BOONE, N.C. - The App State women's basketball team (5-2) will open its four-game December road-stretch with a Monday night matchup against Gardner-Webb in Boiling Springs, N.C. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. and the game will be available to stream on ESPN+.
Last Time Out
The Mountaineers defeated Norfolk State, 66-38, in front of a record-breaking Education Day crowd of 2,035 fans. Junior
Daisia Mitchell led the charge against the Spartans with a career and team high 21 points. Mitchell knocked down 5-of-6 from beyond the arc and combined with senior
Emily Hege and graduate student
Jada Burton for 15 of App State's 40 rebounds. Netting 17 points of her own, sophomore
Feryal Defne Atli registered a career high on the day. Senior
Emma Smith dished out eight assists and made five of the Mountaineers' 11 steals. App State shot 42.9% from the arc and 44.9% from the field. The Black and Gold managed to hold the Spartans to four treys, five offensive rebounds, and caused 20 Spartan turnovers.
Rankings Report
With a field goal percentage of 59%, Mitchell leads the Sun Belt and ranks 30th nationally. Mitchell, who has netted double-figures in five games this winter, averages 11.9 points per contest, followed by Smith, who averages 10.1 points per game. Smith ranks among the league's top five and the NCAA's top 80 in five categories: assists (31), assists per game (4.4), assist/turnover ratio (2.21), steals per game (2.86), and steals (20).
App State leads the conference and stands among the NCAA's top 25 in scoring defense (51.7) and rebound margin (12.1). Additionally, the Mountaineers lead the league and rank 38th nationally in field goal percentage (46.4%).
Series History vs. Gardner-Webb
App State leads its all-time series with Gardner-Webb, 8-6. In their last meeting on Nov. 27, 2024, the Mountaineers defeated the Runnin' Bulldogs, 82-64, on Senior Night.
Emily Carver netted a team high 27 points and drained four of App State's seven treys on the night.
Rylan Moffitt led the team with nine rebounds, while
Zada Porter dished out a team high eight assists and three steals. After trailing in the first quarter and tying at 35-all at the half, the Mountaineers broke away with a 14-0 run in the third period. App State maintained the lead for the remainder of play for the Senior Night victory.
Scouting Gardner-Webb
Gardner-Webb (2-7) returns to Boiling Springs after dropping a pair of contests at the Coastal Carolina Tournament on Nov. 29 and 30. The Runnin' Bulldogs came up short to Jackson State, 76-55, on Saturday before falling to Coastal Carolina, 108-57, in Sunday's tournament finale. The Runnin' Bulldogs dropped their first four contests of the 2025-26 campaign before posting victories over Hampton (Nov. 16) and UNC Wilmington (Nov. 19).
Junior forward Amira Ofunniyin leads the Big South and ranks 64th nationally in rebounds with 65 (8.1 rpg). Senior guard Nyla Walker, who averages a team high 11.6 points per contest, stands second in the league in free throws (27) and third in free throw percentage (77.1%). Rounding out the league's top five in steals per game is redshirt sophomore guard Kayla Martin, averaging 2.43. Freshman guard Makayla Legette leads the team in assists, dishing out 3.0 per contest.
Gardner-Webb stands second in the Big South in 3-point percentage (34.4%) and fourth in steals per game (10.4). GWU also rounded out the league's top five in field goal percentage (38.9%), scoring defense (64.8), and 3-pointers per game (6.5).
On the Horizon
The Mountaineers' road stretch will continue with a 2 p.m. battle against Clemson in Clemson, S.C. on Dec. 7. The game will be available to stream on ACCNX.
