STATESBORO - Appalachian State used a 22-5 run midway through the second half to pick up a 77-66 Sun Belt Conference women's basketball victory over visiting Georgia Southern on Friday evening at the Holmes Convocation Center.

The Mountaineers move to 12-11 overall and 9-8 in the Sun Belt, while Georgia Southern falls to 11-11 overall and 5-8 in the Sun Belt. The loss also secures the No. 5 seed for Georgia Southern in the upcoming 2021 Sun Belt Conference Basketball Championships in Pensacola, Fla., next week. The Eagles will play the first game of the tournament, taking on the fourth seed from the west at 12:30 p.m. at Pensacola State College's Hartsell Arena. The official 2021 Sun Belt Confeerence 

Appalachian State opened the game on a 16-6 run as Georgia Southern struggled from the field, hitting just 3-of-13 shots from the floor in the first quarter. The Mountaineers led by nine, 19-10, at the end of the first quarter and built a 15-point lead in the second quarter, 35-20, with 3:56 left to go until the break.

Georgia Southern embarked on a 11-0 run to end the half and cut the App State lead to just four, 35-31, at the break.

The Eagles came all the way back and tied the game at 43-all on an Eden Johnson basket with 5:01 left in the third quarter. Johnson then hit a three-pointer with 4:33 left to give the Eagles a 46-43 lead. But Lainey Gosnell answered with a three just 22 seconds later and sparked a 15-2 run to end the third quarter for the Mountaineers.

App State continued that run in the beginning of the fourth quarter, building a 17-point lead, 68-51, with 6:30 left to go in the contest and Georgia Southern was only able to get to within 10 the rest of the way.

Terren Ward and Ja'nya Love-Hill led the Eagles offensively with 12 points apiece, while Johnson finished the game with 11 points. Four Mountaineers finished in double figures, led by Pre Stanley and Gosnell's 18 points each. Michaela Porter and Brooke Bigott had 13 points apiece.

Eagle of the Game
Ward hit 5-of-10 shots from the floor and both of her free throws for her 12 points, her fourth double-digit scoring game out of her last seven. She added three rebounds 

Stat of the Game
Appalachian State hit 10-of-24 three-pointers, becoming the fourth team to hit at least 10 three-pointers against the Eagles this season. The Mountaineers did so earlier in Statesboro, hitting 12 threes in a 70-58 win over Georgia Southern on January 9. Georgia Southern is 0-4 this season when opponents hit at least 10 threes.

Quotables • LISTEN TO FULL POSTGAME COMMENTS HERE
Head Coach Anita Howard on the late first half run and taking the lead in the second half
"We wanted to turn our defensive intensity up. The press was working for us, and that usually gets us going. We had 11 turnovers at half and they had 15 points off of turnovers. We just needed to stop turning the ball over."

Coach Howard on what worked for App State tonight
"Their half court press gave us some fits. But it's what we expected, we knew they were going to come out and fight on their Pink Night. Our defense was intense, but we didn't dictate their offense. They were still able to do what they wanted to do offensively."

Next Up
The Eagles wrap up the 2020-21 regular season on Saturday, taking on the Mountaineers at 4 p.m. from Boone.