SAN MARCOS, Texas – The Texas State women's basketball team remains undefeated at home this season after a 67-57 victory over the reigning Sun Belt Conference champions Little Rock Thursday evening. In the victory, senior guard Ayriel Anderson scored her 1,000^th point, becoming the fourth player under head coach Zenarae Antoine and 16^th player in school history to eclipse the milestone.
 
The victory marked the seventh-straight victory on the floor of Strahan Coliseum and first win over Little Rock at home since Jan. 2, 2014.
 
How It Happened:
Out of the gates, Texas State combined hot shooting with stiff defense to take a 16-8 lead over Little Rock. The Bobcats forced four turnovers in the first five minutes of the first quarter while shooting over 55 percent from the floor in that span.
 
The Trojans would come within six at the 2:55 mark, but a 5-2 run to close out the first quarter by the Bobcats gave them a comfortable nine-point, 21-12, lead over Little Rock.
 
Little Rock stormed back in the second by putting together a 10-1 run to come within one of the Bobcats. After the run, Texas State called a timeout with 5:58 to play before half that ultimately resulted in a Taeler Deer lay-up to snap the Trojan run on the next possession.
 
Texas State's lead in the second quarter never grew to more than four and with eight seconds before intermission, Little Rock regained the lead for the first time since 6:26 in the first. Anderson, however, quickly changed that lead back in favor of the Bobcats with a thrilling half-court shot as time expired. The 'Cats went into the locker room with the momentum and a 33-31 lead.
 
The game would be tied one more time with 7:01 to play in the third. At that point, a 3-pointer by Kaitlin Walla sparked a 10-3 Bobcat run to go up seven with 3:44 left in the third.
 
Texas State, with a six-point lead going into the final quarter of play, continued to pressure the Trojans defensively while connecting on crucial baskets on offense.
 
With 8:19 left in the game, Anderson connected on her 1,000^th point as a Bobcat after snagging the offensive rebound and putting it back up for a lay-up.
 
A 3-pointer by Walla and a lay-up by Taeler Deer put the Bobcats up 12 with 2:40 to play. Another lay-up by Deer with 57 seconds on the clock granted the Bobcats its largest lead of the evening (13) while solidifying the Bobcat victory.
 
Texas State shot 50 percent from the floor for the evening while holding Little Rock to just a clip of 39.3 percent. The 'Cats were outrebounded 38-26, but committed just 14 turnovers compared to Little Rock's 17. The teams were tied with points in the paint and the Bobcats outscored Little Rock 16-7 in points off turnovers.
 
Who Stood Out:
Ayriel Anderson scored her 1,000^th point in the fourth quarter … she finished the game with seven points and now has 1,000 points, 304 assists, and 151 3-pointers in her Texas State her career … Kaitlin Walla led the Bobcats with 16 points, marking the 11^th time this season she has scored in double-figures … Raven Burns and Taeler Deer also scored in double-digits for the 'Cats … Burns made three 3-pointers while Walla hit two … Ericka May finished with a team-high seven rebounds.
 
What It Means:
The victory Thursday night keeps the Bobcats perfect at home with a 7-0 record. Texas State is now 9-7 overall and 4-2 in Sun Belt Conference play. This is the first win against Little Rock since the first season as a member of the SBC during the 2013-14 season.
 
Up Next:
Texas State will have a tough test Saturday afternoon when it hosts first-place Arkansas State at Strahan Coliseum. Tip-off against the Red Wolves is scheduled for 2 p.m. Texas State won the last meeting with the Red Wolves at home on Senior Day last year. It was head coach Zenarae Antoine's first victory over Arkansas State, marking the final school in the SBC the Bobcats needed to beat since joining the conference in 2013. Saturday's game will be broadcasted on the Time Warner Cable Sports Channel.