Category: College

By Jacob Plecker. SAN MARCOS, Texas. — Trailing by four after three outs of play and then falling behind five runs after the second inning, the App State Softball team used a great outing in relief by Sejal Neas to help its comeback effort, but the strong pitching and defense of the Texas State Bobcats sunk the Mountaineers in the series finale, the Bobcats winning, 6-4, on March 16.

App State (9-18, 0-3 SBC) saw a phenomenal outing by Neas over the final six innings of play as the senior kept Texas State (18-6, 3-0 SBC) off the scoreboard for each of the final four innings. Neas gave up zero earned runs in her 5.1 innings of work and helped settle things down for App State after the Bobcats scored four times in the first inning. This included leaving the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth inning with the Mountaineers trailing by two.

The Mountaineers outhit the Bobcats in game 3, seeing a 7-6 advantage. Makayla McClain and Grace Barrett both tallied a multi-hit game and the top four in the Mountaineer order posted six of the seven hits. Leah Gore smacked her team-leading fifth homer of the season out of right field and Summer Simpson helped spark a rally that resulted in a two-run third inning. Simpson gave App State good production out of the nine-hole in San Marcos as she recorded two hits and scored two runs.

It was a close series between the Mountaineers and Bobcats to open Sun Belt play, but the big inning bit the Mountaineers on both Friday and Sunday. App State surrendered a four-run first frame in both the series opener and the series finale. Take those innings away, and the two teams were separated by just three runs. In both games that App State allowed a four-run first, Texas State led wire-to-wire.

How it Happened

The Mountaineers went quietly in the top of the first inning as Texas State sat down the first three hitters it faced. The Bobcats saw walks to three of their first four hitters to quickly load the bases with one out in the bottom of the first. Sophie Moshos, the Mountaineers starting pitcher, recorded the second out of the inning, but back-to-back singles helped plate four first-innings runs. Neas came on to relieve Moshos and ended the inning, but the Bobcats led 4-0 after one.

Instantly responding, App State trimmed its deficit down to three runs with nobody out in the second as Gore shot a homer the opposite way for her fifth long ball of the year. Texas State didn’t let the Mountaineers get any closer in the second and maintained its three-run lead.

Texas State responded by scoring twice more in the bottom of the second inning to shoot its lead back to five. The frame started with a single by the lead-off hitter and then a crucial error on a sacrifice bunt attempt put two runners on for the Bobcats’ third hitter in their lineup. This resulted in a sac fly to make the score 5-1. After a walk to Aiyana Coleman, Neas struck out the next hitter for the second out, but a steal of second and throw through the pitcher plated the Bobcats’ sixth run. That was the last time Texas State scored in the game.

As part of this back-and-forth game, the Mountaineers bounced back and scored twice in the third inning to chip away at their deficit. Texas State retired the first hitter of the inning and then four straight hits by Simpson, McClain, Macy Hamby and Barrett plated two runs to make the score 6-3. Texas State made a pitching change after Barrett’s RBI hit and turned to Sun Belt Preseason Pitcher of the Year, Madison Azua, who retired the side and left two stranded.

Neas left a two-out double stranded in the third inning to post a scoreless frame and then posted her second consecutive scoreless frame in the fourth by striking out a batter. App State used the momentum from Neas’ work and scored again in the fifth inning to make it a two-run game.

McClain’s second hit of the day started the inning before Barrett whacked a single into right-center field to put runners on the corners with one out. The Bobcats retired the next hitters, but the Mountaineers executed a double steal as Barrett took off for second and made it safely which sent McClain home. A popout closed the inning, but it was just a two-run ballgame after five.

A quick inning from both defenses helped move action to the bottom of the sixth inning, which saw Texas State load the bases with two outs. Needing to keep the score where it was, Neas got to a two-strike count and saw a soft line drive snagged at third base by the jumping Olivia Cook, which kept the score at 6-4 into the final inning.

App State turned to Simpson to start the comeback effort, and she nearly opened the inning with a key knock, but a diving play in right field by Bailee Slack recorded the first out. Azua retired the next two hitters in order and sealed her third win of the weekend with a strikeout.

