Hot Shooting, Rebounding Lead Bobcats To Upset At UTA

Texas State returns home at Noon next Thursday (Feb. 9) to host Arkansas State. The game is the Bobcats’ annual kids game with more than 1,500 San Marcos area elementary and middle school students in attendance.

ARLINGTON, Texas – A near 50 percent shooting effort, a plus-10 margin in the rebound column along with a season-high 25 points from Taeler Deer and another 20 from Toshua Leavitt led Texas State to a 75-69 upset at UTA Saturday afternoon in Sun Belt women’s basketball action.

The Bobcats, which improved to 11-10 overall and 6-4 in the Sun Belt, finished the game shooting 48.1 percent from the floor (26 of 54), while limiting UTA to 42.1 percent on 24 of 57 from the field. The Bobcats outrebounded the Mavericks 40-30 and outscored the larger UTA squad 28-26.

In addition to Deer and Leavitt, the Bobcats received double-digit performances from Erin Peoples (11 points) and Erick May, who posted her third double-double of the season with 11 points and 10 boards.

UTA had five players finish in double-figures led by Rebekah VanDijk’s 14. Crystal Allen scored 13, while Christina Devers, Cierra Johnson and Lauren Billie contributed 12, 11 and 10, respectively. The loss by the

The loss by the Maverick’s was just their second on their College Park Center floor this season and first at home to a Sun Belt Conference member.

UTA took the early lead at 6-4 on two Johnson 3-pointers, but the Bobcats responded to score 11 of the game’s next 12 points to take a 15-7 lead at the 3:30 mark.

TXST took advantage of a three-plus minute scoring drought by the Maverick to piece together an 8-0 run, which was highlighted by an NBA-range 3-pointer by Deer as the shot clock expired.

UTA cut the Bobcats’ lead to 17-13 with a bucket by VanDijk at the 2:34 mark, but the Mavs would not score again in the stanza as the Bobcats stretched its lead to 25-12 with its second 8-0 run of the afternoon.

Texas State doubled up the Mavericks at 30-15 on Peoples’ 3-pointer from the left wing at the 7:49 mark of the second quarter. UTA scored six straight to trim the Bobcats’ lead to 30-21, but a jumper by May kept the Mavs at bay.

UTA again cut the TXST lead to single digits in the latter stages of the second quarter, but a floater by Leavitt and a late score inside by Peoples sent the visitors into halftime leading 36-22.

The third quarter saw the Bobcats expand its lead to a game-high 21 at 47-26 with Leavitt’s second of two technical free throws at the 7:21 mark.

However, a 12-4 UTA scoring outburst, coupled with a cold shooting spell by TXST, cut the Bobcats’ advantage to 51-40 with 1:45 to go in the period.

Deer scored TXST’s final three points in the quarter, but she was answered by a VanDijk layup and a 3-pointer by Billie as the Mavericks closed their deficit to 54-45 entering the fourth quarter.

Texas State stretched its lead back to double-figures at 61-47 with 7:13 to go in regulation, but again UTA quickly scored the game next five points to trim cut its deficit back under 10.

However, Amber Jones responded for the Bobcats with a putback and Deer sank her second 3-pointer of the night for a 66-52 Bobcat lead.

Texas State put the game away at the free-throw line, making five attempts down the stretch as UTA scored seven points in the final 30 seconds to provide the 75-69 final.

Texas State shot 55.6 in the opening 20 minutes, making 15 of 27 attempts, including 4 of 12 from 3-point range. The Bobcats also forced 11 UTA turnovers and limited the Mavericks to only six points in the paint.


 

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