SAN MARCOS, Texas – Free throws down the stretch combined with tough full court defense throughout the game helped lead the Texas State women's basketball team to a 63-57 victory over UL Monroe Thursday evening.
 
How It Happened:
After UL Monroe put up the first basket of the game, Texas State scored 10-straight points capped by five-straight points by senior Raven Burns. Burns made a pair of free throws before draining the 'Cats second three of the game with 7:21 to play in the first quarter.
 
ULM crept back into the game and cut the Bobcat lead to just two, 10-8, with 3:54 remaining in the first. Texas State had an answer, like it did much of the game, by ending the first quarter on a 6-0 run.
 
In the first quarter alone, Texas State scored nine points off turnovers while the Warhawks scored none.
 
The second quarter was rather balanced in scoring, as the Warhawks edged Texas State 14-13. The points off turnovers, however, continued to add up for the Bobcats. By the end of the first half, Texas State had forced 12 Warhawk turnovers with 15 points converted on them.
 
Texas State gained the point it lost in the second quarter back in the third. Ti'Aira Pitts and Kaitlin Walla led the 'Cats in scoring in the third quarter with five points apiece.
 
Pitts, with 7:15 to play in the third, hit three-straight free throws after getting fouled on a 3-point attempt. Her free throws neutralized the Warhawk attack as ULM began the third quarter by scoring the first five points to cut Texas State's lead down to one. The free throws by Pitts ignited a 7-0 Texas State run capped by a lay-up by Ericka May with 5:25 to play in the third.
 
ULM answered with an 8-0 run to tie up the contest at 41-41 with 2:57 to play in the third. A 3-pointer by Kaitlin Walla, her first of the night, halted the Warhawk run to put the 'Cats back up three with 2:43 on the clock.
 
A 9-2 run to close out the third quarter gave Texas State a 50-43 advantage with 10 minutes remaining in the contest. Another lay-up by Ericka May at the buzzer capped the Bobcat run.
 
The fourth quarter came down to free throws down the stretch as neither team scored a basket in the final six and a half minutes. The Warhawks came within one, twice, with under three minutes to play, but four-straight free throws by Ayriel Anderson made it a two-possession game and forced ULM to go into desperation mode.
 
Texas State finished the game outscoring ULM 24-2 in points off turnovers. The Warhawks ultimately committed 20 turnovers in the game while the Bobcats had just 15. The Bobcats also went to the line 37 times, which surpassed the previous season-high of 28.
 
Who Stood Out:
Ayriel Anderson led the Bobcats with 14 points on 3-of-8 shooting from the field … Anderson finished the day going a perfect 6-for-6 from the charity stripe … Ericka May scored 12 points for her fifth double-digit appearance this season … May was just two rebounds shy of her second double-double of the season … Ti'Aira Pitts went a perfect 5-for-5 from the charity stripe … May and Pitts also recorded a pair of blocks each.
 
What It Means:
Texas State improves to 12-12 on the year and 7-7 in conference play. The victory at home against UL Monroe follows a similar trend since Texas State joined the Sun Belt Conference in 2013. The home team has always won this match-up since that time. The Bobcats are now sitting in a tie for fifth place with UT Arlington.
 
Up Next:
Texas State remains at home Saturday to host UL Lafayette in the annual Play for Kay Cancer Awareness game. Tip-off against the Ragin' Cajuns is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Strahan Coliseum. Texas State and the women's basketball team will be raising money for cancer research through donations and an online auction available here. Live stats, live audio, and live video will be available at www.txstatebobcats.com. A live broadcast of the game will air on 89.9 FM KTSW with Brant Freeman and Matthew Hamill on the call.