Meg Boles

Texas State junior guard Crystal Smith (3) dribbles past her defender, Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024, at Strahan Arena.

Texas State students and alumni filled Strahan Arena Saturday afternoon to watch as Texas State women’s basketball (11-10, 2-9 Sun Belt Conference) rung in its first game of February. The Bobcats played an intense match against the University of South Alabama (8-15, 1-10 Sun Belt Conference), resulting in a heartbreaking 65-64 defeat.

With two seconds left in regulation, South Alabama sophomore guard Rachel Leggett rebounded a missed shot attempt from junior guard Nadia Howard and beat the buzzer to score the game-winning basket.

“It was a battle,” Texas State Head Coach Zenarae Antoine said. “When you’re hungry and starving, you’re going to do everything you can to win. And that wasn’t us, that was South Alabama.”

Trailing by one point at the start of the second quarter, graduate student guard Ja’Niah Henson recorded a steal and drove down the court, where fellow graduate student guard Gara Beth Self made the final move for a layup.

Junior forward Tiffany Tullis was Texas State’s leading scorer, netting 13 points and shooting 100% from the charity stripe. Tullis also grabbed a season-high nine rebounds, bringing her career total to 145.

Senior forward Morgan Hill scored a season-high 12 points, with half coming from offensive rebounds. Self added eight points, six of which were from behind the arc.

For South Alabama, sophomore guard Kelsey Thompson and Leggett were the top scorers. Thompson scored a game-high 27 points, nabbed six rebounds and was also perfect from the free-throw line. Leggett added 10 points and nine rebounds. 15 of Thompson’s 27 points were scored during the third quarter.

“It was on me that [South Alabama] outplayed us,” Antoine said. “They came to play, and we didn’t have an answer. We fought toward the end, got what we wanted as far as misses and didn’t complete the game. They outhustled us. Hats off to South Alabama; that’s what happens when you’re hungry.”

Texas State will move forward from this tough loss and face Coastal Carolina University (8-16, 2-9 Sun Belt Conference). The Chanticleers are coming off an 80-70 home loss to Appalachian State.

Tip-off between Texas State and Appalachian State is scheduled for 5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 7, at the HTC Student Recreation and Convocation Center in Conway, South Carolina. The game will be available to stream on ESPN+.