Western rolls

past ASU
From staff reports

CULLOWHEE — Whitney Tossie and GiGi Thomas combined for 32 points but it was not enough to carry Appalachian State past Western Carolina on Monday, as the visiting Mountaineers fell 78-57.

Thomas ended the game with 17 points on 7-of-15 shooting from the field and 3-of-4 free throws. She also dished out two assists and pulled three steals to go along with two rebounds.

Tossie added 15 points of her own on 6-of-12 shooting. She also knocked down 3-of-4 from the foul line and picked up six rebounds. She led the team with four steals and also had an assist and a blocked shot.

For the second straight game, the Mountaineers (5-16, 2-8 SoCon) gave a top SoCon team a battle throughout the first half. Appalachian shot 14-of-27 from the field, compared to 16-for-33 for Western Carolina. Still, the Mountaineers trailed 37-30 at halftime.

Thomas led the way with 10 first-half points, while Tossie sank four shots for eight points. Brittany Mixon added a pair of free throws to her three field goals in the first half to eight points of her own in the first 20 minutes.

Western Carolina (16-6, 8-2) opened the second half with a 14-10 run with the help of several fast breaks and nine points for Chevon Keith. Mixon picked up six of the Mountaineers' first 10 points after the break to reach double figures for the third-straight game.

Despite using a five-guard lineup for several minutes in the second half, the Mountaineers did not sink a 3-point basket in the game. At 0-for-10, the Mountaineers were shut out from beyond the arc for the first time since Jan. 17, 2005, when Chattanooga's perimeter defense accomplished the same feat.