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Mayhem in Strahan
Jan. 31, 2008
SAN MARCOS - The largest home crowd in Texas State women's basketball history created a crazy atmosphere that included blown generators, television cameras and a 25-point Stephen F. Austin comeback, but Texas State held on through the wild ride to come away with a last-second 76-75 win over the Ladyjacks Thursday night. After Brooke DeGrate's free throw put the Bobcats up 76-72 with 16 seconds remaining, Nikki Carr hit a three pointer with four seconds left to make it a one point game. Texas State ran out the final seconds to hold on for the victory in the first home televised game in Bobcat women's basketball history and sent the crowd of 2,546 into a celebration. The Bobcats (12-8, 6-1 SLC) stayed tied atop the Southland Conference West Division standings with the win while also snapping a six-game losing streak against the Ladyjacks (6-12, 3-3 SLC). Marie Moser scored the game's first four points as the `Cats opened with a 10-4 run over the first six minutes that also featured Fox Sports' production truck losing power to their broadcast, but Stephen F. Austin trimmed it back to two at 14-12 with 11:41 left in the first half. By the time the television broadcast was up and running again, Texas State had gone on a 26-3 run to take a 40-15 lead three minutes before half time behind 11 points from Tamarra Evans-Slugga. Kim Cessna capped the scoring drive with a lay-up at the 2:54 mark, but the Ladyjacks went into a full court press that stifled the Texas State offense for the rest of the half. Stephen F. Austin also got hot offensively, scoring the final 11 points of the half to head into the break down 40-26. In the second half the Bobcats pushed their advantage back up to 18 points, where it held until the 12:17 mark. The Ladyjacks began chopping at the lead from there by using the free throw line, converting 11 straight from the stripe to spark a 23-9 run and pull Stephen F. Austin within four with 5:36 remaining in the game.
A lay-up and free throw followed to put Texas State back up by seven, but Carr made a lay-up and was fouled with 1:57 left tied the game at 71-71, evening the score for the first time since it was 4-4. Carr had a chance to give the Ladyjacks their first lead of the game with a free throw but missed, and Texas State converted on their possession with a Moser jumper to reclaim the lead. Ebony Alexander missed a jumper on Stephen F. Austin's next possession, and Aimee Hilburn extended Texas State's lead to four with two free throws with 1:00 remaining in the game. After the Ladyjacks converted the second of two free throws, a Bobcat turnover gave the ball right back with 30 seconds left. Alexander missed a three from the baseline and DeGrate corralled the loose ball, forcing the foul and allowing the senior to make it a two-possession game with her free throw that sealed the win. Hilburn led Texas State with 14 points and 11 rebounds for her first double-double of the season while Evans-Slugga set a new career high with 14 points. Cessna and Moser each added 10 for the Bobcats, who shot 62 percent from the field in the first half and out-rebounded Stephen F. Austin 51-to-38. Alexander's game-high 16 points led the Ladyjacks, who also had four players in double figures. Carr finished with 13 while Chantol Drennan and Decreasha Goodner netted 12 apiece. Jordan Ford's eight rebounds led Stephen F. Austin, who finished the game 26-of-34 from the free throw line for a 77 percent conversion rate despite entering the game the lowest shooting free throw team in the Southland. The Bobcats will now prepare for Sam Houston State on Saturday as the first half of a doubleheader with the men's team as Texas State hosts the Stuff Strahan event. |
