SoCon Tournament Central

Game 8: No. 1 Appalachian State 72, No. 4 Elon 48

Box Score

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. - Top seed Appalachian State used a 15-0 run in the second half to separate itself from fourth-seeded Elon to win 72-48 and advance to the Southern Conference Women's Basketball Championship Game.

The Mountaineers will face the winner of the Samford-Chattanooga game played later this afternoon.  The game is set for a 4 p.m. tip tomorrow on SportSouth.

Behind a career game for Kelsey Sharkey and a strong second-half by Ashlen Dewart, ASU overcame a sloppy first half to move closer to its first tournament title since 1999.

Leading 29-27 at intermission, ASU held Elon to only 8-for-30 (26.7 percent) from the field in the second half and 0-for-7 from three-point range.  With Elon trying to keep the game in check, ASU closed out on a 9-1 run to leave little doubt.

Sharkey posted a career-high 16 rebounds and 12 points for the Mountaineers along with a career-high seven assists.  Joining Sharkey with a double-double was Anna Freeman with 10 points and 10 rebounds while dishing out six assists.

After making only 1-of-7 shots in the first half for three points, Dewart came out to knock down four of the first five Mountaineers' baskets on the way to shooting 80 percent (8-for-10) in the period.  Dewart finished with 19 points.

Appalachian State used impressive ball movement to keep Elon off-balanced and converted 31 field goals off 24 assists.

Kelsey Evans for Elon put together her 10th double-double on the year with 13 points and 14 rebounds.  She also added four blocks for the Phoenix.

Elon closes out the conference tournament with a 19-12 record on the season.