BOONE, N.C. - App State women's basketball responded Saturday with a 71-52 victory over South Alabama in the weekend finale on Saturday afternoon at the Holmes Center.
App State moves to 6-6 and 3-3 in the Sun Belt, snapping the Jaguars' three-game win streak. South Alabama falls to 7-5 and 4-2 in league play.
The defense for App State locked down the South Alabama offense, holding the Jaguars to a season-low in points and 36 percent shooting. App State held Savannah Jones to only five points after scoring 18 on Friday evening.
Michaela Porter got it done on both ends of the floor, scoring a season-high 16 points, grabbing nine rebounds, and tying a personal-best with five steals. Porter played a pivotal role in limiting the Sun Belt Preseason Player of the Year, Antoinette Lewis, to only eight points and six shot attempts. Porter also scored 10 of her points in the fourth quarter (12 in the second half).
Lainey Gosnell tallied 15 points and grabbed nine boards. Brooke Bigott registered 10 of her 12 points in the second half and totaled three swipes. Pre Stanley shot 4-of-5 with 11 points and a team-high four assists, while leading the team with a plus-27 in 26 minutes.
Appalachian faced an early 10-3 deficit in the first 5:19 of the contest before App State held the Jaguars scoreless the rest of the quarter. The stingy defense aided a 10-0 run that led to a 13-10 lead going into the second period.
South Alabama responded by scoring the first five points of the second period to take a 15-13 advantage. A Maya Calder free throw and Gosnell's trifecta gave the Apps the lead for good. South Alabama tied up the contest, 17-17, but Stanley scored four straight points that started a 16-6 surge over the last 6:55 of the half to push the lead to 33-23 going into the break.
App stayed in control in the third quarter despite South Alabama trying to close the gap to within single digits. USA wouldn't get any closer than seven points, which came early in the period. The Mountaineers blew the doors open in the final frame thanks to a 17-3 run when App was leading 54-45, extending the advantage to its largest at 23, 73-48. Appalachian hit four 3-pointers during the run and forced South Alabama to miss five of its last six shots during the contest to pull away for the win.
Devyn Lowe scored 24 points to lead the Jaguars in scoring.
After shooting just 35.7 percent in the first half, the Apps shot 48.3 percent in the second half. App State also recorded a season-high 15 assists on 24 baskets.
The Apps outscored the Jaguars in the paint, 30-18, and turned 19 South Alabama turnovers into 15 points.
Appalachian will look to build the momentum when it hits the road again to face Georgia State in Atlanta.
Tip-Ins
- App State has forced at least 18 turnovers in nine of 12 contests.
- Porter has four games with at least five steals.
- Gosnell averaged 15 points and 9.5 rebounds with one double-double.
- App State is 5-2 when attempting at least 20 free throws.
- The Mountaineers are 5-0 when scoring more than 70 points.
- Gosnell and Porter combined for 31 points and 18 rebounds.
- The 19-point victory is the largest against South Alabama in the series.
