BOONE, N.C. - The App State women's basketball team continues its road stretch as it travels to Arkansas State. The game is set for a 3 p.m. ET tipoff on Saturday and will be available for streaming on ESPN+.
Last Time Out
App State fell to Texas State 66-59 in San Marcos, Texas on Thursday. Redshirt senior
Janay Sanders netted 12 points on the night and pulled down four rebounds while redshirt junior
A'Lea Gilbert scored 10 points. Sophomore
Emily Carver pulled down a team-high eight rebounds and made a team-high four steals.
Sanders has been the top scorer for the Mountaineers in six of 14 games this season, with Thursday's matchup being her second consecutive game as top scorer. Carver has served the Mountaineers as top rebounder for three consecutive games and five games total.
Around the Conference
For the season, App State ranks third in the Sun Belt in 3-pointers made, averaging 7.1 per game. The Mountaineers are also sixth in the league in points scored, averaging 69.4 per contest.
In league-only stats, App State leads the Sun Belt in steals, averaging 11.78 per game. The Black and Gold also check in at third in made 3-pointers (7.7) and fifth in team 3-point percentage (.333) as well as team free throw percentage (.697). Carver and junior
Faith Alston check in at sixth and seventh, respectively, for individual steals. Alston also ranks eighth in assists for league play, averaging 3.7 per contest. Sanders stands seventh in the SBC in field goal percentage (.444), while Carver checks in at eighth in rebounding (7.7 per game), ninth in free throw percentage (.800) and 10th in 3-pointers made per game (2.0).
Last Time Against Arkansas State
The Mountaineers met Arkansas State on Jan. 13, 2021, falling to the Red Wolves 98-92 in Jonesboro. It was the Mountaineers' first game after four straight were canceled due to a combination of COVID protocols and injuries, and it featured 14 ties and 12 lead changes. Six Mountaineers scored double figures and were led by
Janay Sanders, who netted 19 points. Sanders drained 8-of-12 field goals,and sunk 2-of-3 free throws. She also pulled down seven rebounds and had six assists.
Faith Alston led the team in assists, dishing out seven, while also netting 12 points and six rebounds.
Emily Carver tallied 14 points, going 3-of-6 from the 3-point line.
Scouting Arkansas State
Arkansas State is 5-9 (0-3 SBC). The Red Wolves have lost four consecutive games since Dec. 18, most recently falling to Troy on Thursday, and are 4-2 at the First National Bank Arena. The Red Wolves recorded back-to-back wins on Nov. 16 and 19 against Hendrix and Utah State as well as on Nov. 26 and 29 against Kansas City and McNeese State in nonconference play.
Izzy Higginbottom leads the pack with 14.8 points per game as well as 4.2 assists per game and 2.2 steals per game. Higginbottom ranks sixth in the SBC in scoring and fifth in assists this season. Mailyn Wilkerson boasts the team's top 3-point percentage (.353), while Lauryn Pendleton has the team's top free throw percentage (.789). Wilkerson ranks third in the league in 3-pointers per game, and Pendleton ranks fourth in the league in free throw percentage for the season. Anna Griffin leads the Red Wolves as well as the conference in rebounds, averaging 8.9 per contest.
Arkansas State went 12-16 (5-9 SBC) last year. In the Sun Belt Tournament, the No. 8 Red Wolves fell to No. 9 Coastal Carolina in the first round, 91-76. The Red Wolves recorded three consecutive wins during league play from Jan. 8 to Jan. 15. Arkansas State also capped nonconference action with three consecutive wins, spanning from Dec. 14 to Dec. 22.
Up Next
Action on the road continues for the Mountaineers as they head to Harrisonburg, Va. and Statesboro, Ga. to take on James Madison and Georgia Southern. App State will clash with JMU for the first time in conference play on Jan. 12 at 7 p.m., before taking on Georgia Southern on Jan. 14 at 2 p.m.
