Guard Ja’Mia Harris drained 15 points to lead the Texas State Bobcats (13-16, 7-11 Sun Belt Conference) to a 63-56 victory over the South Alabama Jaguars (6-23, 2-16 SBC) on Friday night at the Mitchell Center in Mobile, Alabama.
This was the Bobcats’ and Jaguars’ last game of the regular season before they head to the Sun Belt Conference Championship.
The Bobcats now stand ninth in the SBC, with the Jaguars standing in 14th.
Three Bobcats found double-digit figures in Friday’s matchup to lead to their victory.
Harris shot 7-for-12 from the field to lead to her 15-point game. Forward Jaylin Foster knocked down 12 points for the Bobcats and led in steals with three. Guard Crystal Smith contributed 10 points and two assists. Guard Destiny Terrell led the team in rebounds with seven.
Guard Rachel Leggett led the Jaguars with 19 points, five rebounds and two steals. Center Tara Green tied with Leggett with the most rebounds (5) and led the Jaguars in blocks (2).
Foster made four of six free throws in the first quarter. Leggett scored eight of her 10 first-half points in the first quarter. Forward Princess Okafor Nweze made a free throw with 12 seconds remaining in the first to bring the Jaguars to a two-point lead over the Bobcats, 18-16.
In the second quarter, the Bobcats led the Jaguars in scoring by adding 15 points to the scoreboard, with the Jaguars adding 10. Guard Heather Baymon made a two-point jumper to tie the game 28-28 with less than two minutes remaining in the second quarter.
Smith made a three-pointer assisted by Terrell to give the Bobcats a three-point lead over the Jaguars, 31-28. The Bobcats held onto the lead throughout the remainder of the game.
The Bobcats dominated in scoring in the third quarter, adding 18 points to the scoreboard, their highest-scoring quarter of the game.
Saniya Burks, Destiny Terell, Foster and Harris all found their way to the free throw line in the fourth quarter, contributing six points in free throws collectively.
Next, the Bobcats will travel to Pensacola, Florida, for the Sun Belt Conference Championship, which will take place March 4-10.
