Mercer University
Appalachian State
Women's Basketball Visits App State Thursday
12/20/2023 5:39:00 PM | Women's Basketball
Tip off is scheduled for noon
GAME INFO
Mercer (5-8, 0-0 SoCon) at App State (5-5, 0-0 Sun Belt)
Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023 | 12 p.m. ET
Boone, N.C. | Holmes Convocation Center
TV: ESPN+
SERIES HISTORY
Thursday's game between Mercer and App State is the fifth all-time meeting between the two programs. App State leads the series 3-1. The Bears won the previous matchup in 2021, 61-57.
SCOUTING APP STATE
App State is coming off an 11-20 season in 2022-23. The Mountaineers went 6-12 in conference play.
App State is led by Angel Elderkin who is in her 10th season as head coach for the Mountaineers. App State was picked to finish 12th in the 14-team league (Sun Belt) in the preseason coaches poll.
App State has been much better at home than on the road as they are undefeated at home with a 3-0 record, but have yet to win a game on the road where they are 0-5.
App State averages 69.5 points per game and allows 71.4 points per game. The Mountaineers are coming off one of their worst defensive performances of the season against No. 19 Marquette in which they allowed a season-high 99 points.
App State has struggled to shoot the ball from behind the arc where they are shooting at just 24.8 percent which ranks last in the Sun Belt. However, they aren't afraid to shoot from deep as they average 22.6 three-point attempts per game.
App State's second leading scorer, Emily Carver was named Preseason All-Sun Belt Third Team. Carver is averaging 15.5 points per game and is App State's most dangerous three-point shooter where she shoots it at 29.9 percent.
The Mountaineers' leading scorer is senior guard Faith Alston who is averaging 17.1 points per game.
LAST TIME OUT
A 30 point third quarter eruption from Mercer helped lead the Bears to a 74-63 win over Jacksonville last Sunday in Hawkins Arena.
Mercer trailed 35-32 at halftime, but would go on to outscore Jacksonville, 30-14 in the third quarter to go from trailing to up 13 at the end of the third quarter.
Mercer shot a season best 53 percent from the field and Jacksonville 44 percent. The Bears were also solid from three-point range as Deja Williams made all four of Mercer's threes and as a team were 4-for-9 (44%) from deep.
The Bears had five players score in double figures in the game, with four of those five players shooting at least 50 percent from the floor.
NEED TO KNOW
Mercer had a season best 13 steals in the win over Jacksonville. The Bears forced Jacksonville into 24 turnovers in the game.
FOLLOW THE BEARS
For complete coverage of Mercer Basketball, please follow the Bears on social media at @Mercer_WBB (Twitter), /MercerWBB (Facebook) and @Mercer_wbb (Instagram) or visit the official home of Mercer Athletics at MercerBears.com.
