BOONE, N.C. - Appalachian State University women's basketball rallied in the last seven minutes of the game to get the 70-69 win over first-place Arkansas State on Thursday evening at the Holmes Center.
The Mountaineers (8-6, 3-2 Sun Belt) came back from a 15-point deficit with ten minutes to play, beating the previously unbeaten Red Wolves (10-6, 5-1).
The Mountaineers jumped out to an 11-7 lead with 16:17 left in the first half, with Maryah Sydnor leading the Apps with eight of the first 11 points. A three-minute drought would follow for both teams until Arkansas State went on a 5-0 run to take a 12-11 lead.
From there the Red Wolves would score nine-straight points, taking a 23-18 lead at the 7:26 minute mark.
The Mountaineers would come within one point with 5:18 to play in the first off an layup from KeKe Cooper, but the Red Wolves stayed in control, leading 37-26 at halftime.
Sydnor led the Apps in the first half with 10 points, while the team shot 34.4 percent from the field.
Arkansas State was led by Aundrea Gamble's ten points as the team recorded a 43.2 field goal percentage.
The Red Wolves came out in the second half hot, taking a 15-point lead at the 14:24 minute mark. Bria Huffman would respond by hitting two-straight jumpers and Sydnor would add a layup to help the Mountaineers trail by just nine points.
Things did not look good for the Mountaineers as A-State went on an 8-2 run to lead, 57-42 with 10:04 to play. The Apps scored five-straight points but the Red Wolves continued to find baskets, still leading by 14 points with 7:37 on the clock.
Over the span of three minutes, Katie Mallow would hit three three-pointers for Appalachian, sparking an 8-2 run to trail, 65-58 with 4:36 to play in the game. From there the Apps would score eight points to Arkansas State's one, as the Red Wolves led, 68-66, after two free throws from Sydnor.
With one minute to play Mallow stole the ball and hit a fastbreak layup, tying the game, 68-68. After a made free throw from A-State's Jamie Ruffins with 30 seconds left, the Mountaineers would bring the ball down the court.
Huffman came up big for the Mountaineers, grabbing an offensive rebound and hitting a layup to give the Apps a 70-69 lead with eight seconds to play. Arkansas State quickly moved down the court, but Ashley Bassett-Smith would block a last-second shot by Gamble, giving the Mountaineers the 70-69 win.
Sydnor notched her fourth-straight double-double with 24 points and 12 rebounds, while Mallow followed with 19 points. Cooper finished the game with ten points and six rebounds, and Bassett-Smith added four blocks in the victory.
The Mountaineers shot 40.0 percent from the floor in the game, grabbing 45 rebounds and tallying 15 turnovers.
Gamble led the Red Wolves with 21 points and eight assists as the team shot 43.5 percent from the floor. Arkansas State recorded 38 rebounds and 15 turnovers.
The Mountaineers return to action on Saturday when they host Georgia State at 1 p.m.
