12) with eight steals and on the glass (46-38) that included 16 offensive boards.
Williams had a game-high 12 points and three steals, grabbed five boards and made the only three pointer of the game for the Jaguars. Autio lead the way on the boards with a game-high seven rebounds in addition to eight points, a steal and a block. Autio and Williams both started for the first time in their collegiate careers.
"It's the first time Candice Williams got major minutes and so we thought she had a decent performance," said Fowler. "I thought we rebounded the basketball decently with Erin having seven of those. I think those are things that went well."
Guillory provided four points, two rebounds and a block for the Jags. Hall (four points) and Kennedi Centers (two points) combined for the only scoring off the bench.
Marquita Daniels did not dress for the game and has been suspended until further notice for violation of team rules.
The loss does not factor into the Badgers' record, as the game is only considered an exhibition for them.
South Alabama heads back onto the road and will face New Orleans on Saturday at 4:00 p.m.