Women's Basketball Prepares for Education Day Game Versus Texas State

BOONE, N.C. - Appalachian State University women's basketball (11-9, 5-4 SBC) hosts Texas State (9-12, 4-5 SBC) in one of two pivotal Sun Belt contests this week. Tip is slated for 12 p.m. inside the Holmes Center.

Follow the Mountaineers: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

About the Mountaineers

Last Time Out
After suffering a setback against Louisiana last Thursday, the Apps bounced back with a convincing 80-58 win at ULM on Saturday. All 11 players who played scored, while four players scored in double figures. Madi Story and Bayley Plummer each scored a game-high 16 points. Plummer tied a season high in points on top of a game-high 10 rebounds, giving the junior her fourth double-double of the season. Tierra Wilson helped App pull away early in the first period with both of her trifectas coming in a 1:26 span. The Mountaineers were never threatened after that en route to staying undefeated against the Warhawks. 

Sun Belt Standings
App State is 5-4 in the first half of league action, which is tied for fifth with Georgia State. The Mountaineers are right in the thick of the race for a top-four seed, which ensures a first-round bye in the Sun Belt Tournament. App State is one game behind South Alabama for fourth and two games behind Troy for third. Saturday's opponent, UTA, is second and 2.5 games in front of the Mountaineers. It's a close race between the fourth (GSU) and seventh place team (Texas State), as just two games separate the five spots. 

What to Watch for
- In the first meeting against Texas State, the defense put forth its best performance of the season, limiting Texas State to just 49 points. In addition, App held Toshua Leavitt, the conference's second-leading scorer and one of the top 3-point shooters in the nation, to just 11 points on 4-for-17 shooting. Watch if the defense can bottle up the Texas State offense once again. 
- Pre Stanley snapped a six-game streak of not scoring in double figures on Saturday with 12 points against the Warhawks. She was efficient from the field going 4-of-5 and 4-for-5 from the charity stripe. Watch if Stanley can build off the performance from Saturday. 
- Texas State is 1-10 this season when it loses the battle on the glass. The Mountaineers have struggled on the boards as they've been outrebounded in two of the past three games. Expect App to get back to its rebounding ways. App State boasts a rebounding margin of plus-9.6 at home this season.
- Ashley Polacek scored a game-high 16 points in the first meeting with a career-high five 3-pointers. Watch if the redshirt junior can play well against the Bobcats for a second time. 
- In two of the three losses during TXST's losing streak, opponents have won the first quarter while the other team (Georgia State) was tied with the Bobcats at the end of the first period. See if the Apps can have a strong start on Thursday.

Scouting Texas State

- The Bobcats are on a three-game slide after falling to UTA, 68-53, in their most recent matchup.
- Texas State is 5-7 away from San Marcos this season.
- Toshua Leavitt leads Texas State in scoring and is second in the Sun Belt averaging 16.7 ppg
- Leavitt is also fifth in the country in 3-pointers made with 74 and is fifth in 3-pointers made per game at 3.5. Both numbers lead the Sun Belt as well. 
- Brooke Holle is second in the team in scoring at 10.6 ppg.
- Leading in rebounding is Zandra Emanuel, who is averaging 7.1 rpg. 
- TXST is fourth in the Sun Belt allowing just 64.2 points per game this season.

Series History

- App State is 4-5 all-time against Texas State.
- The Mountaineers won the previous matchup earlier this season in San Marcos, 62-49.
- The 49 points allowed by Appalachian is a season best. 
- Appalachian has yet to sweep Texas State in the series.
- App will look to snap a two-game skid at home against TXST.

What's Next

App State will have another tough test against UT Arlington on Saturday in the "PACK HOLMES PINK" Play4Kay game at 2 p.m. in the Holmes Center.