BOONE, N.C. - The second time around, Appalachian State University women's basketball (7-18, 5-9 SBC) needed overtime and was able to pull out a close and thrilling 57-56 triumph over third-place South Alabama (15-9, 8-5 SBC) on Thursday evening inside the Holmes Center.
The Mountaineers snap a three-game skid and a four-game losing streak to the Jaguars, while the Apps improve to 4-1 in their last five home games.
LaPresha Stanley came through once again with a game-high 17 points and tied a career-high with nine off the glass. The freshman for App scored 10 of her points at the free throw line while adding three assists.
Nicola Mathews stuffed the stat sheet with 10 points on 4-of-6 shooting from the field,a season-high seven rebounds and a game-high five assists.
BayleyPlummer put in another consistent effort with her league-leading 11th double-double of the season, snagging a game-best 17 rebounds with 10 points and adding three swats. Plummer showcased another solid defensive effort against one of the league's top centers in Chyna Ellis. Plummer helped limit Ellis to 12 points on 4-of-17 shooting.
Tierra Wilson also helped on the glass with eight rebounds while scoring four points.
For the second time in as many matchups, the game came down to the wire. This time, App was able to pull it out with timely defensive stops and late free throw shooting despite going 19-of-32 at the line.
After Plummer hit two at the free throw line to give the Mountaineers a 44-40 lead with 6:57 left in the game, Ellis started an 8-0 surge with back-to-back 3-pointers en route to giving USA a 48-44 advantage with 1:17 left on the clock. Like last week where Stanley brought the Apps back to force overtime against Coastal Carolina, the leading scorer for App was up to her clutch antics again scoring the final five points for the Black and Gold. After hitting a layup to bring App to within one possession, 48-46, the Jaguars went 1-2 at the line to push the lead to 49-46. With 13 seconds left, Stanley rose up for what was the most pivotal shot of the game and connected to tie up the contest at 49-all. South Alabama had an attempt to tie up the game, but App came away with a stellar defensive stop before App's game-winning attempt with 0.9 seconds left on the clock had fallen short.
It was a back-and-forth affair in the final five minutes of the game as neither team held the lead by more than two points. Appalachian scored all eight of its points from the charity stripe including three straight free throws from Stanley that turned a 54-52 deficit into a 55-54 edge with 1:35 remaining. After Stanley came away with a big steal, she was fouled hard and had to go out of the game.
Lainey Gosnell shot the first of what turned into four foul shots one possession, hitting one attempt to put App head by two points. Antoinette Lewis drew a foul on the ensuing possession but missed both free throws. Following a 1 for 2 trip at the line from Stanley, Lewis finished drew the and-1 on a layup and with the chance to tie up the game. She missed the tying attempt, and Plummer corralled the board for the victory.
Both teams struggled from the floor shooting under 30 percent. Appalachian harassed USA into tying a season-low shooting 24.1 percent from the field and 7-of-38 (18.4 percent) from beyond the arc. In both games against USA, the Apps shut down the 3-point attack as the Jaguars were just 9 for 57 (15.7 percent). Also, USA's two leading scorers coming into the game in Ellis (14.4 ppg) and Savannah Jones (12.7 ppg), scored just 14 combined points and 5-of-27 from the floor.
App State delivered the first punch opening up with a 12-1 lead in the first 4:37 of the contest thanks to a 4-of-5 start spearheaded by Mathews' spurt with eight points. The defense wouldn't allow the visitors to hit a field goal until the 4:46 mark, missing their first eight shot attempts. App stayed on top of USA with Gosnell's layup pushing the pace to 18-7 at the end of the first quarter.
The Jaguars closed the deficit to six, 19-13 before App responded with an 8-1 burst of its own capped off by a
Maya Calder layup. The lead grew as large as 15, 31-16 when Stanley found a wide-open Gosnell from deep. Appalachian's lead wouldn't dip below 10 points as it claimed a 33-22 edge going into the break.
USA slowly crawled back into the contest outscoring App, 14-8, in the third quarter and trailed by five, 41-36, going into what was an exciting fourth quarter.
App State turned the ball over 18 times for 25 points and allowed 26 offensive rebounds, but outscored the Jaguars by 10 at the charity stripe.
The Mountaineers will look to end the weekend at 2-0 and match last season's Sun Belt win total when they face Troy at 1 p.m. on Saturday in the annual Play4Kay game.
Quotable
"We had many moments tonight that we could of folded and we didn't. We're so proud of how resilient this team has been. (LaPresha) Stanley played a big-time game for us. It has been fun watching this team grow!" - Head Coach
Angel Elderkin
Tip-Ins
- Mathews notched at least 10 points and five assists for the third time this season
- Plummer has posted 21 games with at least 10 or more rebounds and seven games with 15 or more boards
- The Mountaineers are 3-3 all-time in overtime games under Elderkin
- Calder posted a team-high plus-6 in 10 minutes with an efficient seven point, four-rebound performance
- Stanley led the team with a 19 PER followed by Plummer (18) and Mathews (15)
