Women’s Basketball Preview: Texas State vs. Arkansas State

By Tabby Keep
Sports Reporter

The Bobcats will play in Strahan Arena Thursday at 7 p.m. as they look to play Arkansas State and improve upon their 8-5 conference record before the season’s fast-approaching end.

The Bobcats will return to play after suffering a 55-73 loss against Appalachian State in North Carolina on Saturday. Appalachian State is currently sitting fourth in the Sunbelt Conference with a record of 7-3. Texas State sits two spots below in sixth place. Texas State was within three points of Appalachian State at the end of the first quarter. In the final three quarters, the Bobcat’s deficit continued to grow.

Led in points by Tianna Eaton with 13, Eaton had a field goal percentage of .455. Kennedy Taylor led the Bobcats in steals (3) and assists (7). Taylor now has 15 games with at least seven assists in a single game. Da’Nasia Hood had the most rebounds of the game, with a total of eight.

This will be the second meeting between Texas State and Arkansas State this season. The last game between them ended with a Bobcat win (75-69). Senior Ja’Kayla Bowie was the star of that game. Her first career double-double made her the fifth Bobcat to be credited with a double-double this season.

Bowie also led the game in points (19), assists (5), rebounds (11), steals (2), and blocks (1). The Red Wolves led by the end of the first quarter (24-29) but could not maintain the lead.

Arkansas State is sitting two spots below Texas State in the eighth spot of the Sunbelt standings with a 4-8 record. The Red Wolves claimed the victory the last time the two teams met in San Marcos in 2020. The Red Wolves also lead the series winning the last three of five games against Texas State.

The Bobcats will have the home advantage with a 4-2 record against Arkansas State in San Marcos.

The Bobcats look to extend their one-game winning streak against the Red Wolves on Thursday. Statistic leaders for the Bobcats are currently Hood, Taylor, Bowie, and Bailey Holle. Hood is leading the Bobcats in points per game, averaging 13.6 as well as rebounds per game with a 6.3 average. Hood is also leading in blocks per game with an 0.4 average. Taylor leads with assists and steals per game, averaging 5.9 and 1.9, respectively.

Bowie has the highest field goal percentage of the team, averaging .519. Holle has the best three-point field goal percentage with an average of .350. Holle is second to Taylor when it comes to steals and assists.

The Red Wolves look to avenge last game’s performance against the Bobcats. Arkansas State’s statistic leaders are Keya Patton, Trinitee Jackson, Morgan Wallace and Kiayra Ellis.

Patton leads the team in points per game with a 14.3 average and field goal percentage averaging .514. Rebounds per game are led by Jackson, averaging 9.0. Wallace leads both assists per game, averaging three and steals per game averaging 1.6. Ellis leads the three-point field goal percentage with .500.

This is both teams’ second-to-last game before the conference tournament. The game will be broadcast on KTSW 89.9 with Paxton Graf and Joey Gonzales on the call.

Featured Image By Justin Brown & Franchesca Jennings.