STATESBORO, GA.- Appalachian State University women's basketball was never able to match Georgia Southern Monday afternoon, as the Eagles snapped a four-game Mountaineer winning streak and handed the Apps a 73-65 loss at Hanner Fieldhouse. The loss is ASU's third straight to the Eagles and drops Appalachian to 10-4 on the season and 4-2 in conference action while GSU improves to 7-10, and an even 4-4 in league play.
Finding itself once down by as many as 10 points in second-half play, ASU could never quite shake a two-point deficit.
The Apps showed some life with under two minutes remaining, as Ashlen Dewart converted on a three-point play, and cut Appalachian's deficit to just three points down 68-65.
However, the Black and Gold were never able to rally and every time Appalachian made a run Georgia Southern had an answer.
Despite Chakeitha Weldon, Anna Freeman and Sam Ramirez providing some sort of a spark offensively, Mimi DuBose drained late buckets to push the Eagles to the eight-point win.
DuBose proved to be the difference-maker in the game for GSU, scoring a game-high 25 points, including going 7-9 from the free throw line, while Ramirez once again closed out the game as ASU's leading scorer, pouring in 19 points, and dishing out four assists.
Appalachian State opened play off strong, jumping out to an early six-point lead, but Georgia Southern found its rhythm and outscored the Apps 17-4 during a seven minute span to take a commanding 20-11 edge on the Mountaineers with a little over eight minutes remaining in the first.
Krista Tate paced Georgia Southern during the spurt, scoring six points during the run.
Tate was one of three Georgia Southern players that ended with double-figures, scoring 16 points.
Able to find an offensive surge of sorts, Ramirez drilled a trey and Kelsey Sharkey converted a three-point play to pull ASU back within three-points, making the score 22-19.
Georgia Southern however was able to answer, but buckets by junior Ashleigh Kelly and freshman Jessica Barrios cut the Black and Gold's deficit to three points once more.
Despite the effort, that would be the narrowest of margins for the Apps who struggled to get anything going on the offensive front, and the Eagles took the 35-28 lead over ASU heading into the break.
Never able to click and get over the hump in second-half play, Appalachian dropped its second conference game of the season, falling by eight points.
Looking to rebound, ASU has two huge SoCon games on the horizon, with Samford heading to the High Country first. The Mountaineers and Bulldogs are set to tip off Friday, January 14 at 7 p.m. from the Holmes Center.
