BOONE, N.C. - Appalachian State University women's basketball (6-13, 3-7,SBC) suffered a 71-55 defeat to South Alabama Thursday afternoon at the Mitchell Center.
Madi Story and Joi Jones led the Apps with 12 points while Story shot 50 percent (5-for-10) from the floor. Jones battled down low on the boards for a team-high eight off the glass, including four on the offensive end.
South Alabama (9-10, 5-5 SBC) showed why it ranks first in the Sun Belt in field goal percentage defense, holding App State to 34.3 percent shooting from the floor. Appalachian held USA to 35.2 percent shooting from the field in the first half, but the Jaguars shot 13-for-23 (56.5 percent) from the floor in the second half.
The Mountaineers came out of the gate early with a 7-0 start in the first 2:37 of the contest. Farrahn Wood drilled a 3-pointer on the first possession of the game before Jasmine Ogunjimi came back down for a layup. Story capped off the run with a layup that started by a big rebound from Carter. Appalachian held USA scoreless for the first 3:01 of the contest and forced the Jaguars to miss their first five shots.
But the Jaguars answered with a run of their own, scoring seven-straight points to tie the game up with 5:49 left in the period. App State would take its final lead of the contest following a jumper from Carter. However, USA finished the period on a 12-2 run that gave the Jaguars a 19-11 lead going into the second quarter.
USA stayed in front of the Apps as the hosts stretched the lead to as much as 12, 27-15, in the second quarter. Appalachian was held to just four points over a span of 5:08. The Mountaineers trimmed the deficit to five, 29-24, thanks to a 9-2 run spearheaded by Carter and Story. The duo scored all nine points capped off by a Story trifecta found by Ogunjimi.
The Apps were able to keep the deficit to within striking distance going into the half, trailing by seven, 31-24. Carter and Story led the squad at the break with 13 combined points and 6-for-9 shooting from the field (rest of team just 5-of-18).
Appalachian came out of the locker room able to keep the deficit to under 10 points looking for a run. But the hosts kept the same Appalachian team that scored 96 points on Thursday night at bay, ballooning the lead to 15, 44-29, with 5:07 left in the period. App State didn't give up as the visitors cut the gap to nine,50-41, after a South Alabama turnover turned into a Jones runner just before the horn sounded.
South Alabama's defense stymied the Mountaineers, forcing a 6-for-21 production from the floor while the Jaguars shot an efficient 7-for-11 from the field in the period.
After both teams failed to score in the first 3:22 of the fourth quarter and Ogunjimi cut the deficit to seven with a layup, South Alabama came back down on the next two possessions for a 5-0 spurt to take a 55-43 lead. Appalachian had one more run to try to take over the game. Three-straight turnovers and three-straight layups from Jones brought App State back to within six, 55-49, with 4:34 left in the contest.
USA once again answered the run with consecutive buckets to put the lead back at 10, 59-49. A 3-pointer from Craven on the ensuing possession dwindled the lead to single digits one more time, 59-52. That was the closest Appalachian would get, as the Jaguars finished the game on a 12-3 run forcing Appalachian to go 2-for-8 and clinch the victory.
Appalachian will return to the Holmes Center to welcome UL Lafayette on Thursday at 5:00 p.m.
