Mountaineers Triumph Over Red Wolves 77-62 in Thrilling Sun Belt Debut

BOONE, N.C. – The App State women’s basketball squad commenced Sun Belt action on Sunday with a 77-62 triumph over Arkansas State at the Holmes Center. App State improves to 5-6 (1-0 SBC) this season and recorded its third successive win against Arkansas State in the series with the Red Wolves.
 
“I am exceedingly proud of our squad,” remarked head coach Alaura Sharp. “I informed them after the game that they secured this victory over the last three days. They returned after the Christmas break, which can be challenging at times. Naturally, entering this with a win feels great. I advised them to enjoy just four days off. Avoid shooting any balls, just truly take time to recharge and then come back prepared for that first game. Our practices have been outstanding. Their commitment, energy, and unity were all evident on the court today, and that’s why we secured the win.
 
For a second consecutive outing, senior Mara Neira spearheaded the Mountaineers, scoring a season-high 20 points. Neira hit four of App State’s five three-pointers during the game and contributed to four of App State’s six steals. Junior Rylan Moffitt added 13 points, just three shy of her career high of 16, achieved on Jan. 27, 2024, at JMU. Moffitt successfully made 6-of-8 from the field, collected four rebounds, and registered one block. In the rebounds department, junior Elena Pericic dominated the boards for the Mountaineers again with nine rebounds. She also scored 10 points during the game. Senior Eleyana Tafisi recorded a team-high seven assists and combined with fellow senior Emily Carver for 18 points, each contributing nine.
 
App State achieved a shooting percentage of 55.6% from the field, accumulating 48 points in the paint. The Mountaineers also contributed 41 points from their bench and 21 fastbreak points. The Black and Gold tallied 18 assists compared to Arkansas State’s eight. App State registered three blocks compared to the Red Wolves’ one.
 
In the first quarter, the score was tied twice, and the lead changed hands five times between App State and Arkansas State. Carver and senior Asjah Inniss combined for 12 of App State’s 22 points in the quarter. Carver opened the scoring with a three-pointer, narrowing the Red Wolves’ early advantage to one (4-3). App State then took a 7-6 lead after successive layups from Tafisi and Carver. After a tie at 10 points each, the Mountaineers established a 17-13 lead courtesy of layups from Moffitt and Inniss as well as a three-pointer from Neira. Arkansas State answered with a three-pointer to pull the Mountaineers’ lead to one (17-16). App State concluded the quarter with a 5-0 surge, including a free throw from senior J’Mani Ingram and two fastbreak layups from Moffitt and Carver to take a 22-16 lead.
 
Although they began the second quarter with a scoring lull, Pericic broke through with a couple of layups, and Tafisi netted a jumper to keep the Mountaineers ahead, 28-22. Layups from Neira and Carver expanded App State’s lead to 32-24. Near the end of the quarter, Neira knocked down a three-pointer, sending the Mountaineers into half-time with a 35-29 lead. Pericic and Neira together accounted for nine of App State’s 13 points in the period.
 
The Black and Gold outperformed the Red Wolves 24-10 in the third quarter. Twenty of App State’s points came from the paint, and 10 were scored off fastbreaks. The Mountaineers denied the Red Wolves any points in the paint or second-chance opportunities during this period. App State exhibited an impressive shooting percentage of 62.5% from the floor. They went on a scoring spree, featuring a 12-1 run over 3:09, highlighted by three straight layups from Moffitt. Pericic, Neira, and Porter also made layups during the scoring surge, pushing App State’s advantage to 56-38. Porter widened the gap to 59-39 with a tip-in layup as the quarter concluded.
 
In the final quarter, App State achieved 100% shooting from both the field and beyond the arc, alongside a 75% performance from the foul line. Neira opened the quarter with a three-pointer, scoring eight points through the final period while shooting perfectly from beyond the arc and the line. Porter converted a jumper to make the score 64-44. Following two free throws from Tafisi, Neira’s second three-pointer of the quarter, and a layup from Moffitt in the paint, App State led 71-51. Neira and Porter each sank two free throws, and with just 10 seconds remaining, Ingram capped off the scoring with a layup, finalizing the victory for the Mountaineers at 77-62.
 
Up Next
The Mountaineers will head to Mobile, Ala. to face South Alabama on Jan. 2 before proceeding to Hattiesburg, Miss. to compete against Southern Miss on Jan. 4. Both matchups are scheduled for 3 p.m. ET (2 p.m. CT) tip-offs and will be available for streaming on ESPN+.