Appalachian State 77,
Xavier 73
CINCINNATI, OH – Katie Mallow dropped a three pointer with
33 seconds remaining in overtime to cushion Appalachian State University
women’s basketball to a 77-73 win at Xavier on Friday night at the Cintas
Center.
The Mountaineers (5-1) led by two with just under a minute
left in regulation. A jumper from Xavier’s Alliyah Zantt knotted the game at
60-60 each. The first meeting between the two schools proved to be a
back-and-forth contest with 12 lead changes and 8 ties, with neither team
leading by more than six in the final period.
Fans in the Cintas Center held their breath in the final
minutes, as the overtime period produced four lead changes and two ties. The
Musketeers’ (3-3) Amber Gray opened the extra period with a layup off a missed
three from teammate Alliyah Zantt (60-62). Anna Freeman followed with a
three-pointer on an assist from Michelle Taylor to put the Mountaineers back
ahead by one (63-62). Xavier’s Alliyah Zantt and Ashley Wanninger would connect
on three’s to knot the game twice more, but a pair of free throw shots from
Anna Freeman would edge Appalachian ahead by one (71-69) with 1:02 remaining in
the extra frame.
Katie Mallow sank a three-pointer with 33 seconds left to
position the Apps at 74-69, when Lakeisha Crouch shot a jumper with 20 ticks on
the clock to bring XU back within three. A pair of intentional fouls from
Shaytyra Hawkes, however, would send Katie Mallow to the line, where she
cushioned the App lead by four (77-73) to close out the contest.
Mallow finished the contest with six points in 1-2 each from
the field and beyond the arc. She shot 3-4 from the line, and recorded two
steals for the Mountaineers.
Appalachian shot 50 percent (30-60) from the field and 72.2
percent at the charity stripe (13-18), while the Mountaineers connected on
four-of-seven three point opportunities, compared to Xavier's 39.3 percent
field goals and dismal 6-of-23 from downtown.
Appalachian recorded 38 rebounds on the night, with nine
coming from Maryah Sydnor. Hometown hero Kelsey Sharkey contributed seven
boards of her own, and grabbed four steals.
Anna Freeman and Courtney Freeman finished with 28 and 24
points on the night, respectively, as Appalachian's leading scorers. Both
players recorded eight rebounds in the contest, and accounted for eight of
App’s 19 assists.
With the win, Appalachian returns home to face its first
SoCon opponent of the season against Georgia Southern on Monday, December 3 at
7 p.m.