St. Edward’s Upsets Texas State

SAN MARCOS, Texas – St. Edward’s used 11 3-pointers and a near 50 percent shooting performance to upset Texas State 65-51 in women’s basketball action Saturday afternoon at Strahan Coliseum.

The Hilltoppers, counted triples by five different players, including three each from Bailey Hill and Lexi Cunningham. Shakera Barnes paced St. Edward’s, which finished the game 22 of 45 from the field, with 12 points. Hill was also in double-figures with 11 points. The Hilltoppers also controlled the rebounding battle 39-31 with Khiani Clark controlling a game-high nine.

McKinley Bostad scored a career-high 16 points, surpassing her previous high of 15 set as a freshman at Arkansas, to lead the Bobcat offensive efforts. Zandra Emanuel totaled a near double-double with 12 points and seven boards in her 15 minutes of work off the bench. Texas State closed the contest hitting 33.9 percent (21 of 62) of its shots.

St. Edward’s started the game hot from the field and stayed that way through the entirety of the first quarter, building an 18-9 lead after 10 minutes of play. The Hilltoppers closed the opening period shooting 46.7 percent, including a pair of 3-pointers. Conversely, the Bobcats shot 30.8 percent from the field and made 1 of 10 attempts from three.

The Hilltoppers’ Hill pushed the visitors ahead 24-9 at the 6:54 mark of the second quarter with her second 3-pointer of the stanza and third bucket of the game. St. Edward’s would later push its lead to lead to 18 points at 33-15 as Madison Schenck connected on the Hilltoppers’ sixth 3-pointer of the half. An Emanuel layup and Kiani Lurry jumper cut the Bobcats’ deficit to 33-19 heading into the intermission.

St. Edward’s closed the first half shooting 52.2 percent (12 of 33), including a 5 of 8 effort in the second quarter. The Bobcats’ shot 32.1 percent (9 of 28) overall, including 1 of 10 from deep.

St. Edward’s made 7 of its 13 shots in the third quarter to create further separation on the scoreboard. Fairen Sutton banked in a 3-pointer as the quarter clock expired, providing the Hilltoppers a 52-32 lead.

The Bobcats outscored St. Edward’s 19-13 in the fourth quarter, but it would not be enough to overcome the early deficit as the Hilltoppers went on for the 65-51 victory.

Texas State next plays at Prairie View A&M on Fri., Dec. 16. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Panthers’ William Nicks Building.