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Mountaineers Outlast Terriers in 68-65 Victory

Maryah Sydnor led the Mountaineers with 23 points and 14 rebounds against Wofford. Photo courtesy of Appalachian Sports Information
Maryah Sydnor led the Mountaineers with 23 points and 14 rebounds against Wofford. Photo courtesy of Appalachian Sports Information

Jan. 15, 2013. SPARTANBURG, S.C. – Maryah Sydnor scored 23 points and Katie Mallow added 14 Monday as Appalachian State women’s basketball held on for a 68-65 double-overtime victory over Wofford. 

Sydnor added 14 rebounds, four steals, and three blocked shots and Anna Freeman grabbed 14 rebounds for the Mountaineers (10-3, 4-1 SoCon), who fought their way through a physical matchup to their 11th consecutive victory against the Terriers (5-9, 0-6 SoCon) in their first double overtime contest since defeating Davidson 78-75 on January 18, 2003.

Appalachian State jumped to a quick 4-0 lead with 18:14 left in the first half, but a pair of Wofford layups seconds later would tie the Terriers. Michelle Merritt provided Wofford their first lead (6-4) with a layup at 16:16.

The Terriers would trade baskets with the Mountaineers before App State entered a 6:21 run (20-9). Wofford’s Daniella Motley would snap the streak with a layup at 6:42, and pull the Terriers within nine (20-11).

It became a game of threes as Appalachian and Wofford traded field-goals. Four different Terriers accounted for four three-pointers in the final four minutes of the half. Mallow and Sydnor would answer for Appalachian with field goals of their own, leading the Mountaineers into halftime tied at 26.

The second half would seem like deja-vu when Appalachian, again, took a quick four-point lead and continued in a physical matchup against Wofford, as the two squads traded baskets resulting in a knotted game five times, with eight lead changes.

Raven Gary fouled out of the game at the 4:54 mark, but not before leaving the Mountaineers ahead by two (46-44). Jordan Frazier would lay in a basket with 4:32 remaining to edge the Terriers ahead by one (46-47). Sydnor responded with four more points setting the Apps ahead by one (52-51) with 1:39 left on the clock. A. Freeman would head to the line with 17 seconds remaining, and placing App ahead by three (54-51). The Terriers, however, just weren’t ready to call it quits as Morgan Wrightson nailed a three with 11 ticks on the clock, sending the game into overtime.

A Katie Mallow foul with 4:03 remaining in overtime sent Rachel Brittenham to the line, where she marked two free-throws and edged Wofford by two (54-56). Courtney Freeman would knot the score at 56 with a pair of free-throws at the 2:25 mark, while Sydnor laid in a basket for the Appalachian lead with six seconds remaining (58-56). Morgan Wrightson would step up for the Terriers, releasing a jumper with a second remaining to tie the Mountaineers and send the game into a second overtime period.

In the fourth period, Sydnor added two more for the Mountaineers with a quick layup, but Wofford’s Motley managed to tie the game at 60 with a layup of her own. Appalachian’s next six points would come from three trips to the charity stripe, putting Appalachian ahead by three (66-62) with just 27 seconds left. Jordan Frazier would swish a three to pull Wofford back within one (66-65) as seven seconds remained, but a Morgan Wrigthson foul would send A. Freeman to the line for two and a final score of 68-65. 

Sydnor led all players in scoring with 23 points and 14 rebounds, while Anna Freeman tallied nine points to go along with 14 rebounds, six assists, five blocks, and four steals. Katie Mallow and Courtney Freeman both finished in double digits with 14 and 12 points, respectively. 

Morgan Wrightson paced the Terriers with 21 points, alongside Daniella Motley, who added 12 points and 10 rebounds.

Combined, Appalachian shot 40.4 percent (23-57) from the floor including 18-20 from the free throw line. Wofford managed 35.7 percent (25-70) on the night and was just 8-of-18 from the line.

The Mountaineers grabbed 49 rebounds to Wofford’s 35 and forced the Terriers into 26 turnovers. Five-of-six Mountaineers were perfect from the line. Sydnor, A. Freeman, C. Freeman and Mallow all shot 4-4 on the night, while Raven Gary marked 2-2.

Game Notes: Wofford’s 26 turnovers marks the 114th straight contest that the Mountaineers have forced 20+ turnovers. The team managed to convert that into 22 points. The score knotted 13 times in the contest, with 13 lead changes. Maryah Sydnor recorded her first double-double of the season.