High altitude in the mountains of Boone, N.C. was no problem for Georgia State women’s basketball as the Panthers earned a 76-71 over the Appalachian State Mountaineers. The win improves the team’s record to 8-8 and its Sun Belt mark to 3-4.
First Half
Appalachian State senior forward Maryah Sydnor placed her team in front early as she scored the first two points of the game. This would be followed by a layup by Brittany Logan to tie the score up at two apiece.
Alisha Andrews then placed the Panthers ahead by a score of 5-2 with her first three-pointer of the game before Mountaineers sophomore guard Joi Jones scored four consecutive points placing Appalachian State ahead 6-5.
The Mountaineers maintained their early one-point advantage as the score became 8-7 before Georgia State embarked on an 8-0 run that another layup from Logan along with three-pointers from Andrews and Morgan Jackson. This gave the Panthers a 15-8 lead.
Junior guard Bria Huffman then placed in her first two points of the game bringing the Mountaineers within five at 15-10. Another three by Andrews along with two-pointers from Jackson and Kayla Nolan equaled a 7-0 Georgia State run and a 22-10 lead.
Appalachian State responded with a 7-0 run of their own that included three points from freshman guard Madi Story and midrange jumpers from Sydnor.
Logan upped her point total to six as the Panthers led 24-17, but the score became 24-20 after a three-pointer by Jones.
Georgia State would maintain their four-point edge with leads of 26-22 and 28-24 before a jump shot by Barrett-Smith along with a fastbreak layup from the Mountaineers’ Sydnor tying the two teams up at 28.
A pair of Nolan free throws after a foul by junior forward Keke Cooper plus another Jackson three placed Georgia State back up by five at 33-28.
Sophomore center Mia Marshall was then charged with a foul against Nolan who made two more free throws, but the Mountaineer threes kept raining down as one from senior guard Katie Mallow closed the gap to 35-34 in Georgia State’s favor.
Jackson answered Mallow’s three with one of her own producing a 38-34 tally, but a Sydnor layup with 28 seconds left got Appalachian State within 38-36.
Second Half
Cooper’s layup a minute into the second half tied the game at 38. Mallow was charged with a foul against Logan, who made both of her following free throws, but Appalachian State assumed a 41-40 lead after a three-point shot by Mallow.
The game was tied at 41 as Logan made one of two free throws after being fouled by Jones.
The Panthers and Mountaineers would then be all square at 43 ,as Sydnor made two free throws after being fouled by Haley Gerrin. Bassett-Smith then scored four consecutive points producing an Appalachian State 6-0 run and a 47-43 Mountaineers lead.
After a two-point shot by Gaby Moss bringing Georgia State within two at 47-45, Gerrin fouled Sydnor, who made one of two from the free throw line, giving Appalachian State a 48-45 edge.
The Panthers then went ahead by a score of 54-48 as they went on a 9-0 scoring run.
The score became 54-50 as the Mountaineers’ Jones upped her point total to nine, but Georgia State extended their advantage to 59-50 with a Gerrin free throw and a pair of layups by Miranda Smith.
Appalachian State junior guard Farrahn Wood then cut her team’s deficit to 59-53 with a made three-point shot. Mallow then fouled Logan who made both of her following free throws increasing the Georgia State lead to 61-53.
With the score at 63-55 in the Panthers’ favor, Cooper got Appalachian State within six at 63-57, but Georgia State managed to maintain their six-point lead with scores of 65-59 and 67-61.
Sydnor then made a jumper cutting the Mountaineers’ deficit to four at 67-63, but two free throws from Andrews expanded it back to six at 69-63.
Sydnor then made two more free throws once again, bringing Appalachian State within four at 69-65. Andrews would go back to the free throw line, but only made one of two on this occasion as the Georgia State lead became 70-65.
Kennesha Nichols was charged with a foul against Mallow, who made a pair of free throws bringing the Mountaineers within three at 70-67.
With a minute to play, Nichols placed Georgia State ahead by four at 71-67 as she made one of two from the line.
Sydnor’s point total became 21 as the score became 71-69, but Andrews and Watson would each make a pair of free throws extending the Panthers’ lead to 75-69. Nichols also made one of two from the line after being fouled by Jones, increasing the Georgia State lead to 76-69.
Jones, with seven seconds left, increased her point total to 11 bringing Appalachian State within 76-71, but in the end, Georgia State earned their third Sun Belt victory.
The Panthers’ road trip continues as they face Arkansas State from Jonesboro, Ark. on Monday night at 6 p.m.
| Georgia State | Appalachian State |
|---|---|
| Logan: 17 points | Andrews: 16 points |
| Sydnor: 21 points | Jones: 11 points |
