BOONE, N.C. - After an eight-day layoff between games, Appalachian State University women's basketball (1-8) returns to action on Saturday against Marshall (3-6) inside the Cam Henderson Center at 1 p.m. in Huntington, W. Va. for the third game of a four-game road swing.
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About the Mountaineers
Last Time Out
The battle inside proved to be pivotal in a 79-48 setback to Wake Forest on Dec. 7 in Winston-Salem. The Demon Deacons held a 26-3 advantage in second-chance points and a 52-24 ouptut on the glass.
LaPresha Stanley scored a career-high 16 points with a team-high seven rebounds.
Tierra Wilson scored 11 points and
Armani Hampton notched eight points to round out the leading scorers.
Stanley Stepping Up
Stanley has stepped up her game in the month of December averaging 13.0 points, 6.7 rebounds and 3.7 assists in three games compared to the 5.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists in November. Both of her highest scoring outings this season have come this month including her 16-point performance against the Demon Deacons. Stanley also snagged a career-high eight rebounds and dished out a personal-best six assists at UNC.
Floor General Wilson
Wilson is leading the team in scoring (11.3) and tied for the lead in assists at 2.6 per game. The Winston-Salem native is tied for first in minutes, first in assists, third in scoring and third in free throw percentage amongst freshmen in the Sun Belt. Wilson's scoring output is the most for a freshman through the first nine games of their career since Ashlen Dewart in 2009-10 when she turned in 14.7 points through nine contests.
What to Watch For
• Marshall is averaging 18.5 turnovers per game in its six losses (13.7 in wins) and 18.2 per home game (14.3 in road games) thus far. See if the Mountaineers can force Marshall into mistakes for easy baskets.
• The Mountaineers shot just 2-of-6 from beyond the arc against Wake Forest after averaging 6.3 treys in the previous three games. Marshall is allowing opponents to hit 8.2 trifectas in its six losses. See if App can convert from 3-point land against the Herd on Saturday.
• App State lost the battle inside the paint at WF as it outscored the Black and Gold 46-22 down low and posted 26-3 in the second-chance points column. Anticipate on App establishing its presence inside against Marshall on Saturday.
• After Bayley Plummer grabbed a then-season-low six rebounds at North Carolina A&T, she bounced back against College of Charleston with a career-high 14 points and 11 off the glass for her second double-double of the season. Expect Plummer to have a bounce-back performance on Saturday after posting a season-low five rebounds at WF.
• In six losses, starting guards for Marshall's opponents are averaging 33.8 points per game, while guards are averaging just 18.7 ppt in the Herd's three wins. See if the trio of Nicola Mathews, Wilson and Stanley can set the tone on Saturday.
Scouting Marshall
• The Thundering Herd are 2-6 since in their last eight games after a 74-69 loss at Florida.
• Four of Marshall's six losses are by 10 points or less and three by five or fewer points.
• Shayna Gore leads the team and is fifth Conference USA averaging 16.8 points per game.
• Gore is also second in C-USA in 3-point field goal percentage at 40.4 percent
• Talequia Hamilton leads the team in rebounding at 7.2 per game and is second in scoring (13.1) and was named Conference USA Player of the Week after averaging 20 points and eight boards against Morgan State and Florida.
• Marshall is the fourth-fastest team in C-USA at 72.3.
• In three wins, the Herd is averaging 1.064 points per possession and allowing .674 points per trip on defense, while allowing .995 on offense in six losses.
• Marshall is outrebounding
opponents 40.2-37.8 this season.
• Marshall is fourth in 3-pointers made (61) and 3-pointers per game (6.8).
Series History
• App State holds a 22-19 advantage in the all-time series between the two foes.
• Appalachian and Marshall are playing each other for the first time since the 2010-11 campaign when App dealt the Herd a 64-55 defeat.
• The Mountaineers have won the last three matchups on the Thundering Herd's home floor.
• App State is 8-2 in the last 10 matchups dating back to the 1994-95 season.
What's Next
App State will conclude the four-game road swing on Dec. 21 against UNC Asheville at 7 p.m. in the non-conference finale.
