BOONE, N.C. - App State used a 10-0 run to start the second quarter, then held off a fourth-quarter charge by visiting Georgia Southern to notch a 60-56 Sun Belt Conference women's basketball victory on Saturday afternoon in Boone.
The Mountaineers (11-8, 7-2 SBC) notched their third straight win, while handing Georgia Southern (9-12, 2-7 SBC) its third straight loss.
A tight defensive first quarter saw the teams tied at 10-all at the end of the period. But App State started the second with a 10-0 run over the first two minutes and 46 seconds of the frame, building a 20-10 lead. Georgia Southern answered with a mini 5-0 run of its own, but the Mountaineers built the lead back to eight, 28-20, at halftime.
In the second half, both teams shot well from the floor in the third quarter - 8-of-11 for App State and 8-of-13 for the Eagles - however the Mountaineers extended their lead to double digits, 49-38. Georgia Southern would hold App State without a field goal for the final six minutes and 30 seconds of the fourth quarter, but would get only as close as the final four-point score thanks to a late three by Bukky Akinsola.
Nicole Gwynn led all players offensively on the day with 17 points. Indya Green scored 12 as well for the Eagles. App State placed four players in double figures, led by Emily Hege's 14 points.
Player of the Game
Gwynn knocked down a pair of threes en route to her game-high 17 points and added four steals, three rebounds and a pair of assists.
Stat of the Game
App State held the Eagles without a field goal for the final four minutes and 13 seconds of the first half and the first three minutes and 53 seconds of the second half, for a total stretch of eight minutes and six seconds.
Quotables
Head coach Hana Haden on the slow offensive start and defense at the end
"We're a team that right now that plays one side of the ball well at a time. And that's making it tough to win games. First quarter, come out, hold them to 10 points, but we can only score 10 points. If you hold them to 10 points you ought to be able to put points on the board. But then when our offense picks up, we don't get stops, and it's my job to figure that out."
Next Up
The Eagles return home to Statesboro to take on first-place James Madison on Wednesday, January 29, at 6 p.m. at the Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Convocation Center.
