SAN MARCOS, Texas – Kiani Lurry made nine of 10 fourth quarter free throws and Toshua Leavitt broke a 50-50 tie with a 3-pointer, putting Texas State ahead for good with 2:03 to play as the Bobcats defeated Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 57-50 Friday evening inside Strahan Coliseum.
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Leavitt tied her career-high with 16 points, including a career-high tying four 3-pointers. Ti'Aira Pitts and Lurry each finished with nine points as Texas State improved its record to 2-1 on the young campaign. Ericka May led TXST with nine rebounds. The Bobcats finished the contest shooting 30.4 percent (17-of-56), but were able to rely on their defense as the Islanders were held the final 4:19 scoreless.
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Texas A&M-Corpus Christi was led by Camesha Davis' 13-point, 10-rebound double-double. The Islanders shot 38.0 percent (19-of-50) for the contest, but were hindered by 15 turnovers and several long scoring droughts.
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Texas State started cold in the first quarter, making only three shots and endured a pair of three-plus minute scoring droughts as Texas A&M-Corpus Christi built a 14-7 lead through 10 minutes of play.
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The Islanders scored the first four points of the second period to expand its lead to double-digits at 18-7. A Bailey Holle free throw halted the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 6-0 run and sparked a 13-4 Bobcats scoring streak that was capped by a Leavitt three from the right corner at the 3:01 mark. TAMU-CC's Tiara Matthews answered on the other end, but a layup by McKinley Bostad and a jumper from Whitney Apari after a steal by Pitts knotted the game at 24 with 1:41 to go before the intermission.
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Pitts made a pair at the line to give the Bobcats' their first lead of the game. However, the lead would not last long as TAMU-CC's Brianna Jackson knocked down a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession. Leavitt answered with an NBA-range trey of her own and closed the scoring in the half with a fast break layup after Taeler Deer forced the Islanders' eighth turnover of the evening.
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Scoring proved hard to come by in third quarter as the teams exchanged only two free throws through the first five minutes of play. After the under-5 media timeout, the Islanders' Davis scored two quick buckets from close range to give the visitors a 35-33 lead. Leavitt again answered with a 3-pointer on the next possession, but Texas A&M-Corpus Christi used 3-pointers by Jackson and Kassie Jones along with a score in the paint from Ashanti Plummer to outscore the Bobcats 8-3 during the remainder of the quarter and take a 43-39 lead.
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With Texas A&M-Corpus Christi leading 48-43 and 5:37 to play in regulation Lurry went to the free-throw line for the first time. She would go to the line eight more times in the next 3:32, making seven to single-handedly keep pace with the Islanders. She spilt two free throws with 2:03 to go, tying the game at 50. Two possessions late Leavitt put the Bobcats up for good with her fourth three of the game.
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Texas state concludes its three-game home stand with a Sunday matinee against Texas Southern. Tipoff against the 1-1 Tigers is set for 2 p.m.