Friday Notes
Home runs
App: Gore (5)
TXST:

WP: Madison Azua (10-2): 4.2 IP, 2 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks, 4 strikeouts
SV: N/A
LP: Sophie Moshos (5-6): 0.2 IP, 2 hits, 4 runs, 3 walks, 0 strikeouts

Up Next
The Mountaineers will open their home schedule and the newly constructed Sywassink/Lloyd Family Stadium next weekend by playing host to the Georgia Southern Eagles. The Mountaineers will celebrate their 25th season of softball in the High Country all weekend long while also celebrating their alumni. The series will open on Friday with first pitch slated for noon. All three contests can be streamed on ESPN+. Admission to all home games is free.

By Matt Present. BOONE, N.C. — Despite being held hitless through the first five innings, App State put together a four-run bottom of the eighth, capped by a go-ahead home run from Juan Correa, to lift the Mountaineers to a 5-4 comeback win over Charlotte at Smith Stadium on March 11.

With John Kramer at second base after his two-run double to cut a three-run deficit down to one, Correa waited back on an 0-2 breaking ball and launched his eighth home run of the season over the left-center field fence, to give the Mountaineers a 5-4 lead over his former team.

The App State (8-8) pitching staff was excellent throughout the ballgame. Jack Zang allowed just an unearned run in the first inning in his App State debut and Luke Oblen needed just seven pitches to retire the side in order in the second inning, making his first collegiate appearance. Zach Lewis followed with a 1-2-3 third.

Bradley Wilson was one of two App State pitchers to throw multiple innings in the ballgame, facing the minimum over two scoreless innings – the fifth and sixth.

Joseph Zamora broke up the no-hitter with a one-out double in the bottom of the sixth inning, but the Mountaineers stranded two runners in scoring position.

After falling behind 3-0, with Charlotte (7-7) scoring a run in the top of the seventh inning, App State broke up the shutout in the home half of the frame. Tyler Lichtenberger and Tyler Figueroa led off the inning with back-to-back singles, and later in the frame, Braxton Church plated a run on a sac fly to the warning track in right field – just missing out on a game-tying home run.

Dillon Moquin, who reached base all four out of the leadoff spot, began the ninth inning with a walk. After a 49ers’ pitching change, Zamora and Kramer hit back-to-back doubles, forcing the 49ers back to their bullpen ahead of the Correa go-ahead blast.

After conceding a solo home run to begin the top of the eighth, Liam Best bounced back to work the final two innings in relief, earning his first win as a Mountaineer, capped by a three-pitch strikeout to slam the door shut in the top of the ninth.

App State will begin Sun Belt play with a three-game series against Texas State. First pitch on Friday is set for 6 p.m. with the middle game on Saturday slated for 3 p.m. The series wraps up on Sunday with first pitch set for 1 p.m. in the finale. All three games will be broadcast on ESPN+.

By David Rogers. PENSACOLA, Fla. — Leading the game for almost 25 of the 40 minutes, No. 6 seeded App State men’s basketball nonetheless faded in the end, upset by No. 10 Old Dominion, 61-56.

In this game, just when it looked like one of the Sun Belt Conference adversaries would gain separation, the other came clawing back to take the lead, the largest of which for ODU was just five points at the end. The largest lead for App State was 6 points, at the end of the first half, 36-30.

The Mountaineers had a five-point lead with 8:48 remaining, but scored just five points for the rest of the contest. App State missed 10 of 11 shots from the 8:48 mark until the end of the game, allowing Old Dominion (15-19) to go on a 9-0 scoring run. It was a lead they would never relinquish.

