SAN MARCOS, Texas – Texas State women's basketball held Little Rock to less than 50 points and shot north of 60 percent to deal the Trojans their first Sun Belt Conference defeat of the season by a 64-47 margin in the program's annual Play 4Kay game Saturday afternoon at Strahan Coliseum.
 
Texas State, which has won seven of its last eight, improved to 13-10 on the season and 8-4 in Sun Belt play. Little Rock, who entered the contest with a 12-0 mark against league competition, falls to 18-7 overall (12-1 Sun Belt).
 
The Bobcats shot an all-time program-best 62.2 percent from the field, knocking down 28 of 45 attempts, including 3 of 6 from 3-point range. Taeler Deer, who also paced the Bobcats with seven rebounds, led the way with 16 points, making 7 of 9 shots and two free throws. Kaitlin Walla joined Deer in double-digit with 13 as she made six of her nine shots.
 
Texas State outscored Little Rock 28-16 in the paint, 27-16 in bench points and outrebounded the Trojans 28-27.
 
Little Rock was led by Kyra Collier's 10 points. Collier and Carolee Dillard each finished with six rebounds. The Trojans concluded the contest shooting 34.5 percent (19-of-55) from the floor.
 
Little Rock led 6-2 early in the first quarter; however, an 8-2 2 burst on a jumper and free throws by Deer and back-to-back scores by Ericka May pushed the Bobcats ahead 10-8. Collier knotted the game at 10 moments later, but scores by Erin Peoples and Deer gave TXST a 14-10 lead after 10 minutes of play.
 
Texas State created separation in the second quarter, outscoring the Trojans 24-7 in the frame en route to a 38-17 halftime lead. LR's Kira Shepard opened the quarter with a layup that was immediately answered by an Amber Jones score inside that sparked the Bobcats to a 24-5 run the rest of the way. Five different Bobcats scored during the run, including run-defining threes by Toshua Leavitt and Walla.
 
The Bobcats closed the first half shooting 70.8 percent (17 of 24), while utilizing its top-notch defense to hold Little Rock to 8 of 25 from the field.
 
Texas State led 56-38 through three quarters after Leavitt closed the stanza with a shot high off the glass and the accompanying free throw. Little Rock had trimmed the Bobcats' lead to 53-38 with an 8-2 run during the two minutes before Leavitt's circus shot.
 
Lurry, De'Jionae Calloway and Deer combined for the fourth quarter's opening six points, which staked TXST game-high 24-point lead at 62-38. The Trojans made thee 3-pointers down the stretch, but they could get no closer than 15 as the Bobcats went on for their eighth home win of the season.


  • Texas State continues travels to the Peach State to take on Georgia State (Feb. 16) and Georgia Southern (Feb. 18).
  • The 2017 Sun Belt Conference Men's and Women's Basketball Championships are scheduled for a week of March Madness in the Big Easy.  New Orleans will once again be home to the two championships ­that will take place at Lakefront Arena from March 7-12 and ticket books can now be purchased from the Texas State ticket office.  For more information, visit the Sun Belt Conference's championship central websites - Men's Championship – Women's Championship – and be sure to follow the @FunBelt on social media - @SunBelt.