BOONE, N.C. – The App State women's basketball team (8-7, 1-4 SBC), defeated Southern Miss (10-6, 3-2), 82-59, in the Holmes Center on Saturday. The Mountaineers' win was highlighted by strong shooting from beyond the arc, as App State came within one of matching both the program's team and individual single-game 3-point records.
"The first thing is just how proud I am of our group. Life is not about what happens to you, it's how you respond," said head coach
Alaura Sharp. "Obviously, we had a reset meeting with our team after a tough outing for us on Wednesday and the last thing when I closed out the meeting was I said 'you have the power to make it right.'"
"We felt like success is in the details: pass-faking, playing off two feet, top-foot close-outs. We challenged them on their buy-in to defensive schemes and game plans and the things that we're doing and I'm just so proud of their execution," Sharp said. "Twenty-four assists, to be able to be where we were 48 hours ago to where we were from just the grit, the toughness, I want to shout out
Isa Roman. Her role has totally shifted and changed. I thought she was ready for the moment, made for the moment, and gave us great energy. Top to bottom, I'm just really proud of every player and the program."
App State netted 14 3-pointers, coming within one of the school record (15). The Mountaineers have tallied 15 3-point buckets on three occasions, the last being Feb. 3, 2024 against Coastal Carolina. Sophomore
Jayden McBride's hot shooting from beyond the arc brought her within one of the program's individual single-game 3-point record as she downed six buckets on seven attempts. The individual record was originally set on Jan. 12, 1991 by Karen Gruca, who drilled seven treys against Furman, and has since been matched by Leigh Jones (1997), Tierra Wilson (2018), Ashley Polacek (2019),
Emily Carver (2023), and
Mara Neira (2025).
McBride netted a career and season high 26 points, surpassing her previous high of 18 points, which she set in 2024. The Erie, Pa. native accounted for six of App State's 14 triples in addition to grabbing five rebounds and dishing out four assists. Senior
Emma Smith notched her second double-double of the season with 17 points and a team-high 11 rebounds, matching her career-high in the rebounds category for a fifth time. Additionally, Smith combined with fellow senior
Emily Hege and junior
Daisia Mitchell for 15 of App State's 24 assists, each dishing out five.
App State held Southern Miss, a team ranked among the NCAA's top-50 in 3-point percentage and 3-pointers per game heading into Saturday's contest, to three triples and a mark of 13.0%. The Mountaineers also held the Lady Eagles to nine offensive rebounds. App State shot 54.5% from the field and 53.8% from beyond the arc.
In the first half, McBride accounted for 14 of App State's 36 points, draining a perfect 6-of-6 from the field and 2-of-2 from beyond the arc. McBride put the Mountaineers on the board with a layup before knocking down her first 3-pointer of the game to put App State up, 5-3. Hege, Smith, and freshman
Isa Roman knocked down triples of their own to push the Mountaineers ahead, 16-10. As Southern Miss knotted the score at 16-all with 0:04 left in the period, McBride beat the buzzer with a 3-pointer, assisted by Smith, to push App State ahead, 19-16, to cap the quarter.
The Mountaineers' momentum carried to the second period, as McBride extended App State's lead to 23-16 with a pair of layups. Freshman
Addie Biel made it to the hoop for the layup and knocked down the freebie that followed to complete the three-point play. Free throws from Smith and Biel kept App State ahead as Southern Miss narrowed the deficit to 36-31 at the half.
Early in the third quarter, Southern Miss managed to tie things up at 36-all, but Biel was quick to break the tie with a jumper, which she promptly followed up with a layup. Senior
Elena Pericic, Smith, and McBride each knocked down 3-pointers to extend App State's lead to 52-40. Roman punctuated the third period with her second triple of the game.
Mitchell opened the fourth quarter with a 3-point bucket, assisted by McBride, which Biel followed with a trip to the hoop for a layup to extend App State's lead of 65-53. With 4:59 left in regulation, freshman
Riley Stoker made a layup in the paint, which sparked a 15-0 run for the Mountaineers that sealed the 82-59 victory for App State.
Up Next
The Mountaineers will travel to Norfolk, Va. to mark the start of a four-game road-stretch. App State will take on Old Dominion at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 14. Fans will be able to stream the game on ESPN+.
