BEAUMONT, Texas — Lamar took a two-point lead with 7:19 left in the fourth quarter and tried to run away with the win, but Texas State fought back to cut a seven-point deficit with 3:36 left to a two-point game with 1:54 left.
However, with 1:26 remaining in the game, a potential game-tying layup from
Lauryn Thompson was waved off, so the Bobcats returned to the defensive end of the court.
There, Texas State's defense forced a missed layup from Malay McQueen with under a minute left.
Kennedy Taylor collected the loose basketball and pushed up the court.
Taylor, who entered the game leading the team in assists per game, found
Jo'Nah Johnson, who drove to the basket and was fouled. Johnson split a pair of free throws to draw Texas State to within on with 40 seconds left.
Following back-to-back fouls to extend the game, Sabria Dean sank a pair of free throws to extend the Cardinal lead back to three with 10 seconds left. McQueen fouled Taylor less than two seconds after the ensuing inbounds play to send the senior to the free throw line. Unfortunately, Taylor missed both free throws.
Taylor went on to foul Kayla Mitchell with five seconds left. Mitchell missed the first free throw attempt, before connecting on the second. A last-second 3-point attempt from Johnson did not fall for the Bobcats as the Cardinals hung on for a 63-59 win.
FROM HEAD COACH ZENARAE ANTOINE
"We definitely knew it was going to be a tough game here at their place. Last season, we sent them into the holiday break on a loss, so you know they wanted to get us back for that. That Lamar team is getting closer and closer to finding their identity. They took (Texas) Tech into overtime and you're dealing with a team that's really good off the bounce but there are also some kids who can shoot as well. All of those things just made it a perfect storm. It wasn't going to be an easy game."
STAT LEADERS
SCORES BY QUARTER
- 1st | Texas State 16, Lamar 15
- 2nd | Texas State 35, Lamar 29
- 3rd | Texas State 48, Lamar 47
- 4th | Lamar 63, Texas State 59
MATCH NOTES
- Kennedy Taylor's 18 points on the night were a season high for the Texas State senior guard and marked the most points scored by Taylor in a single game since scoring a career-high 28 against Troy in the quarterfinals of the 2021 Sun Belt Conference Tournament on March 6, 2021.
- With Kennedy Taylor's 18 points on the night, Texas State head coach Zenarae Antoine has had at least one student-athlete in double figures in her last 127 consecutive games. The last time Texas State did not have a double figure scorer in a basketball game came at Louisiana on March 2, 2017, when Taeler Deer only reached eight points in a 62-43 Ragin' Cajuns' win.
- By being credited with only eight assists on the night, Friday night's game at Lamar marked the fewest assists in a game by Texas State since having eight at Little Rock on Feb. 5, 2021.
UP NEXT
- Texas State (5-3) will make a quick turnaround as the Bobcats play host to UTEP (5-1) on Monday, Dec. 13 at 7 p.m. inside Strahan Arena at the University Events Center.
- For the latest information on the team, follow @TXStateWBB on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. General athletic news can also be at @TxStateBobcats on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
