BOONE, N.C. – For the first time since Dec. 2022, and the first time in the
Alaura Sharp era, the App State Mountaineers (2-2) cracked the century mark, tallying a 101-44 win over the Clinton College Golden Bears (5-2). Five different Mountaineers eclipsed double-digits in the contest led by senior
Emily Carver's 16 points.
App State never trailed in the contest and led by as much as 59 points in the game. The Mountaineers dominated all facets of the game, shooting 62 percent from the field and 44 percent from three, while also outrebounding the Golden Bears by 24. Additionally, the Mountaineers recorded 24 assists to Clinton's four and forced 21 turnovers.
Along with Carver, seniors
J'Mani Ingram,
Mara Neira and
Zada Porter, as well as junior
Emily Hege each tallied double digits outings. In just 22 minutes, Ingram stuffed the stat sheet, posting 16 points, eight rebounds, three steals and three assists. Neira caught fire in the third quarter, scoring eight of her 14 points and Hege totaled seven of her 12 points in the final stanza.
The Mountaineer bench proved vital in the contest as Sharp's second unit tallied 46 points in the game. Junior
Rylan Moffitt nearly posted a double-double off the bench, scoring nine points and grabbing eight rebounds, and senior
Samantha LaFon poured in seven. Moffitt's first career 3-pointer rung the net in the third period to cap off what was a great all-around night for App State.
It took a bit for the Mountaineer offense to get going to start the contest as they were held to just six points in the first five minutes. However, after the media timeout in the first quarter, App State took control and never looked back. A pair of free throws from Hege and a basket from Moffitt sparked what was an 18-0 run over the final five minutes of the period. The Mountaineers shot 6-8 during this stretch and kept the Golden Bears scoreless for 4:41 to jump ahead.
Heading into the second period, App State continued to apply defensive pressure and kept the Golden Bears to just two points by the halfway point of the second quarter. Senior
Asjah Inniss and Carver scored off fastbreak layups to extend the lead to 26 by the 7:08 mark and two consecutive threes from Neira shot the advantage over 30. By the time the Golden Bears reached nine points in the game, App State had enjoyed another double-digit run of 17-2. A Carver three followed by a steal and score by Ingram put App State over 50 by the 1:15 mark. When the first-half horn sounded, App State led by 42 points.
Carver's 12 points paced the Mountaineer offense in the first half, but App State shot an incredible 22-34 from the field in the first frame to take a large lead into the break. Defensively, App State forced 13 Clinton turnovers and kept the Golden Bears to just six made field goals.
A 28-point third quarter spearheaded by Neira's two three-pointers helped lead to a 57-point advantage by the final frame. Ingram and Porter helped kick off the scoring in the period, but it was Neira who drilled two consecutive 3-pointers to ignite the App State faithful. Moffitt's first career 3-pointer sent a charge through the whole arena as she swished home a basket from the left wing. Junior
Seneya Martinez's first basket of the evening gave App State 80 points to cap off another stellar period.
In the final period, Inniss helped kick off the scoring with a layup, but the Golden Bears enjoyed their best run of the night at 7-0 to gain some momentum. A pair of layups from Moffitt and Ingram quelled that spurt as the Mountaineers eclipsed 90 points for the second time this season. Hege and Moffitt scored yet again to put the Mountaineers over 95, but it was LaFon who helped App State over the century mark as her fastbreak layup gave App State its final tally of 101 points. App State finished the outing shooting 63 percent and 44 percent from behind the arc.
Up Next
App State will welcome the Richmond Spiders, who were the Coastal Athletic Conference Preseason favorites and received votes in the latest AP Top 25 poll, to the Holmes Center on Sunday. Sunday's contest is a part of a doubleheader with the men's program and one ticket gains admission to both games. Fans will be able to get a $5 ticket to both games if they show their ticket from Saturday's football game against James Madison and a fan zone will be available on the Holmes Convocation Center concourse. The men's game is set to tip off at 1 p.m. with the women to follow approximately 30 minutes after the conclusion of the men's game. Both games can be streamed on ESPN+.
