Bobcat Women’s Hoops Defeat Troy In Conference Opener

Posted by Staff | @CorridorNews | @Corridor_Sports

TROY, Ala. – With the ability to hold on to its lead and never relinquish it down the stretch, the Texas State women’s basketball team opened the 2014-15 Sun Belt Conference season with a 74-72 victory over Troy Tuesday evening. Texas State was led by junior guard Erin Peoples in her first game in several weeks with 17 points, 13 rebounds, six assists, and a pair of blocks and steals.

The Bobcats improve to 6-4 overall and 1-0 in Sun Belt Conference play.

 
Peoples’ double-double was the third of the season and ninth of her career. Junior center Kileah Mays also played a key role for the Bobcats after snagging a season-high 13 rebounds.
 

The Bobcats got off to a fast start in the high-pace game, its first five baskets and its first three free throws for an early 16-9 lead over the Trojans.

 
The hot shooting continued for junior guard Ayriel Anderson, as she nailed all three of her three-point attempts in the first half. In the first, Texas State finished shooting 45.7 percent from the floor and 40.0 percent from long range. In addition to Anderson’s 11 points, Peoples also recorded 11 points for a team-high.

With a two-point lead out of intermission, the Bobcats used an 11-5 run to propel themselves to an eight-point, 52-44 lead.

 
The squads proceeded to exchange possessions before Troy came within one of Texas State with 6:34 left on the clock. A lay-up by Ericka May with 5:27 left in the game put the Bobcats back up three.

A three-pointer at the top of the key with 1:19 remaining on the clock by Jacqueline Jeffcoat was one of many important shots in the final moments as it put Texas State back up by two possessions.

The Trojans then rattled off a 4-0 run to come within one for the third time in the contest, but a pair of free throws by Meghan Braeuer with nine seconds remaining put the Bobcats back up three.

Down three with four seconds remaining, Troy junior Ashley Beverly-Kelley went the line on a fouled three-pointer, but failed to convert all three shots in order for the Bobcats to maintain their lead.

 
Jeffcoat and Braeuer also added double-digit points for Texas State, scoring 11 each. Texas State finished the game with 47 rebounds compared to 46 by the Trojans. The Bobcat bench also outscored the Troy bench, 20-10.
 

Texas State will continue its road trip to begin the conference season as it travels to Georgia Southern on Jan. 3.