BOONE, N.C. - Appalachian State University women's basketball (12-12, 6-7 SBC) seeks to get back on the winning track on Saturday at 2 p.m. against archrival Georgia Southern (7-18, 2-12 SBC) inside Hanner Fieldhouse.
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About the Mountaineers
Last Time Out
Ashley Polacek led four Mountaineers in double figures with a career-high 27 points. The Canadian point guard shot 10-of-14 from the field and tied a school record with seven 3-pointers. In the process, Appalachian hit a season-high 14 3-pointers but it wasn't enough in the 85-75 setback to Georgia State.
Tierra Wilson got the start and scored 14 points with a season-high five rebounds.
Lainey Gosnell (12 points) and
Pre Stanley (10 points) rounded out the leading scorer. App State shot 48.2 percent from the field, but Georgia State posted a 57.8 percent shooting clip from the field with two players in Walnatia Wright (22 points) and Allison Johnson (20 points) combining for 42 points.
What to Watch For
- The last time
Ashley Polacek scored 20-plus points on the road, she continued that weekend scoring a game-high 16 points in the win over Texas State. The redshirt-junior scored a career-high 27 points and tied a school record with seven 3-pointers. Watch if she can continue to shoot lights out.
- App State is 20-for-44 (45.4 percent) from beyond the arc in the last two games. The Black and Gold nailed a season-high 14 3-pointers at Georgia State. Georgia Southern has allowed at least seven 3-pointers in 13 games. Watch if the Mountaineers can continue their hot streak from deep.
- During Georgia Southern's four-game losing streak, opponents are averaging just over 17 offensive rebounds per game, including 45 in the previous two contests. See if App can get second-chance opportunities against the Eagles.
- The opponents' bench are also averaging nearly 30 points over the past four games against the Black and Gold. Watch if the reserves can give the team a spark on Saturday.
- Over the past four games,
Tierra Wilson is averaging 10.8 points per game with 10 of her 13 made field goals from beyond the arc. Wilson scored 14 against Georgia State on Thursday. See if the sophomore can produce on offense once again.
Scouting Georgia Southern
- The Eagles have fallen in their last four matchups, including Thursday's narrow 76-73 loss to Coastal Carolina.
- Alexis Brown led three players in double figures with 20 points, while Nakol Franks scored 17 points and Hailey Dias-Allen rounded out the leaders with 13 points.
- Brown has been one of the top scorers in the Sun Belt. She is second in the league in scoring with an average of 17.5 ppg.
- GS also has one of the top point guards in the league, as Amira Atwater's 5.6 apg rate is first in the league.
- The Eagles are 4-9 at home this season.
- GS is first in the league in free throw percentage (.733) and third in 3-pointers per game at 6.8.
- Dias-Allen is the team's leading rebounder, as she's pulling down 6.8 per game.
Series History
Despite Georgia Southern's 37-23 series advantage, Appalachian has won five of the past seven matchups including the last two games in which App has won by an average margin of 28 points. The Mountaineers won last season's meeting, 87-56, behind five players scoring in double figures.
What's Next
Appalachian returns for its final two home games of the season. The Apps welcome both Louisiana schools on Thursday and Saturday. The Black and Gold will face ULM on Thursday at 6:30 p.m.
