Feb. 23, 2008

Final Stats

SAN ANTONIO -

Box Score at UTSA

Clutch free throw shooting by Joyce Ekworomadu and Ashley Cole in the final 30 seconds held off UTSA's comeback bid as Texas State (18-8, 12-1 SLC) held on for an 85-79 win over the Roadrunners (18-7, 10-2 SLC) in San Antonio to hold onto their Southland Conference lead.

With the Bobcats leading 78-75 with only 26 seconds left in the game, Ekworomadu went 5-of-6 from the free throw line, rebounding her only miss herself, while Cole hit a pair of free throws to maintain Texas State's two-possession lead.

Texas State had to rally in the first half after missing its first seven shots to start the game UTSA built an 8-0 lead over the first 4:38. The Bobcats bounced back, hitting eight of their next eleven shots to spark a 10-2 run that gave Texas State a 20-19 lead with 9:14 remaining in the first half.

A 19-6 Texas State run over a 5:35 stretch pushed the Bobcats' lead to 41-29 a little over two minutes before half, but UTSA responded with an 11-2 run to pull within six at 46-40 when the halftime buzzer sounded.

The Bobcats extended the lead to nine to start the second half, but a 9-0 UTSA run tied the game at 54-54 with 12:31 to play. A 10-2 Texas State run to answer extended the lead back to eight, but Terrie Davis scored five straight points to make it 66-63 Bobcats with 5:45 on the clock.

Despite another Bobcat run, UTSA held close, pulling within two at 75-73 with 2:08 left on a pair of Whitney York free throws. The Roadrunners had a chance to tie, but Amanda Foster missed a jumper while Brooke DeGrate converted for the `Cats to make it a two possession game.

An offensive foul on Foster erased a lay-up and gave the ball back to Texas State, but Victoria Davis missed both free throw attempts to keep the lead at four. UTSA was unable to capitalize as Courtney Lang missed a jumper and Kim Cessna grabbed the rebound.

Ekworomadu finished with 23 points while DeGrate added 14 points to go along with three steals and two blocks. Cessna and Cole also finished in double figures, with Cessna netting 13 and Cole 11. Aimee Hilburn tallied a game-high 11 rebounds while Chika Ofoegbu set a season high with 10 boards, as Texas State outrebounded the Roadrunners 46-31.

Onika Anderson led four UTSA players in double figures with 23 points. Monica Gibbs added 18 while Davis finished with 13 and York 12.

The Bobcats now fully control their own destiny in the hunt for the Southland Conference regular season crown and continue their season-ending four-game road trip at Stephen F. Austin on Thursday, February 28 at 7 p.m.