BOONE, N.C. - The App State women's basketball team (6-5, 0-2 SBC) will close the 2025 calendar year with a 6:30 p.m. clash against Carolina University on Dec. 29 in the Holmes Center. The game is the first of a four-game homestand in the High Country over the winter break.
JMKC members are invited to bring one friend, age 12 or under, for free for Monday's game against the Bruins. JMKC members can show their JMKC credential at the Southwest entrance, or email proof of membership to the App State ticket office for free admission. The game will also be available to stream on ESPN+.
Monday's game will mark the first meeting between the Mountaineers and Bruins. It will also be App State's second matchup against an NCCAA team this season, as the Black and Gold defeated Bob Jones, 110-35, on Nov. 7, marking the second 100-point game in the
Alaura Sharp era. App State tied for the second-highest scoring output in program history and recorded the second-largest margin of victory in program history.
Last Time Out
App State suffered a 67-54 setback against Georgia Southern on the road on Dec. 20. Leading the Mountaineers with a season-high 16 points was sophomore
Jayden McBride. Saturday's game marked her fifth as the Mountaineers' top scorer. Additionally, McBride matched her career-high of four 3-pointers. Junior
Daisia Mitchell netted 12 points while senior
Emma Smith grabbed a team-high seven rebounds, marking her fifth game as App State's top rebounder.
Rankings Report
Mitchell, McBride, and Smith are the Mountaineers' top scorers, averaging 10.7, 10.4, and 10.1 points per game, respectively. Smith continues to lead the Mountaineers in rebounds (5.5 rpg) and assists (4.2 apg). She remains second in the league in assists per game (4.2) and rose to second in assist/turnover ratio (2.30). Additionally, Smith stands among the league's top 10 in assists (46) and steals per game (2.27). McBride rounds out the Sun Belt's top 10 in 3-point percentage (35.4%) and 3-pointers per game (2.09).
App State ranks second in the Sun Belt and 23rd nationally in 3-point percentage (37.5%). The Mountaineers also rank second in the league in field goal percentage (45.3%), rebound margin (7.9) and scoring defense (57.7).
Scouting Carolina University
Carolina University is 2-10 on the season and 1-0 in conference play under the direction of first-year head coach Hannah Latiolais. Monday's clash with App State is one of four games against NCAA Division I opponents for the Bruins this winter. The Bruins dropped contests to Campbell (Dec. 11) and Queens (Dec. 14) and are scheduled for a New Year's Day challenge against UNC Greensboro. Carolina University enters Monday's contest after a 61-47 loss to Georgia Gwinnett College on Dec. 18.
Senior guard Jakyiiah Willis is Carolina University's top scorer, averaging 10.6 points per contest. Grabbing a team-high 6.9 rebounds per contest is junior guard Dearia Page, followed by sophomore guard MeiLani Patterson, who averages 6.3 boards per game. Page also leads the team in assists, dishing out an average of 3.4 per game.
On the Horizon
The Mountaineers will resume conference play with a trio of home games in the new year, starting with a 2 p.m. clash against Marshall on Jan. 3. App State will then host Coastal Carolina at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 7 and Southern Miss on Jan. 10. JMKC members are invited to bring one friend, age 12 or under, for free for all three games.