SELECTED TEAM STATS

• Field Goal % – ODU 40% (22-55), APP 35% (18-52)
• 3-Point % – ODU 30% (7-23), APP 30% (7-23)
• Free Throw % – ODU 91% (10-11), APP 76% (13-17)
• Turnovers – ODU 9, APP 8
• Points off Turnovers – ODU 11, APP 7
• Total Rebounds – ODU 38, APP 31
• 2nd Chance Points – ODU 17, APP 8
• Bench Points – ODU 3, APP 14
• Points in Paint – ODU 22, APP 22
• Fast Break Points – ODU 8, APP 0
• Blocks – ODU 7, APP 3
• Steals – ODU 3, APP 6
• Assists – ODU 9, APP 7
• Time Leading – ODU 13:20, APP 24:38

KEY PERFORMERS

• APP – CJ Huntley: 18 points, 12 rebounds, 1 block, 1 steal
• APP – Myles Tate: 7 points, 2 steals, 3 rebounds
• APP – Jamil Muttilib: 12 points, 1 block
• APP – Alonzo Dodd: 5 assists, 1 steal, 3 rebounds, 2 points
• ODU – Sean Durugordon: 21 points 12 rebounds, 2 blocks, 2 assists
• ODU – Robert Davis, Jr.: 18 points, 4 rebounds
• ODU – R.J. Blakney: 10 points, 6 rebounds, 1 block
• ODU – Caelum Swanton-Rodger: 7 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 blocks

 

By David Rogers. PENSACOLA, Fla. — Down 19 points with 7:29 left in the women’s basketball game vs. Marshall, for App State it was “Carver time.” In the space of three minutes, Mountaineer senior Emily Carver knocked in three, 3-pointers and added an acrobatic layup and a free throw to help shrink the deficit to 10 points before fouling out.

With Carver gone, senior guard Mara Neira picked up the slack with four quick 3-pointers of her own. But the clock was winding down and the Mountaineers were forced to foul in hopes of getting the ball back on Marshall misses at the charity stripe. Unfortunately for the favored High Country athletes, the No. 11-seeded Marshall players made good on their free throws and kept No. 6 App State at a distance to win, 75-66.

The Thundering Herd began to get separation on the scoreboard at the end of the first quarter, then expanded the deficit to nine points (35-26) by intermission. Led by starting guard Aislynn Hayes’ nine points in the third period, Marshall built on the lead to sport a commanding, 14-point advantage at the start of the final period (55-41).

Still, with  Carver and Neira doing most of the late scoring, the Mountaineers tried to make it interesting at the end.

In speaking with reporters later, App State head coach Alaura Sharp acknowledged both the opponent as well as the “fight” of her Mountaineers.

“Obviously, I want to give a lot of credit to Marshall. They are rolling right now and playing very well at a high level. It’s amazing what they’ve done all these games in a row,” said Sharp.

“I feel like our team could have thrown in the towel down 19, but that fight, that grit, that stick with it (attitude) shows a lot about the character of our (team). I’ve had a lot of fun coaching this group.” Sharp added.

KEY APP STATE PERFORMANCES

• Emily Carver – 23 points (4-of-7 3FG), 5-of-6 free throws, 2 steals
• Mara Neira – 23 points (7-of-15 3FG), 4 rebounds, 2 assists
• Elena Pericic – 7 rebounds, 7 points, 1 block, 2 assists

KEY MARSHALL PERFORMANCES

• CC Mays – 9 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal
• Blessing King – 5 points, 8 rebounds, 3 blocks, 3 steals
• Aislynn Hayes – 15 points, 4 assists, 3 steals
• Peyton Ilderton – 21 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal
• Meredith Maier – 12 points, 2 blocks

SELECTED TEAM STATS

• Field Goal % – MAR 49% (23-47), APP 39% (22-56)
• 3-Point % – MAR 38% (9-24), APP 42% (13-31)
• Free Throw % – MAR 74% (20-27), APP 64% (9-14)
• Turnovers – MAR 19, APP 15
• Points off Turnovers – MAR 16, APP 18
• Total Rebounds – MAR 36, APP 29
• 2nd Chance Points – MAR 14, APP 13
• Bench Points – MAR 32, APP 28
• Points in Paint – MAR 28, APP 14
• Fast Break Points – MAR 5, APP 4
• Blocks – MAR 5, APP 1
• Steals – MAR 11, APP 5
• Time Leading – MAR 35:46, APP 1:36

By Matt Present. BOONE, N.C. — Strong staff-day pitching and the first of two homers from Juan Correa enabled App State Baseball to take a one-run lead into the seventh inning against No. 15 Wake Forest, but the Demon Deacons moved ahead for the first time with a nine-run seventh and posted a 14-6 victory on Tuesday at Smith Stadium.

