SAN MARCOS, Texas — With two weeks remaining and four games left, Texas State enters another pivotal matchup this Thursday when it hosts James Madison in a game between two of the three second-place teams in the Sun Belt standings.
 
Texas State is on a three-game winning streak while JMU has won back-to-back games. The Bobcats have not played at home since February 4 (W, 74-56 vs. ULM).
 
Texas State, JMU and Old Dominion are tied for second in the Sun Belt standings, trailing first-place Troy by one game.
 
The Bobcats hold a 12-3 record at home this year, which is their most wins at home since 2007-08 (14-2).
 
This will be the first matchup ever between Texas State and JMU as the Dukes are in their first season in the Sun Belt.
 
Thursday is also Equality and Inclusion Day and will feature a stroll by Alpha Phi Alpha at halftime.
 
Thursday's game can be seen on ESPN+, with Brant Freeman and Suzanne Fox on the call. Live stats will also be available.

NO DEFICIT IS TOO MUCH

• Texas State overcame a 27-23 halftime deficit at Marshall on Saturday to pick up its 5th win this year when trailing at halftime.
• Both wins last week for Texas State were after trailing at half.
• In the last 6 games, the Bobcats trailed at halftime 3 times and went on to win each game.
• The Bobcats have trailed at halftime 10 times this season and have a 5-5 record.
• Texas State is 3-3 this season in Sun Belt games when it trails at half.

 
ON THE BOARDS

• The Bobcats have outrebounded their opponents in back-to-back games entering Thursday, picking up wins in both of those contests.
• Texas State is 8-0 this season when it outrebounds its opponent (5-0 Sun Belt).
• The Bobcats had their second-biggest rebounding margin of the season last Thursday at Southern Miss as they held the advantage of rebounds, 35-19.
• The 19 rebounds allowed at Southern Miss were the fewest in a game this season and fewest against a Division I opponent since head coach Zenarae Antoine took the helm in 2011-12.
• Texas State was being outrebounded by an average margin of -8.2 rebounds for a six-game stretch from Jan. 19-Feb. 4. In the last two games (Feb. 9-11), the Bobcats have a +11.5 rebounding margin.

 
MARGIN CALL

• Texas State's win at Marshall last Saturday was its narrowest margin of victory this season (4 points).
• The previous season-low for margin of victory was 6 points, set on Jan. 26 at Old Dominion.
• The last time Texas State won a game by 4 points or less was on Feb. 10, 2022 vs. Louisiana (W, 72-71).
• In the 18 Texas State wins this year, the Bobcats have won by an average of +18.1 points. In Sun Belt games, that average margin of victory is +13.2 points.
• In all games, Texas State has an average score margin of +9.9.

 
HOOD'S CAREER REBOUNDS

• Da'Nasia Hood is averaging 17.3 points in the last 6 games, she is also averaging 7.8 rebounds to help her climb the Texas State career rebounds list.
• Hood is 7th in program history with 772 career rebounds.
• She needs 4 more rebounds to tie Becky Steinmeyer (197-75) for 6th on the all-time list.
• With 28 more rebounds, Hood would become only the 3rd player in program history with 1,600 career points and 800 career rebounds.
• Hood would join the 1,600 point-800 rebound club with Linda Muelker (1,993 points & 1,005 rebounds; 1981-85) and Yolanda Wilkerson (1,692 points & 910 rebounds; 1993-97).

 
HOOD'S CAREER POINTS

• Rebounds is not the only thing Hood is chasing in Texas State history. She is also chasing career points.
• With 16 points, Da'Nasia Hood would have 1,700 in her career – a milestone only 5 Bobcats before her have reached.
• Entering Thursday, Hood is 7th in program history with 1,684 points.
• She needs 8 points to tie Yolanda Wilkerson for 6th on the all-time list.

 
Most Career Points
Texas State Program History
1. Linda Muelker (1981-85)                    1,993
2. Diamond Ford (2009-13)                    1,906
3. Shelly Borton (1986-90)                     1,893
4. Tori Talbert (2001-05)                        1,870
5. Carlotta Fisbeck (1967-71)                 1,705
6. Yolanda Wilkerson (1993-97).            1,692
7. Da'Nasia Hood (2018-P)                    1,684
 
CLOSING IN

• Fifth-year senior Kennedy Taylor is inching closer to becoming the Sun Belt's all-time leader in career assists.
• Taylor, who is already Texas State's career leader in assists, is 10 assists away from matching Clemette Haskins (Western Kentucky) for the conference record for career assists. Haskins had 731 from 1983-87.
• Taylor is the only Sun Belt player with 500+ career assists in the last 11 years. She is only the second Sun Belt payer in conference history to have 700+ career assists.
• Taylor enters the week 13th in the country in total assists and 14th in assists per game.

 
Sun Belt Conference
Career Assists, All-Time
1. Clemette Haskins, WKU           731                1983-87
2. Kennedy Taylor, TXST             721                2018-Present
3. Amy McNear, WKU                 677                2008-11
4. Ivelina Vrancheva, FIU             631                1999-04
5. Stephanie Richardson, USA      605                1987-91