BOONE, N.C.- Ashlen Dewart scored 24 first half points, and Appalachian State University women's basketball extended its home winning streak to nine games, as the Apps hammered Gardner-Webb 98-68 in the squad's 2010-11 home-opener Monday evening. The win improves the Black and Gold to 4-1 on the young season and gives head coach Darcie Vincent her 300th career victory.
The Runnin' Bulldogs had the advantage early in the contest going up 14-8 but that would be the last time Gardner-Webb led, as Appalachian took control the rest of the game.
A 9-0 Mountaineer run gave the Black and Gold all the momentum they needed, and put the Apps on top for good, making the score 17-14 in ASU's favor with a little over ten minutes remaining in the half.
Sophomore Ashlen Dewart came alive for Appalachian on the offensive front, pouring in seven points during the spurt, including draining a trey.
Dewart sank three more shots from behind the arc in first half play, including one with 11 seconds left to give Appalachian the commanding 41-29 lead heading into the break.
Dewart poured in 24 points in the first period, and ended the contest tying a career-best with 34. She went 12-15 from the field and 4-6 from downtown, while also going 6-7 from the charity stripe.
The Spartanburg, S.C. native was also stellar on the glass, as she posted her sixth career double-double, and second this season hauling in a game-high 11 boards as well.
Courtney Freeman and Sam Ramirez led the Mountaineers offensive assault to open second-half action as they lifted ASU to a 20-point lead up 56-36.
Freeman and Ramirez were not quiet on the offensive front against the Runnin' Bulldogs as Freeman scored 18 points on the night and Ramirez poured in 20.
Also productive offensively, Anna Freeman dished out a career-best nine assists.
Gardner-Webb tried to rally a comeback going on a 14-2 streak with eight and a half minutes remaining in the contest, cutting ASU's lead to 24 points, with Dominique Hudson pacing GWU during the run.
Hudson finished as Gardner-Webb's leading scorer, closing out the game with 19 points.
However, the Runnin' Bulldogs effort was not enough and Appalachian went on to knock off the 2009-10 regular season Big South champion, for the first time in the team's four meetings by a resounding 30 points.
Looking to push its home winning streak to 10 games, the Black and Gold take a week break for Thanksgiving before opening Southern Conference action, Monday, November 29. Continuing with its homestand, ASU will battle Elon at 7 p.m. in the Holmes Center.
Notes: The win is Darcie Vincent's 300th of her career ... the win gives Appalachian its first-ever over Gardner-Webb ... extends Appalachian's home winning streak to nine games, with its last loss coming against Samford on January 11, 2010 .. the victory is ASU's first in a home-opener since the 2007-08 season ... Appalachian is now 2-0 on the season against teams that won their respective conference titles a season ago (beat ETSU- Atlantic Sun champion and Gardner-Webb- Big South champion).
