DALLAS, Texas. – For the first time since 1977, the Texas State women's basketball team knocked off SMU in Dallas as the Bobcats rallied from a 11-point third-quarter deficit to tame the Mustangs, 74-70, in overtime. 

The win not only marks the first TXST victory against SMU since 1992, but it also allows Bobcat head coach Zenarae Antoine to move into sole possession of third place on the program's winningest head coaches list with 139 as the tenth-year head coach passed Linda Sharp (1989-97) for the spot. Judy Rinker (1966-75) is next on the list with 145. 

After coming out of the locker rooms trailing SMU (0-2) 37-30 at halftime, Texas State (1-0) let the Mustangs scurry away during the third quarter as SMU got out to a 54-43 advantage with 1:19 remaining in the quarter. However, Da'Nasia Hood connected on one of her second 3-point shots on the evening to make it an eight-point deficit for the Bobcats heading into the game's final 10-minute frame. 

The momentum carried over for Texas State as Avionne Alexander opened the quarter by draining a jumper to make it 54-48. SMU responded with a quick 6-0 run, before Kennedy Taylor went on a personal 5-0 run to make it 60-53 with 6:28 to play. A Ja'Kayla Bowie baseline jumper washed two Jahnaria Brown free throw, before Hood was on the receiving end of a Bowie pass to cut the TXST again. Taylor's strong play continued as the junior point guard sank two free throw attempts to make it a one-possession game at 62-59 with 3:11 in the game. 

SMU's 6-foot-4 Paige Bayliss pushed the Mustangs' lead to 66-59 with a jumper in the paint, but Hood took her play to the next level as the Bobcats' lone Sun Belt Conference Preseason selection converted an old-fashion three-point play to draw TXST to within two with 1:25 left in regulation. Following a Kayla White missed jumper, Texas State — trailing by two with 22 seconds left — did not call a timeout to setup a play, but rather allowed the veteran Taylor to run the offense, which resulted in the point guard to lay the ball into the basket uncontested.

A potential game-winning shot by SMU at the buzzer did not go through the net. 

Reagan Bradley gave SMU the early overtime lead on a layup 15 seconds into the extra five-minute period, but Taylor, who scored all 13 of her points during the second half and overtime, immediately responded with another layup through contact to tie the game, again, at 68-68. 

From there, the Texas State defense pulled the reins on the Mustangs and did not allow SMU another point until Rhyle McKinney made a layup at the final horn. In between SMU baskets, Alexander gave the Bobcats the lead with 3:41 left on a jump shot. After that, Hood, who finished with a game-high 25 points, put the cap on the pen with four free throws over the next two minutes, including back-to-back makes with eight seconds left to give TXST its biggest lead at 74-68. 

"This past week, I really challenged our three returning starters to help our team navigate what it means to be a Bobcat on the women's basketball team and each do so in their own voices," Antoine said. "With six newcomers and the majority of the team not seeing game minutes last season, it was important that they set the tone in practice. Like great leadership does, they transferred that to the game and the team responded."