BOONE, N.C. – Despite a 25-point, career-high effort by freshman Kiani Lurry, the Texas State women's basketball team suffered its first setback in conference play with a 90-71 loss at Appalachian State Saturday afternoon. Texas State falls to 7-6 on the year and 2-1 in Sun Belt Conference play.
 
How It Happened:
A 3-pointer by Raven Burns for the first score of the ballgame held the Texas State lead for just under two-minutes before a 6-0 Appalachian State run would prove to be the final lead change en route to the first loss in conference play this season for Texas State.
 
Texas State stayed within one on several occasions in the first quarter until the Mountaineers rattled off an 8-0 run to go up 22-13 capped by a Kaila Craven lay-up with 1:18 to play in the first.
 
The nine-point Appalachian State lead in the first quarter was the most throughout the rest of the first half as Texas State continued to claw back in the contest. With 2:35 before intermission, Lurry hit one of her three free throws on the day to bring Texas State back within two, 30-28, of the home Mountaineers.
 
Out of the break, the Appalachian State lead continued to fluctuate between three and seven before a 6-0 run in the heart of the third quarter granted the Mountaineers its first double-digit lead of the contest.
 
Texas State battled back in the closing minutes of the third to bring the game within four, 60-56, after a three-point play by Ericka May, but a 3-pointer with two seconds on the clock by Appalachian State's Craven put its lead back up to seven, 63-56.
 
The momentum to close out the third quarter for the Mountaineers carried its way into the fourth quarter as the Appalachian State outscored Texas State, 27-15, in the final period of the game.
 
As the conference's leading 3-point shooting team, the Bobcats were held to just 20 percent from beyond the arc with three made 3's on the day. Appalachian State shot over 50 percent from the floor while holding Texas State to under 40 percent. Each team went to the line 28 times with the Bobcats making 16 of its free throws and the Mountaineers draining 18.
 
Who Stood Out:
Kiani Lurry led the 'Cats offensively as she tallied a career-high 25 points on 11-of-20 shooting … De'Jionae Calloway saw her first minutes of the 2015-16 season … Calloway finished with 11 points, six rebounds, an assist, and a block in her collegiate debut … Ericka May led the Bobcats with 10 rebounds, marking the second-straight time with at least 10 rebounds and fourth time this season … May was also just two points shy of her second-straight double-double … Taeler Deer was the third Bobcat to be in double-digits with 11 points … Deer also led the 'Cats with three assists.
 
What It Means:
Texas State falls to 7-6 on the year and 2-1 in Sun Belt Conference play. Ever since Appalachian State joined the conference a year ago, the Bobcats have yet to defeat the Mountaineers in Boone, N.C. This marks the second-straight season that the 'Cats have started conference play with a 2-1 record.
 
Up Next:
Texas State will continue its three-game road trip next week with a pair of contests against South Alabama and Troy on Jan. 14 and Jan. 16. Tip-off against the Jaguars Thursday morning is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. at the Mitchell Center. Live stats and live audio will be available at www.txstatebobcats.com. The game will also be broadcasted on 89.9 FM KTSW with Brant Freeman on the call.