The Storylines
• The Warhawk defense has held Appalachian State to 7-for-39 three-point shooting in the Jeff Dow era (three games). This year, the Mountaineers have attempted a league-low 140 three-pointers in Sun Belt play.
• ULM held UL Lafayette to one three-pointer in 12 attempts on Tuesday. It was the lowest by an opponent since Appalachian State was 1-for-16 last Valentine's Day in Fant-Ewing Coliseum. ULM has allowed just 25 makes on 105 tries dating back to the Jan. 14 game at Georgia State, excluding Texas State's 7-for-8 third quarter on Jan. 30.
• Alayshia Hunter is 29 points away from becoming ULM's 18th member of the 1,000-point club. The Killeen, Texas, native's career-high is 28 points, set back on Dec. 16 at McNeese State.
• Prior to Appalachian State joining the league for the 2014-15 season, the Warhawks had never played a game inside the state of North Carolina. The two teams' only meeting prior to being in the same league came in the 1996 South Florida Classic. The only other Tar Heel State teams ULM has ever faced are Davidson and High Point, with all three of those contests set on neutral sites.
The Opponent
The Mountaineers have won just twice since they got the best of the Warhawks on New Year's Eve in Monroe. Both victories were on the resounding side too, a 90-71 decision over Texas State (Jan. 9) and 96-81 showing at Troy (Jan. 28). The Mountaineers also most recently dropped UL Lafayette in the Holmes Center after the Ragin' Cajuns got the best of ULM on Tuesday. Madi Story leads the team with 13.6 ppg in Sun Belt action.
Angel Elderkin has been around the block with some of the more prestigious programs in the country. She spent time as a GA and video coordinator for Tennessee before heading to Virginia. She also had a St. John's stint sandwiched between two tenures at LSU, where she served as an assistant until 2014.
The Series
ULM is seeking its first win in the all-time series. Appalachian State struck first with a 52-47 win in the 1996 South Florida Classic (Tampa) and has won all three Sun Belt meetings.
Last Warhawk-Mountaineer Contest
MONROE, La. – ULM returned from its 11-day break and lost a hard-fought 57-54 decision to Appalachian State on Thursday in Fant-Ewing Coliseum.
There were 10 lead changes over a 3:58 span in the fourth quarter before Bria Carter's layup with 2:41 left gave Appalachian State a 53-52 lead for good. Daja Chase's game-tying attempt from the top of the key bounced off the rim.
“You never really know what to expect in the first game after Christmas break,” head coach Jeff Dow said. “I thought our stamina was less than it needed to be. You try to play catchup with practices after the break.”
The game turned in ULM's favor after an 11-2 run over a 3:20 span from the third-fourth quarters. Ashley Aune nailed a three-pointer from the top of the key that tied the game at 41, the first since the second quarter. Alayshia Hunter followed up with a shot high off the glass that gave ULM its first lead since the 2:15 point of the first period.
Hunter scored a game-high 14 points on 5-for-8 shooting, all in the second half. She played just four minutes in the first.
Last ULM Game
LAFAYETTE, La. – ULM was unable to recover from an early 10-point lead that ultimately led to a 52-40 loss to UL Lafayette inside the Cajundome on Tuesday afternoon.
“We were trying to limit their chances in the paint and at the line, and they had only 12 free-throws,” head coach Jeff Dow said. “Simone Fields probably had one of the best games of her career with 19 points and 10 rebounds. Playing the zone as much as we did, I never really expected them having such a big advantage on points in the paint.”
The Warhawks (9-11, 3-8 SBC) were in an early hole but stayed the course by getting to the free-throw line 10 times in the first quarter. The Ragin' Cajuns got their largest lead of the first half, 14-4, on a Taylor Washington three-pointer at the 2:32 mark.
ULM came back with a 9-2 run that got it within 16-13 after a Chelsea Tieuel deep ball, her ninth points of the game just over a minute into the second quarter. Journee Beard's three-pointer on an Ashley Aune baseline inbounds pass sent the visitors into the locker room on a high note, trailing just 26-20.
