Box Score BOONE, N.C. – The UALR women's basketball team extended its winning streak to four games on Thursday evening, but it wasn't easy.
After nearly blowing a 17-point lead, the Trojans eventually pulled away from Appalachian State for a 63-49 victory at the Holmes Convocation Center.
The Trojans (20-3, 13-1 Sun Belt Conference) completely controlled the game in the early going, taking a 17-point lead in the first half. But the Mountaineers (10-12, 5-7) fought back, getting the contest within 8 points at halftime and eventually getting as close as 2 points early in the second half.
With UALR's lead down to just 33-31 with only 15 minutes to play, the Trojans finally returned to their solid transition offense and built the lead back up to double digits at 44-34 in just four minutes of play. UALR got 5 straight points from Shanity James to start that stretch and also got two baskets from Kiera Clark off the bench as well as a jumper by Alexius Dawn.
James hit another layup with 10:37 to play, and the Trojans' lead rose back up to 12 points. Appalachian State was never closer than 9 points after that.
James would go on to lead the Trojans with a season-high 17 points in the game while Clark had 9 off the bench. Dawn and Keanna Keys also contributed 9 points, and Keys led the team with 9 rebounds. Ka'Nesheia Cobbins had a team-high five assists, and James notched two blocks.
UALR picked up its 20th win of the season with the victory and reached 20 victories for the eighth time in the last nine years. The team is also now 2-0 all-time against the Mountaineers, and it remained in first place in the Sun Belt with the win.
The Trojans shot out to a 17-4 lead in the first seven minutes as the Mountaineers committed eight turnovers in that span. By the end of the first half, Appalachian State had committed 15 turnovers. But despite UALR leading by as large of a margin as 17 points at 23-6, there was still far too much time left and far too much fight left in the Mountaineers.
For the rest of the half after taking that 23-6 lead, Appalachian State outscored UALR 17-8 to go into halftime trailing just 31-23. The Trojans continued to struggle as the second half began, making just one field goal in the first six minutes before finally going on that run to pull away from the Mountaineers.
During the first half, Taylor Gault sank two free throws to become the Trojans' all-time leader in that category. She surpassed Chastity Reed with her 308th made free throw. Keys, meanwhile, broke the 200-point mark for her career in the first half.
UALR did not make a 3-pointer in the contest for just the second time this year, but the Trojans controlled other aspects of the game to make up for it. The Trojans had only 14 turnovers compared to the Mountaineers' 26, and UALR got 28 points off those App State turnovers. UALR also shot 40.4 percent from the field compared to Appalachian State's 35.1 percent, and the team had eight steals compared to the Mountaineers' seven.
The Trojans return home for their next game in just two days, taking on Georgia Southern on Saturday at 3 p.m. The game will be the team's annual Pink Game sponsored by Northwestern Mutual. Fans will have the chance to win raffle items and earn giveaways with their attendance. Proceeds from the raffles will go to breast cancer charities.
