Texas State’s Women’s Basketball End 2018 By Defeating Dustdevils

Texas A&M International was held to 9-of-57 (15.8 percent) from the floor and 1-of-18 (5.6 percent) from the 3-point line.

SAN MARCOS, Texas – The Texas State women’s basketball team (5-7) closed out the 2018 calendar year by ousting the Texas A&M International Dustdevils (0-12), 89-25, on Monday night at Strahan Arena.

The game marked the final non-conference tilt for the Bobcats during the 2018-19 season and halted a season-long three-game losing skid.

Texas A&M International’s scoring output of 25 points was the lowest opponent final score since the Bobcats held Our Lady of the Lake to the same score on Feb. 21, 1973.

Freshman forward Da’Nasia Hood enjoyed a career outing, scoring a game-high 22 points and grabbing seven rebounds off the bench. She connected on 9-of-14 shots from the floor and 3-of-4 from the free throw line. Hood also tallied one block and a steal in 22 minutes of run.

Senior guard Toshua Leavitt scored 18 points and charted a game-best 10 assists to garner her first career double-double. Leavitt knocked down four 3-pointers in 14 attempts. She has made 300 3-point attempts in her career, one of 10 Division I women’s basketball players to achieve the feat.

Sophomore forward Jayla Johnson boasted her first career double-double with 14 points and a career-best 15 rebounds. She collected five offensive rebounds to lead Texas State. Her double-figure scoring performance was her seventh of the season.

As a team, the Bobcats out-rebounded the Dustdevils by a count of 56-32. TXST outscored TAMIU 42-6 in the paint, 35-7 in points off turnovers, 27-0 in fast break points and 39-9 off the bench.

Texas A&M International was held to 9-of-57 (15.8 percent) from the floor and 1-of-18 (5.6 percent) from the 3-point line. The visitors only reached double figures as a team in one quarter, scoring 10 points in the fourth quarter.

The Bobcats blew the game wide open early in the first quarter. After a made free throw from junior forward Christine Ortega made the score 4-3 at the 7:26 mark in the first stanza in favor of the home team, TXST ripped off the next 37 points of the game. Leavitt ignited the run with a steal and a fast break layup followed by a pair of assists.

Hood scored the next six points for the Cats on a catch-and-shoot bucket and a pair of transition buckets. TAMIU did not record another point until the clock showed 4:10 in the second frame. Texas State held a 44-9 lead at the halftime break.

Texas State did not let off the gas pedal in the second half as the Cats outscored the Dustdevils 45-16 in the final 20 minutes, including a 14-0 run to open the fourth quarter. The run pushed the lead to a game-high 65 points.

Up next, the Bobcats will jump into Sun Belt Conference action. The league-opener will take place at 5:30 p.m. on Jan. 3 against the Georgia Southern Eagles at Hanner Fieldhouse in Statesboro, Ga. Texas State will remain on the road to take on the Georgia State Panthers at 1 p.m. on Jan. 5 from GSU Sports Arena in Atlanta.

For all things Texas State women’s basketball, be sure to follow the team on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.