Texas State women’s basketball (1-1) will head out to Norman, Oklahoma, to play the University of Oklahoma Sooners (0-3 overall, 0-1 Big 12) on Dec. 13. The matchup will be the Bobcats’ third-straight road-game of the season.
The game will mark the end of a 10-day hiatus for the Bobcats after the cancellation of their Dec. 9 game at the University of Incarnate Word due to COVID-19 concerns.
Going into the contest, the Bobcats have shot 37.1% (46-124) from the floor and 27% (10-37) from the three-point line. The ‘Cats average 69 points, 41.5 rebounds and 12 assists per game.
Junior forward Da’Nasia Hood is leading the scoring charge, averaging 20.5 points per game. The Maroon and Gold have three other players averaging double-digit points: Junior guard Kennedy Taylor (12), junior guard Ja’Kayla Bowie (11.5) and senior guard Avionne Alexander (11.5)
Hood is also leading the team in rebounds with 10.5 per game, followed by Taylor and Alexander who average five rebounds apiece. Taylor leads the team in assists per game (4) and steals (3.5) per game.
For the Sooners, they have shot 44.8% (78-174) from the floor and 34% from deep (18-53) on the season. OU is averaging 76.3 points, 40.7 boards and 13.7 assists per contest.
The Sooners junior guard/forward Madi Williams’ 21.5 points per game lead the squad followed by sophomore guard Gabby Gregory’s 17.7.
Senior forward Mandy Simpson leads the Sooners with 11.5 rebounds per game. Freshman guard Navaeh Tot leads the team in assists with five per game.
Both teams will go into the game looking to improve on ball security. The Sooners average 20 turnovers per game while the Bobcats have a near-identical 20.5 turnovers per game.
Thus far in the season, OU has had its struggles with COVID-19 protocols. The Sooners did not participate in the Bad Boys Mowers Crossover Classic Nov. 28 because contact tracing prevented them from meeting the player availability threshold.
Most recently, in its Dec. 10 outing at the University of Kansas, OU could not play three starters due to contact tracing, including Williams and Simpson. The loss of their top scorer and top rebounder left the Sooners with only six eligible players, three of whom were freshmen.
Despite being undermanned against a full Jayhawks roster, the Sooners managed to keep up with Kansas and had the score tied 59-59 with 4:45 left in the game. However, the Jayhawks ultimately prevailed, winning the game 74-64.
As for the Bobcats, their last on-court outing ended in their favor. On Dec. 3 Texas State beat the Southern Methodist University Mustangs 74-70 in overtime. It was the Bobcats’ first victory against the Mustangs since Feb. 21, 1992, when the ‘Cats won 71-55.
With the victory, Head Coach Zenarae Antoine now has 139 wins for her career in San Marcos, making her the third-winningest head women’s basketball coach in Texas State history.
Texas State will tip-off against OU at 2 p.m. on Dec. 13 at the Lloyd Noble Center.