This season for the Appalachian will go down as one of the most disappointing in program history. For whatever reason, the women have underachieved to an extent that is hard to believe. Unlike the men, who played earlier in part of a doubleheader, and needed to beat Chattanooga, the women played exactly the opposite. The men dominated the Mocs earning a bye, while Appalachian lost the third seed with the Mocs using them on both ends of the court. The 45 points the Mountaineers scored were the fewest they scored all season long. The loss continued to show why Appalachian has not been as dominant, going 1-5 against the the top three teams in the league this season.
The Mountaineers will play Samford on Monday, in a game that has no meaning. Regardless of the outcome, both teams will play each other on Saturday at Kimmel Arena in the SoCon tournament. The women created the worst nightmare for a fan of both teams. Had Appalachian won, they would have almost assured that the women and the men would play at different times in the tournament’s opening days. However, the men and the women will tipoff at basically the same time on Saturday, but miles apart. The decision will be tough for a fan of both teams, but it is obvious the men are playing better at this point and will deserve more attention. It is possible that Samford could end the women’s season for the fourth straight season. Even if the Mountaineers can get by their tournament nemesis in Samford, the Chattanooga Mocs will be likely waiting for them on Sunday.