TROY, Ala. - Appalachian State University women's basketball stayed close to Troy on Monday night, but could not pull out the win in the last few minutes, falling 91-87.
The Mountaineers (8-8, 3-4 Sun Belt) scored a season-high of 87 points, but the Trojans (11-5, 6-1) could not be stopped as Ashley Beverly-Kelley scored a career high of 34 points in Troy's victory.
The game started close as Troy led by just one point with a score of 11-10 at the 14:16 minute mark. The Trojans would score five-straight points, but Appalachian responded with six-straight of their own.
The Trojans would lead by seven points with nine minutes left in the first half, but the Mountaineers once again would recover, tying the score off a jumper from Ashley Bassett-Smith at the 5:49 minute mark. Maryah Sydnor would hit two free throws to take a 31-29 lead, but Troy would go on an 11-3 run to take the lead again.
The Apps would trail at halftime, 43-37.
Sydnor led the Mountaineers in the first half with 13 points, while the team shot 46.7 percent from the floor.
Troy was led by Beverly-Kelley's 17 points in the first, while the the ream recorded a 44.4 field goal percentage.
Appalachian came out in the second half, immediately going on a 7-2 run to trail by just one point. Troy would score five-straight points, sparking another run to lead the Mountaineers, 57-49 with 12:26 to play.
Appalachian slowly began to chip away at the score, finding a three-pointer from Farrahn Wood and four-straight points from Bria Carter. Two free throws from Bria Huffman with nine minutes to play would put the Apps down by just three, 63-60, and Wood would hit another three to tie the game.
With the score tied, 67-67 at the 6:39 minute mark, Mia Marshall notched two points to put App State in the lead. KeKe Cooper hit another two for the Mountaineers, but Troy began to come alive, going on a 7-2 run.
Huffman would tie the score again, 75-75 with 3:28 left in the game, but the Trojans continued to score, scoring nine points in a two-minute span to lead, 84-77. The Apps would be forced to foul as the Trojans came away with the win, 91-87.
Sydnor led the Mountaineers, finishing the game with a double-double of 31 points and 11 rebounds. Huffman followed with ten points, while Wood and Carter each added nine. Cooper recorded eight points and ten rebounds for the Apps.
App State recorded a field goal percentage of 49.2 percent, tallying 45 rebounds and 28 turnovers.
Ashley Beverly-Kelley led the Trojans with a game-high of 34 points, adding seven rebounds. Rachel Reid followed with 16 points, while the Trojans shot 43.8 percent from the floor. The team had 38 rebounds and 17 turnovers.
The Mountaineers will return to action on Thursday, Jan. 22 when they host South Alabama.
