SAN MARCOS, Texas – Kennedy Taylor became the Sun Belt Conference's all-time career assists record holder while the Bobcats shot 51.7 percent from the field as Texas State topped South Alabama 77-57 in the home finale on Saturday in Strahan Arena.
 
Taylor, who entered the game needing eight assists to break the conference record that had stood for 36 years, finished the game with 11 assists. The graduate student also had 13 points to notch her fourth double-double of the season.
 
With Taylor piloting the offense, the Bobcats (19-8, 11-5 Sun Belt) outshot the Jaguars (6-21, 2-14 Sun Belt) 51.7 percent to 41.7 percent. Texas State was also 11-of-23 from three-point range, which was its best three-point shooting percentage in a game (47.8 percent) in the last 10 games.
 
The Bobcats were led in scoring by Da'Nasia Hood who had 21 points on 8-of-16 shooting in her final home game in a Bobcat uniform. It was her fifth 20-point effort of the season.
 
Lauryn Thompson had 14 points on 6-of-7 and Tianna Eaton contributed 10 points to give the Bobcats four double-digit scorers.
 
In addition to Taylor, Hood and Eaton, it was the final home game of their Texas State careers for Ja'Kayla Bowie and Taelour Pruitt. Bowie had eight points, three rebounds and two assists while Pruitt added six points and two assists.
 
While Texas State trailed by two after the first quarter, it went on to lead for a total of 25 minutes in the contest after a 22-10 second-quarter gave it a 10-point lead at halftime.
 
In the second half, the Bobcats did not allow their lead to fall below seven points and led by as much as 23.
 
 
FROM HEAD COACH ZENARAE ANTOINE
"What an exciting game. One of the things that I really wanted to stress with the coaching staff and with the team was not as much as we owe them (South Alabama) from the game at their place as we owe ourselves an opportunity to get better. To learn against the last game against JMU. Learn from the scouting film with a really quick turnaround. To learn to play at a championship level. That means you're able to overcome the highs and lows of a basketball game and the highs and lows of losses. One thing we saw is Bobcats bounce back. You add the layer is it gives you the opportunity to have your senior class to finish out at home with a win and celebrate each other. And the cherry on top is Kennedy (Taylor) broke the all-time Sun Belt assists record."
 
STAT LEADERS

• Points – Da'Nasia Hood (21)
• Rebounds – Da'Nasia Hood (8)
• Assists – Kennedy Taylor (11)
• Steals – Lauryn Thompson (4)
• Blocks – Tianna Eaton, Lauryn Thompson, Da'Nasia Hood (1)

 
SCORES BY QUARTER
1st | South Alabama 15, Texas State 13
2nd | Texas State 35, South Alabama 25
3rd | Texas State 56, South Alabama 44
4th | Texas State 77, South Alabama 57
 
GAME NOTES

• The Bobcats remain in a three-way tie for third in the Sun Belt standings. Texas State, with an 11-5 record, is tied with Southern Miss and Old Dominion. The three are one game back of a two-way tie for first place in James Madison and Troy. The top four seeds receive a double-bye in the Sun Belt Championship tournament.
• Texas State finished the season 13-4 at home, its best home record since 2007-08 (14-2).
• Da'Nasia Hood's 21 points moved her into 5th on Texas State's all-time career scoring list. She now has 1,723 career points as a Bobcat.
• It Hood's first 20-point game since Dec. 29 vs. Georgia Southern (22 points).
• Hood has scored double-digits in 9 straight games.
• In her last 8 games, Hood is averaging 17.9 points in the last 8 games.
• The 20-point win was Texas State's biggest margin of victory since its 34-point win over Arkansas State on Jan. 14.
• The Bobcats made 30 field goals, which marked the second time in the conference season that they have notched 30+ field goals made in a game.
• Saturday was the first time in Sun Belt play that Texas State shot better than 50 percent.

 
UP NEXT
Texas State ends its regular season with a two-game road trip next week. The Bobcats play at Louisiana on Wednesday at 5 pm to start the road swing.