Igniting a five-RBI day, Correa hit a 411-foot, two-out homer to left with two runners aboard to produce a 3-0 advantage in the third inning. The Mountaineers (6-6) were still ahead 3-2 after six innings, but they trailed 11-4 by the time Correa stepped into the box and recorded his seventh homer of the season on a two-run, opposite-field shot that hit the pole down the right-field line in the eighth.

App State starting pitcher Cal Clark (five outs), Bradley Wilson (four outs) and Zach Lewis (scoreless inning in his season debut) combined to hold Wake Forest (11-3) without a run through four innings.

The Demon Deacons used a solo homer and a two-out RBI double to pull within 3-2 in the fifth before Cody Little, the third pitcher of the frame, took the mound with two aboard. He recorded a swinging strikeout with two runners in scoring position, then ended the next frame by getting a swinging strikeout on a 3-2 pitch with the tying run on second.

Wake Forest opened the seventh inning with four straight walks, including two on 3-2 offerings. The bases-loaded walk that tied the game preceded pinch-hitter Matt Scannell’s two-run double down the line in right.

The Demon Deacons followed a fielder’s choice that ended with an out at the plate by delivering an RBI single for a 6-3 advantage. The margin was still three runs in a two-out, bases-loaded situation when a Wake base runner going toward second beat a long, underhanded flip to the bag after a cleanly fielded grounder. One run scored on that potential inning-ending play, and the Demon Deacons used consecutive two-RBI hits to push the lead to 11-3.

App State made some late noise, cutting into its deficit on Graham Smiley’s 415-foot homer to left in the seventh and Correa’s two-run shot in the eighth, but Wake Forest scored three times in the top of the ninth.

By Jacob Plecker. NEW ORLEANS – App State Men’s Basketball standouts Myles Tate and CJ Huntley each garnered All-Sun Belt honors, the Sun Belt Conference announced Monday. Tate was named All-Sun Belt first team, becoming the fifth Mountaineer in the Dustin Kerns era to receive first-team distinction, while Huntley was named to the second team.

Tate’s first-team honor marks the second consecutive season that App State has had at least one player named to the All-Sun Belt first team. Additionally, two Mountaineers were named all-conference for the second straight year and the third time overall under Kerns (2023-24 and 2020-21). Tate and Huntley are also the 11th and 12th players to earn postseason All-Sun Belt distinctions in the Kerns era.

App State’s two All-Sun Belt honorees were tied for the most in the league.

Myles Tate | First Team All-Sun Belt

Tate, who was named to the Preseason All-Sun Belt third team, earned his first career postseason all-conference honor after posting one of the best statistical seasons by an individual in the league this season. Tate finished the regular season by averaging 16.5 points, 5.4 assists, 5.2 rebounds and 1.9 steals per contest. Tate is currently the only player in the country to average at least 16 points, five assists, five rebounds and 1.9 steals a game. He has accounted for 12 20-point games this season, making him one of only two players in the conference with that distinction, along with Cesare Edwards of Georgia State.

The Spartanburg, S.C., native was KenPom’s Player of the Year in the Sun Belt Conference. He finished in the top 15 in the league in scoring (second), assists per game (first), field-goal percentage (12th), free-throw percentage (10th), 3-pointers made per game (T-12th), steals (second) and minutes per game (fourth). Additionally, the senior point guard carries top-50 marks nationally in assists, assists per game and steals.

Tate has scored 496 points this season and has dished out 162 assists. He sits just four points away from becoming the 24th member of the Mountaineers’ single-season 500-point club and currently owns the third-most assists in a season in program history. He is the only Mountaineer in the Sun Belt era with multiple 10-assist games in the same season, doing so against William & Mary (Nov. 24) and Southern Miss (Feb. 5). He also has two double-doubles this season, one with assists (William & Mary on Nov. 24) and one with rebounds (Coastal Carolina on Jan. 13). He is one of just two Sun Belt players to post at least one double-double with both assists and rebounds (Dezayne Mingo, Marshall).

