
Old Dominion

Appalachian State
Highlights
Preview
BOONE, N.C. (Interstat) β The Old Dominion Lady Monarchs will look to solidify their winning season record when they visit the Appalachian State Mountaineers in a womenβs NCAA Division I basketball game Friday at Holmes Center. Old Dominion (17-13) enters the contest having split its last four games, most recently falling 77-55 at James Madison on Wednesday. The Lady Monarchs had previously won two straight on the road. Appalachian State (11-16) seeks to end a three-game skid, including a 74-48 loss at James Madison last Saturday. The matchup features a key rematch from earlier this season. On Jan. 14, Old Dominion defeated Appalachian State 65-54 in Norfolk, Virginia. The Lady Monarchs will aim for a regular-season sweep. A player to watch for Old Dominion is guard Simaru Fields, who scored 14 points in the recent loss to James Madison. Over her last eight games, Fields has been a consistent offensive contributor, averaging 13.6 points per contest and scoring in double figures six times. She posted a season-high 26 points in a Jan. 30 overtime loss to Southern Mississippi. Appalachian State will counter with forward Feryal Defne Atli, who is coming off an 11-point, 7-rebound performance against James Madison. Atli has scored in double figures in four of her last six games, providing a steady interior presence for the Mountaineers. The game could hinge on which team controls the tempo. Old Dominion has shown a higher offensive ceiling recently, scoring 73 points or more in three of its last five wins. Appalachian State has struggled to find consistent scoring, failing to reach 65 points in eight of its last nine outings. Tipoff is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. EST Friday. The game marks the final home contest of the regular season for Appalachian State.