BOONE, N.C. - Making its first postseason appearance since 2013, Appalachian State University women's basketball has accepted a bid to play in the 10th annual 2019 Women's Basketball Invitational (WBI), where the Black and Gold will face UNC Asheville on the road at 6 p.m. on Wednesday.
The winner will advance to the next round on either March 24 or 25 to face the winner of Davidson and Marshall, two foes that App both defeated earlier this season in non-conference play.
"We are grateful for the opportunity to extend our season and gain valuable experience for our program," head coach
Angel Elderkin said. "We appreciate the WBI for rewarding our team's efforts this season, and we look forward to competing and representing out Appalachian State community."
App State is in a postseason tournament for the first time since earning a spot in the 2013 Women's National Invitational Tournament (WNIT), while it's the 10th postseason appearance in school history and its second WBI berth. The Mountaineers won the inaugural WBI Tournament in 2009-10, hosting three of the four rounds highlighted by their come-from-behind 79-71 championship win over Memphis in the Holmes Center.
The Mountaineers went 18-14 and 10-8 in Sun Belt play, posting their highest number of wins under head coach
Angel Elderkin and the most victories since the 2012-13 campaign. The 10-win increase from 2017-18 is the highest win improvement in the Sun Belt. App State finished fifth in the conference for its highest standing since joining the league. Down the stretch, App won six of its final eight games including a pair of Sun Belt Tournament wins, advancing to the semifinal round for its deepest run in the tournament. App State dominated No. 8 Coastal Carolina followed by a thrilling 47-45 win over No. 4 Georgia State thanks to the game-winning field goal by
Madi Story.
App State is one of seven teams in the Sun Belt who are participating in the postseason and one of three with Coastal Carolina and Georgia State in the WBI bracket.
UNC Asheville heads into Wednesday's contest with a 17-14 mark. The Bulldogs have won 12 of 14 games inside Kimmel Arena this season. The last time the Mountaineers and Bulldogs faced off was last season in Kimmel Arena with UNCA edging the Black and Gold in overtime, 69-60, after the Apps surged back from a 13-point deficit in the second half. App State owns the all-time record with a 14-4 mark.
