LYNCHBURG, Va. - After facing a first-half deficit, Appalachian State University women's basketball (2-1) used a dominating second-half performance to pull out a 66-57 win at Liberty Friday evening at the Vines Center.
With the win, the Apps have won back-to-back non-conference road games for the first time since the 2013-14 season while handing Liberty it's third-straight loss at home to start the season.
App State outscored LU (0-3), 43-25, in the second half while shooting 48.3 percent (22.2 percent in the first half).
Joi Jones scored a game-high 18 points (16 in the second half) on an efficient shooting performance going 5-of-8 from the field and tying her career high with eight made free throws. She also added four boards and two assists. Q Murray and Ashley Bassett-Smith both added 12 points to round out the leading scorers. Bassett-Smith corralled a team-best six boards and three swats, and Murray dished out three assists, grabbed four boards and two steals.
The trio took on the scoring load for App State combining for 42 of the team's points, hit 13 of the team's 20-made field goals and 15 of the 23 converted foul shots. Madi Story had an all-around game scoring six of her eight points from the line while bringing down five boards along with three dimes.
App State held a dominating 23-7 advantage in free throws while turning Liberty over 22 times for 21 points. App State improved in the turnover column once again with just 10 miscues.
The Apps and Flames went back and forth in the opening quarter with Appalachian holding a 4-2 edge for its only lead until the fourth quarter. Liberty went on a 7-0 run over a 1:28 span to go in front, 9-4, before Appalachian scored 10 of the next 15 points to tie the game at 14-apiece.Trailing by three,14-11, Bria Carter grabbed one of her five boards for a putback before Story went 1-for-2 at the line to tie things up. LU would score the final three points to go into the quarter with a 17-14 advantage.
The low scoring continued in the second period where LU would outscore the Black and Gold, 15-9, both teams shot a combined 19.3 percent from the field. Despite the Mountaineers' woeful shooting, they managed to shoot 7-for-8 from the free throw line to stay within striking distance. After trailing by five, 19-14, the Black and Gold narrowed the gap to one thanks to a pair of free throw from Murray. However, the Flames' 11-3 run over the final 5:20 of the half to go into the locker room with a 32-23 advantage.
After Liberty had scored the first five points of the third quarter, it was a different story. Jones started and finished a 15-5 run over the final 8:07 of the third quarter to tie the game, 42-42, thanks to her jumper at the buzzer. Murray and Mikaya Wilson had a hand in five of the final seven points and caused chaos on both ends of the floor with three steals in the process.
App State shot an impressive 8-of-15 (53.3 percent) while holding LU to 33.3 percent shooting from the floor.
Despite the bench scoring just 11 points, six of those couldn't have a came at a bigger time when Brooklyn Allen hit two of her fourth-quarter 3-pointers in the first 1:59 to put the Apps up by six, 50-44. App State kept up the pressure on the struggling Flames extending the lead to as much as 11 (59-48) with 2:50 left in the game. Liberty sliced the deficit to six, but the Apps hit their last four foul shots to clinch the win.
App State will look for its first 3-1 start since the 2014-15 campaign when it plays its second game in four days on the road at Richmond. Tip-off is slated for 5 p.m.
Quotable:
“ I love the fight and resiliency this team has shown this season when we're down. We (the coaching staff) challenged them at halftime, and they responded very well. I thought when we were able to force some turnovers; it led to easy transition baskets, and it got our offense going. Our leaders stepped up in the second half and put the team on their back when we needed them. Our bench made some big plays late in the game as well with Mikaya (Wilson) leading us on the break and Brooklyn (Allen) hitting two big 3-pointers in the fourth quarter. The slow starts aren't ideal, but we came away with a big win against a very good Liberty team.” - Angel Elderkin
Tip-Ins
- App State has averaged just 8.5 turnovers per game in the previous two contests against Liberty (19.2 TO/game versus other opponents).
- Carter led the team with a plus-21 in the plus/minus category while Bassett-Smith (15) and Story (11) followed suit.
- Bassett-Smith has scored in double figures in consecutive games for the first time in her career.
- Appalachian scored 1.194 points per possession in the second half while scoring on 61.1 percent of its possessions.
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