“I am so happy for Myles,” Kerns said. “He has earned this recognition with his play and leadership. He has worked extremely hard, and being named first-team All-SBC is a big deal. Myles Tate is a winner, and this is another accolade that is well-deserved.”

CJ Huntley | Second Team All-Sun Belt

A second-team All-Sun Belt Preseason selection, Huntley earned the first postseason distinction of his five-year career. He has blossomed into a star in his fifth and final year as a Mountaineer, averaging career highs in scoring, 3-point percentage, rebounding and assists. He enters the Sun Belt Tournament in fifth place in the league in scoring at 15.6 points per game and is sixth in rebounding at 7.9 boards per game. He is one of five players in the conference to be in the top five in the league in both scoring and rebounding entering the Sun Belt Tournament.

Huntley posted a career-best nine 20-point games this season, which makes him one of seven players in the conference to boast at least nine 20-point games for the year. He has also recorded a team-best 10 double-doubles for the year, which is the third-highest total in the Sun Belt. He tallied his first career double-double on Jan. 4 against Texas State and recorded a double-double in 10 of his final 16 contests to close the regular season.

After hitting four 3-pointers and grabbing a career-best 15 rebounds against Coastal Carolina on Jan. 8, he became the first player in the country to tally 15 rebounds and four made 3s in the same game. He also became the first Mountaineer since Marshall Phillips in 1998 to post a 20-point, 15-rebound game. Huntley capped off a 20-point, 12-rebound contest against Southern Miss with a buzzer-beating dunk to beat the Golden Eagles on Feb. 5 and matched his career high of 27 points against Marshall on Senior Day.

“CJ has had an incredible season,” Kerns said. “He is among the league leaders in many statistics. I am really proud of all of the hard work CJ has put in, and his hard work has paid off. Being All-SBC is a huge honor, and this is another accolade that adds to his legacy at App State. He has certainly earned this with his consistent play and mindset. I am so happy for CJ.”

App State now turns its attention to the Sun Belt Tournament, which will be played at the Pensacola Bay Center in Pensacola, Fla. App State earned the sixth seed and will play its first game of the tournament on Friday at 8:30 p.m. ET (7:30 p.m. CT). Due to the new tournament format, the Mountaineers will not know their opponent until the conclusion of Thursday’s matchup between No. 7 Texas State and either No. 10 Old Dominion, No. 11 Louisiana or No. 14 ULM at 8:30 p.m. ET (7:30 p.m. CT). All Sun Belt Tournament games will be streamed on ESPN+, with the championship game on March 10 also broadcast nationally on ESPN2.

2024-25 Sun Belt Conference Men’s Basketball Postseason Awards

Joe Gottfried Coach of the Year: Richie Riley, South Alabama

Player of the Year: Tayton Conerway, Troy

Defensive Player of the Year: Obinna Anochili-Killen, Marshall

Newcomer of the Year: Mark Freeman, James Madison

Freshman of the Year: Bryce Lindsay, James Madison

Sixth Man of the Year: Bryce Lindsay, James Madison

All-Sun Belt First Team

• Tayton Conerway, Troy
• Barry Dunning Jr., South Alabama
• Mark Freeman, James Madison
• Myles Tate, App State
• Taryn Todd, Arkansas State

All-Sun Belt Second Team

• Obinna Anochili-Killen, Marshall
• Cesare Edwards, Georgia State
• Denijay Harris, Southern Miss
• C.J. Huntley, App State
• Tylan Pope, Texas State

All-Sun Belt Third Team

• Myles Corey, South Alabama
• Sean Durugordon, Old Dominion
• Adante’ Holiman, Georgia Southern
• Bryce Lindsay, James Madison
• Izaiyah Nelson, Arkansas State

By Matt Present. BOONE, N.C. — App State scored six runs in the bottom of the seventh inning and brought the winning run to the plate in the ninth, but the Mountaineers were unable to take the lead in the late stages, falling 16-14 to Gardner-Webb on Saturday at Smith Stadium.

