Women's Basketball | 10/24/2014 1:28:00 PM
Ayriel Anderson is a junior guard from Irving, Texas and is about to begin her third season with the Texas State Bobcats. Earlier this week, Anderson was named Third-Team Preseason All-SBC by a panel of Sun Belt Conference coaches. She continues the "Getting to Know" series, a series of Q&A's with the Texas State women's basketball team.
Anderson finished her sophomore season averaging 10.1 points per game and against Troy in the final regular season game of the year, she recorded a career-high and Bobcat season-high 31 points in the victory. Anderson led the Bobcats from the line, shooting 81.1 percent (99-for-122), and finished in the top-10 in the conference in that category. She also recorded a career-high and team-high nine assists during the year.
Anderson made at least one three-pointer in the last five games and in 10 out of the last 12 games for the Bobcats. She finished the season with double-digit points on 16 occasions, including 10 out of the last 13 contests.
Where are you from?"I am from Dallas, Texas, I went to school in Irving but I was born in Texarkana."
Talk about the transition of moving three to four hours away from home and coming to San Marcos."It was pretty tough at first because like the Dallas area, Irving, isn't very friendly. When I came to San Marcos everyone was friendly and I just felt like I was at home."
What brought you to Texas State to play basketball? "To be honest, the coaches really. I felt like the coaches really wanted me, they treated me nice on the visit and when they were recruiting me. Then when I got here the team just made it a lot better."
When did you start playing basketball? "I had to be like five years old, maybe. I picked up my first basketball squad at least four or five and then I started playing club basketball."
What do you like most about playing basketball? "The competition. I really like going at people and I like people coming at me. I just like the whole competition [aspect] piece."
What do you believe is a strength of your game and why? "My ball handling and my ability to shoot, being so short."
What's your major?"Health Professions with a minor in business."
Do you know what you want to do with that?"Yes, I would like to be a coach after college. I want to play overseas [for a while] but then be a coach eventually."
Would you like to be a coach on the high school level? College level? "Starting with high school and then eventually get to college."
What do you expect of yourself this year? "I expect to lead my team on and off the court in a positive way. I want to just make my team successful throughout the whole year."
What does it mean to be a leader to you? "Stay positive, do the right things on and off the court, help the freshmen when they need it. Just positive, that's the big key."
Do you have any family members that are famous that either played a sport in college or professionally? Or are you the first athlete from your family to play in college? "I'm not really sure if my mom or my aunt played, but if I could remember, I think I'm the first one to actually play throughout college."
