BOONE, N.C. - Appalachian State University women's basketball (10-18, 7-12 SBC) played a tremendous second half against the top defense in the Sun Belt, but it wasn't enough in a 72-67 setback to Little Rock (18-11, 16-4 SBC) Thursday evening in the Holmes Center.
Four student-athletes scored in double figures for the Mountaineers, with Madi Story pacing the team with 14 points and dishing out three assists. Joi Jones and Kaila Craven both notched 12 points apiece and KeKe Cooper rounded out the leading scorers with 10 points on 4-for-5 shooting.
Bria Carter battled on the boards with a team-high eight off the glass while scoring eight points. Ashley Bassett-Smith came off the bench to hit some big shots with nine points on four buckets.
If it wasn't for a sluggish first quarter, the Mountaineers could have been talking about snapping the Trojans' league-long 12-game win streak. LR came out of the gate the aggressors and delivered the first punch outscoring App State, 20-6. Little Rock started 7-of-11 from the field while holding the Black and Gold to 3-for-12 in the opening period, showing why the Trojans allowed the fewest points per game in the Sun Belt at 54.6.
Appalachian started to hits its stride offensively midway through the second quarter with a 10-2 run over a 4:14 span while trailing 29-12 and sliced the game to single digits, 31-22. Story, Jones, Cooper and Craven led the charge while Craven capped off the run with a pair of free throws. The Trojans scored the final four points of the period to take a 35-22 lead into halftime.
Little Rock shot 58.3 percent in the first half while limiting Appalachian to just 7-of-23 from the field. Appalachian converted its opportunities at the free throw line going a perfect 8-for-8 to help make up for the cold-shooting performance.
The Appalachian offense came alive in the third quarter shooting an impressive 69.2 percent from the field, including a 7-for-10 start to the second half. However, the visitors were just as effective from the floor shooting 8-of-12 and stayed on top by double digits against the Apps. Carter's layup to start the frame closed the gap to 11, 35-24, but the Trojans wouldn't let App within 13 points en route to going into the final period with a 57-44 advantage.
Just when it looked like LR would run away with the contest to ensure its 13-straight win, the Apps went on a 12-1 run in the first 4:53 of the period that dwindled the Trojan lead to just two, 58-56. Cooper and Bassett-Smith started the fourth frame with quick layups followed by pair of free throws from Story.
With 7:31 left in the game, Bassett-Smith hit yet another jumper before Jones hit a field goal that sliced the lead to four. For the sixth possession in a row, the Mountaineers came away with points as Jasmine Ogunjimi hit a pair at the line to cap off the run.
Appalachian held Little Rock to a 3:37 scoring drought while forcing the visitors to miss their first eight shots in the fourth quarter, giving the Mountaineers the momentum in the final few minutes of the contest. LR did score six of the next eight points to extend the lead to six, 66-60, with 1:45 left in the game.
But App State wasn't done yet, as Craven hit a stepback 3-pointer with 1:14 left in the game to bring the deficit to one possession, 66-63. LR would miss a pair at the free throw line on the next possession before Carter's layup succeeding two big offensive rebounds from Bassett-Smith put the lead to just one, 66-65.
Coming down the other end, Story came up with the steal that led to a three-on-one fastbreak and getting a shot off with 22 seconds left to take the lead but couldn't convert. Appalachian had another chance to tie the game up after LR sank two at the line to take a 68-65 lead with 18 seconds left, but the Black and Gold committed an offensive foul that gave the Trojans the ball.
Alexius Dawn hit her next four free throws to seal the win for the Trojans, a stretch where she went 6-for-6 in the final 18 seconds of the contest.
App State outscored the Trojans over the final three quarters, 61-52, while shooting 22-for-41 (53.7 percent) and a 60 percent shooting performance in the second half. Appalachian did a better job of taking care of the ball in the second half, committing just four turnovers (eight in the first half). The Mountaineers also shot a perfect 15-for-15 from the line, playing a big part in the Apps' ability to stay within striking distance of LR.
Dawn led four LR student-athletes with 24 points on 6-for-9 shooting while Keanna Keys came off the bench to score 12 points on a 5-for-5 performance from the floor. Sharde' Collins scored 11 points while Shanity James needed 13 shots to score 10 points. The post defense for App State contained James after the forward dropped 25 points and 14 boards on Arkansas State on Tuesday.
The Mountaineers also held a 36-24 advantage in points in the paint and the bench would outscore LR's reserves, 23-18. App State's 67 points is also tied for the third-most points given up by Little Rock in conference play.
Appalachian concludes the regular season against the top team in the conference in Arkansas State, who is coming off its first defeat in conference play this season to LR on Tuesday. It will also be the final home game for seniors Farrahn Wood and Cooper, who will be honored for their dedication and commitment to the program.