The contest featured almost everything you could imagine – 30 runs (each team scored six runs in the seventh inning), an immaculate inning from App State’s Caleb Marks and a four-homer, 12-RBI effort from Gardner-Webb’s Dale Francis Jr.

After falling behind 2-0 in the top of the first inning, App State (5-5) chased Gardner-Webb (6-6) starter, Jace Presley, before he had recorded an out in the bottom of the frame. App State grabbed the lead, pushing across runs on a John Kramer hit by pitch with the bases loaded (that ended Presley’s outing), followed by a walk to Kameron Miller to push in a second run. Miller walked four times in the contest after not drawing a single walk his freshman season.

Later in the inning, Braxton Church lifted a sac fly to put the Mountaineers ahead, 3-2. App State expanded its advantage to 7-3 at the end of four innings of play, highlighted by a Dillon Moquin RBI double in the third and a Church RBI double in the fourth.

After Marks gave up three runs over his first two innings, he bounced back to put up a pair of zeros in the third and fourth. The right-hander retired seven straight and one point and finished his outing with a season-high eight strikeouts. The outing was highlighted by an immaculate inning in the fourth, where he picked up two swinging strikeouts and a looking strikeout on four foul balls, three called strikes and two swinging strikes.

Gardner-Webb then broke through with 12 runs between the fifth and seventh innings, with Francis homering in all three frames (he also homered in the first). The redshirt-senior hit a two-run homer in the fifth, a three-run dinger in the sixth and a grand slam in a six-run seventh inning to push the Runnin’ Bulldogs lead to 15-8. He becomes the first player in Division I baseball this season to hit four home runs in a contest.

App State battled back with a six-spot of their own in the home seventh. The Black and Gold sent 12 men to the plate in the inning and worked four walks and got hit by three pitches, while Tyler Lichtenberger accounted for both hits in the inning including a two-run single to pull the Mountaineers to within a run.

Cody Little gave the Mountaineers some stability out of the bullpen, tossing the final 2.2 innings and escaping a bases loaded jam in the eighth inning with back-to-back strikeouts, after the Mountaineers intentionally walked Francis to force in a run.

In the bottom of the ninth, App State mounted a two-out rally. Tyler Figueroa walked, and Joseph Zamora singled to right, but Juan Correa grounded out to end the threat.

Church led the App State offense with three hits, while Kramer and Lichtenberger each drove in three runs in the contest. As a team, App State drew 13 walks and was hit by five pitches in the contest.

App State will face Gardner-Webb in the rubber game of the three-game series on Sunday at 1 p.m. at L.P. Frans Stadium in Hickory, N.C.

By Katherine Jamtgaard. BOONE, N.C. — The App State women’s basketball team fell short to Marshall, 76-58, on Wednesday.

“I thought Marshall had a great game plan. I thought that we lost the momentum at the end of the first quarter and were plagued with a little bit of foul trouble in that second quarter with senior Eleyana Tafisi on the bench. I thought we just really struggled. Our team just feels a little bit out of sync and out of rhythm right now,” said head coach Alaura Sharp.

“We’ve got to find a way to get together as a group and figure out what do we want out of these last few games,” added Sharp, “because I think that it’s a slippery slope. We have a lot of seniors. I think the end is starting to come. They are feeling a little pressure and it’s just gotten us away from being us. Obviously, as a staff, we’ve got to evaluate and see how we can hit our rhythm. I still believe in our group. I know we can do it. We’ve got a great opportunity to bounce back on Saturday and just try to really work to be us, where we’re playing with joy and we’re playing with energy.”

Senior Zada Porter led the Mountaineers for an eighth game this season, netting 15 points. She drained 7-of-8 from the field on Wednesday and has scored double-figures in 15 games during the 2024-25 campaign. Additionally, Porter dished out a team-high four assists. Junior Rylan Moffitt scored 10 points for the Mountaineers and made a pair of blocks. App State’s top rebounder was senior Emily Carver, who grabbed eight. The Mountaineers netted 20 points off the bench and made four blocks compared to Marshall’s one.

