BOONE, N.C.- Whitney Tossie and GiGi Thomas combined for 28 second-half points to push the Appalachian State women's basketball team past UNC Greensboro 58-53 on Tuesday night and into sole possession of sixth place in the Southern Conference standings.
The Mountaineers (7-19, 4-11) hit just one of their first six shots in the contest but held UNC Greensboro scoreless for the first six-and-a-half minutes of the game. Tossie scored five early points as ASU built a 9-2 lead.
Robin Colbert banked in a three pointer for her fifth point of the game as ASU took a 12-7 lead. Three-point plays from Sam Ramirez and Tossie helped the Mountaineers maintain a an 18-12 lead deep into the half.
Ramirez scored 10 points in the first half to lead the Mountaineers to go along with a rebound and a steal. She would finish the game with 12 points on 5-for-12 shooting with three boards and two dishes. Colbert posted eight points and grabbed eight boards on the night.
A flurry of treys gave the Spartans (5-21, 3-12) their first lead of the game at 25-23 under two minutes to play in the first, and maintained a two-point lead through the buzzer to take a 27-25 advantage. The Mountaineers shot 10-of-31 from the floor in the first and 3-of-9 from deep.
Thomas shook off her cold first-half shooting to score the first four points of the second half for the Apps as the team regained a 29-28 lead. Thomas and Tossie accounted for the first 22 points of the second half, as the Apps regained a 47-33 advantage.
Thomas ended the game with 12 points and five rebounds, while Tossie posted a season-high 26 points on 9-of-14 shooting. She dished out a pair of assists and grabbed a team-high nine rebounds.
Early in the second, Tossie picked up four steals to add to her two first-half rips to pull within one of the career record of 341. With seven minutes to play, the senior picked her seventh of the game to tie the career record.
Appalachian knocked down 13-of-17 free throws including several down the stretch to ice the win, 58-53. ASU shot 34 percent from the floor compared to 36 percent for the Spartans.
Gini Grimsley led UNCG with 21 points on 8-for-13 shooting, including a 5-of-9 mark from behind the three-point arc.
The Mountaineers are off for nearly a week before taking on Wofford on the road next Monday at 7 p.m.
The Spartans conclude their road swing with a game at backyard rival, Elon on Saturday. First tip is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Elon’s Alumni Gym. UNCG then heads home to end the regular-season with home contests against Wofford and Furman on Feb. 28 and March 1.