BOONE, N.C. - The App State women's basketball team (4-2) returns to Boone to host Norfolk State for Education Day on Tuesday. Tipoff is set for noon as the Mountaineers welcome fans and schoolchildren from around the area to the Holmes Center. Admission and parking for Tuesday's game will be free. Fans are also encouraged to bring new or lightly used coats to donate to families in need. The game will be available to stream on ESPN+.
Last Time Out
The Mountaineers bounced back from a road setback against No. 22/23 West Virginia with a 64-40 road victory over UNC Asheville on Saturday. Junior
Daisia Mitchell and sophomore
Jayden McBride combined for 22 of App State's points, each contributing 11. Mitchell drained 5-of-7 from the field and knocked down one of App State's three treys on the afternoon. Seniors
Emma Smith and
Emily Hege matched with seven rebounds apiece. Smith also dished out a team high six assists and made five steals.
App State maintained control of the lead for the duration of play and held UNC Asheville to a team field goal percentage of 28.3% in addition to causing 20 Bulldog turnovers. The Black and Gold pulled down 42 rebounds to the Bulldogs' 33. The Mountaineers netted 40 of their 64 points scored in the paint.
Rankings Report
Smith ranks fourth in the Sun Belt in assists per game (3.8) and rounds out the league's top 10 in assists (23), steals (15), and steals per game (2.5). She remains the Mountaineers' top scorer, averaging 11.7 points per contest, followed by Mitchell, who averages 10.3 points per game. Additionally, Smith continues to lead the Mountaineers in rebounds (6.0 rpg), assists (3.8 apg), and steals.
App State leads the league and rounds out the NCAA's top 55 in rebound margin (11.7), scoring defense (54.0), and bench points per game (28.8). The Mountaineers also rank second in the Sun Belt and 50th nationally in field goal percentage (46.6%).
Series History vs. Norfolk State
App State looks to level its series with Norfolk State after dropping the last two contests to the Spartans, who hold a 2-1 all-time advantage. The Mountaineers last clashed with the Spartans on Nov. 16, 2023 in Norfolk, Va., falling short 67-53.
Emily Carver and Chaé Harris combined for 24 of App State's points and drained five of App State's eight treys.
Rylan Moffitt grabbed a team high nine rebounds, while Faith Alston dished out a trio of assists. App State had managed to hold the Spartans to three 3-point buckets, but a late scoring run from Norfolk State sealed the game.
Scouting Norfolk State
Norfolk State is 2-5 on the season and enters Tuesday's game seeking its first win against an NCAA Division I opponent. The Spartans have dropped contests to three ranked opponents - No. 12 Ole Miss (Nov. 3), No. 15 Duke (Nov. 12), and Nov. 16 Iowa State (Nov. 16) - as well as Penn and Hampton. Earlier this month, the Spartans notched wins over NCAA Division II opponents District of Columbia and Virginia State.
Leading the MEAC and standing second nationally in steals with 29 on the season is graduate student guard Jasha Clinton. Additionally, Clinton leads the league and rounds out the NCAA's top 10 in steals per game (4.14). She is also the conference's leader in field goals (37) and stands second in points (101), points per game (14.4), field goal percentage (43.0%), assists (25), and assists per game (3.6). Senior forward Carmen Kweti is the league's leader in blocks per game (1.71) and ranks second in the MEAC and 29th nationally in blocks (12).
Norfolk State rounds out the NCAA's top 30 in steals per game, averaging 13.1 per contest. In the MEAC rankings, the Spartans lead the league in free throw percentage (73.4%) and stand second in blocks per game (3.9).
On the Horizon
The Mountaineers will hit the road for four consecutive games in December, starting with a 7 p.m. clash against Gardner-Webb in Boiling Springs, N.C. on Dec. 1. App State will then take on Clemson in Clemson, S.C.(Dec. 7) and open Sun Belt play with Marshall in Huntington, WVa. (Dec. 17) and Georgia Southern in Statesboro, S.C. (Dec. 20).
