Box Score

ATLANTA, Ga. – Eastern Kentucky overcame a 9-point deficit in the final two and a half minutes of the game, but Appalachian State scored with 1.7 seconds left to win 64-62 on Friday at the Starwood Hotels of Atlanta Thanksgiving Classic hosted by Georgia State.

After EKU (1-3) scored the first basket of the second half to break a halftime tie, the Mountaineers (3-1) scored eight straight to key a 16-3 run.  A lay-up by Maryah Sydnor capped the run and put ASU on top by 11, 50-39, with 11:12 left in the game.  After hitting the first basket of the second half, Eastern made just one field goal over the next 11 minutes.  Appalachian State took its largest lead of 12 points, 52-40, with 9:11 to go before the Lady Colonels hit their second field goal of the second half.

The Mountaineers still led by 10 with 6:09 showing on the clock and had a 9-point lead, 59-50, with just 2:34 remaining when Eastern Kentucky made its run.

Brittany Coles connected on a lay-up off an offensive rebound to get things started.  Appalachian State turned the ball over on its next three possessions, all of which led to points for the Lady Colonels.  Jasmine Stovall’s jumper with 1:07 left cut the deficit to a single point, 59-58.

Anna Freeman went to the line with 25 seconds to play and a chance to give the Mountaineers a three-point lead, but she made just one free throw.  Eastern’s Raechele Gray was fouled on a drive to the basket with 10 ticks left and knocked down both from the charity stripe to tie the game 62-62.  Gray’s two free throws capped a 12-3 EKU run. 

At the other end, ASU’s Kelsey Sharkey drove the lane and put up a turn-around jumper that went through the net with 1.7 seconds on the clock.

Marie Carpenter came off the bench to lead Eastern Kentucky with a game-high 17 points.  Junior Jade Barber contributed 15 points and 20 rebounds.  She became the first Lady Colonel to reach the 20-rebound plateau since Laphelia Doss set the school record with 26 rebounds against Tennessee State on Feb. 25, 1996.  Barber’s total is tied with four others for fifth most in school history.

Eastern out-rebounded a team (40-38) that had out-rebounded its last opponent by 20.  However, turnovers doomed the Lady Colonels.  EKU committed 26 turnovers compared to 18 for ASU.  Appalachian State held a 30-15 edge in points off turnovers.

Sharkey led ASU with 14 points and nine rebounds.  Courtney Freeman added 12 points.

The Lady Colonels will close out play at the Starwood Hotels of Atlanta Thanksgiving Classic on Saturday against Campbell at 2 p.m.  The Camels (4-1) suffered their first loss of the season on Friday, falling to host Georgia State, 70-56.