Feb. 17, 2007

Final Stats

SAN MARCOS - Brooke DeGrate came back after being injured to sink two free throws with 11.6 seconds left in the game as Texas State (17-9, 10-3) beat UTSA (9-15, 5-7) 63-60 at Strahan Coliseum on Saturday.

Erica Putnam tied a career high with 15 rebounds, and Victoria Davis provided a spark off the bench to score a career-high eight points in nine minutes.

The win also marked the fourth time in Suzanne Fox's tenure as head coach the Bobcats won at least 10 SLC games and guaranteed Texas State no worse than the number five seed in this year's SLC Tournament.

All 15 of Putnam's rebounds were on the defensive glass, surpassing her previous career high of 10 defensive rebounds that was set in 2005 against UTPA. The senior also was the only Bobcat in double figures in points with 17.

UTSA took the early lead in the game by making its first five shots, and the Roadrunner advantage extended to 10 when Monica Gibbs hit two free throws to make it 26-16 with 8:27 left before half time.

The 5-6 Davis then came in and ignited a Bobcat rally, scoring five straight points and swatting away a Gibbs jumper that brought the home crowd to life. Putnam then hit a 3-pointer to pull the Bobcats within one at 29-28 with four minutes left, and Texas State took the lead a possession later on an Aimee Hilburn lay-up.

The `Cats kept up the intensity until the half time buzzer, outscoring UTSA 21-6 over the final 8:27 and heading to the locker room with a 37-32 lead at the break.

In the second half neither team could gain the upper hand. The game was tied at 42 apiece until Davis hit her second three to give Texas State the lead with 10:59 on the clock.

UTSA tied it three minutes later, and over the final eight minutes no lead grew larger than four points.

Putnam and Ryann Bradford led the Bobcat offense, scoring 12 of Texas State's 14 points over a six minute stretch. Bradford's jumper near the free throw line with 2:19 remaining gave Texas State a 61-60 lead, but UTSA missed its next three shot attempts.

The Roadrunners were forced to foul DeGrate, who had left the game earlier in the second half after taking a hard foul, but she made both free throws. UTSA's Terrie Davis missed a desperation 3-pointer with three seconds left in the game.

Vivian Ewalefo scored a game-high 19 for the Roadrunners while Gibbs finished with 17 points and 10 rebounds.