The Mountaineers opened play with a 7-0 run as junior Elena Pericic drained a pair of freebies, Porter made a tip-in, and junior Emily Hege drilled the first 3-point bucket of the game. Layups from Porter and Moffitt kept the Mountaineers ahead, 13-9. Carver contributed a trey, extending App State’s lead to 16-9. Marshall found momentum with a 10-0 run and closed the period with a 19-18 edge, despite a layup from Pericic, who was assisted by Porter. Porter, Pericic, and Moffitt combined for 12 of App State’s points, contributing four apiece.

The Thundering Herd, which controlled the lead for the remainder of play, extended its lead with a 14-0 run as the Mountaineers faced a scoring drought. The Black and Gold’s drought was broken by a freebie from freshman Hekla Nökkvadóttir. Moffitt netted four of App State’s seven points and made both of her blocks during the second period.

Early in the third quarter, Pericic made a layup, Porter landed a jumper, and Tafisi made a fastbreak layup to chip into Marshall’s lead (46-31). Carver, who combined with Porter for nine of App State’s points in the period, made a pair of layups for the Mountaineers. She also grabbed four of her eight rebounds in the quarter. Despite a Hege trey and a three-point play from Porter, Marshall closed the quarter with a 62-41 advantage.

In the fourth quarter, Porter made a layup to chip into Marshall’s lead. The Mountaineers found momentum with a 10-0 run that featured jumpers from Moffitt and Hege, a pair of freebies from Neira, and layups from Neira and Porter. The Herd answered with a run of its own to extend the deficit to 74-53. With 1:28 left in the period, senior Asjah Inniss drained the Mountaineers’ sole trey of the quarter. Despite a final jumper from junior Seneya Martinez and App State outscoring Marshall, 17-14 in the quarter, the Mountaineers fell short 76-58.

Up Next

The Mountaineers will close their 2024-25 home slate with a 3:30 p.m. Alumni Day clash against James Madison on Saturday. The game against the Dukes is part of a doubleheader with the men’s program, which will host Marshall at 1 p.m. Fans are encouraged to come early for the men’s game and stay late for the women’s game. One ticket will get fans into both games and fans can claim BOGO tickets when they use the promo code MOUNTAINSTRONG. App State faculty and staff will receive free admission when they show their App Cards.

By David Rogers. CONWAY, S.C. — App State shrugged off an early defensive battle with Coastal Carolina on Feb. 13 — and leveraged a 23-7 run over the final 11 minutes to record a fourth straight win, defeating the Chanticleers, 64-46.

Senior guard Myles Tate and graduate forward CJ Huntley continued to lead the Mountaineers, each scoring 17 points to claim a share of game-high honors. Tate recorded a double-double with 10 rebounds (another game-high), while Huntley cleaned the boards for 8 rebounds. Luke Wilson (8 points, 6 rebounds, 2 blocked shots) and Jalil Beaubrun (3 points, 6 rebounds, 1 blocked shot) led the Mountaineers coming off the bench.

Conference Tournament Ramifications

The win keeps the Mountaineers locked in a 4-way tie for the coveted No. 2 spot in the Sun Belt Conference standings with South Alabama, Troy and James Madison, all at 9-4 in league play. Arkansas State has sole possession of No. 1, at 10-3. After regular season play, the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds are rewarded with byes into the semifinals of the conference tournament slated for Pensacola, Fla., March 4-10. The No. 3 and No. 4 seeds receive byes into the quarterfinals, so a lot is at stake for the remaining conference games in February. App State is at Georgia State on Feb. 15, returns home on Feb. 20 to host Georgia Southern, then stays at home to face Marshall on Feb. 22. The Mountaineers travel to Statesboro, Ga. on Feb. 25 in a rematch game vs. Georgia Southern and close out the regular season on the road, at Marshall, Feb. 28.