BOONE, N.C.- Appalachian State University women's basketball looks to keep with its impressive start to the 2010-11 season, as the Mountaineers head to Richmond, Va. to take on the Spiders. ASU is set to battle Richmond, Wednesday, November 17 at 7 p.m. in the Robins Center.
ABOUT THE APPS: Appalachian kept with its perfect play to start the season, as the Black and Gold downed Campbell 84-67 in its second game of the Longwood Tournament.
The Apps were paced offensively by senior Sam Ramirez who totaled a career-best 28 points, including 23 in the first half. Ramirez went 10-16 from the field in the contest, including a stout 6-9 from three-point land, while also grabbing four rebounds, dishing out four assists and swiping one steal.
Along with Ramirez both Ashlen Dewart and Canesha Edwards posted strong performances against the Camels as well. Dewart recorded her fifth career double-double, registering a game-high 12 rebounds, while also pouring in 18 points. Edwards had 14 points, five rebounds and four assists in the contest.
Asserting their dominance on the glass, Appalachian out-rebounded Campbell 50-30, including grabbing 23 offensive boards.
ASU was the only team in the Longwood Tournament (Campbell, Longwood and Marshall) to win both of its games.
The win moves ASU to a perfect 2-0 to start the season, the team's best start to campaign since 1994-95.
SCOUTING THE SPIDERS: Richmond is an 1-1 on the young season, having defeated ASU's SoCon foe Western Carolina 79-65 in Cullowhee and then suffering a 96-84 loss at East Tennessee State.
It has been all senior Brittani Shells for the Spiders, as she has averaged 29.5 point in just two games. Abby Oliver and Crystal Goring have contributed as well, averaging 12.5 and 12.0 points per game in the two contests.
Goring and Genevieve Okoro have been solid on the glass for Richmond as well grabbing 8.5 and 8.0 rebounds per game respectively.
Richmond capped off the 2009-10 season with a 20-13 record, including an even 7-7 Atlantic 10 mark, good enough for an eighth place finish. The Spiders advance to the WNIT after falling to Xavier in the A-10 Tournament. Victorious in its opening WNIT game against Delaware, the Spiders then lost to Syracuse in the second round of the postseason tournament.
The squad returns four starters for the 2010-11 season.
THE SERIES: ASU and Richmond have met just five times, with UR holding the 3-2 series lead. Appalachian is currently on a three-match losing streak to the Spiders.
In the two teams last meeting during the 2009-10 season, ASU suffered a 78-56 defeat. It was a 17-2 Spider run in the opening minutes of play that proved to be too much for ASU to comeback from. Four Spiders ended the game in double-figures, with Shells scoring 19 points. For the Mountaineers, Dewart posted 15 points, while Anna Freeman chipped in 11.
Appalachian has only played once on Richmond's home floor, during the 1984-85 season.
ASU is a spotless 1-0 at Richmond's Robins Center, having earned an 82-68 win over the Spiders there on December 20, 1984.
In the five meetings, four of the five have been decided by double-figures, with the closest contest coming during the 06-07 season, when ASU lost by one point, falling 63-62.
Appalachian's last win over Richmond came in Boone during the 1985-86 season.
LIVE STATS: To view live stats of Wednesday's game click here. To listen to the call of the game live from the Appalachian Sports Network click here.
UP NEXT: ASU remains on the road, as the Apps close out their season-opening four game road stint with a game at East Tennessee State. The Apps are set to battle their former SoCon foe, Friday, November 19 at 7 p.m. in Johnson City.
