The Texas State Bobcats (13-16, 7-11 Sun Belt Conference) ended their season in the second round of the Sun Belt Championship after the Marshall Thundering Herd (13-19, 6-12 SBC) defeated them 68-62 on Wednesday in Pensacola, Florida.
Guard Blessing King scored a career-high 13 points, while forward Meredith Maier scored 10 points and led in rebounds with 11 for the Herd.
Guard Aislynn Hayes led the Herd in scoring with 17 points and went 11-for-16 in free throws. The Herd went 25-for-35 in free throws (71.4%), while the Bobcats only missed three free throws, going 15-for-18 (83.3%).
Guard Destiny Terrell finished the game with a season-high 18 points and led the Bobcats in rebounds with six. Also scoring in double-figures, forward Jaylin Foster knocked down 14 points and guard Ja’Mia Harris scored 11. Guard Blake Matthews led the Bobcats in assists with five.
The Bobcats held the lead in the first quarter after Harris drained a three-pointer with 7:40 remaining. In the quarter, the Maroon and Gold doubled the Herd in scoring with 16 points compared to the Herd’s eight. Terrell scored half of the Bobcats’ points in the quarter.
Nine of the Bobcats’ points in the second quarter were from the free throw line. The Herd outscored the Bobcats in the second quarter by adding 23 points to the scoreboard compared to the Bobcats’ 17. Despite this, the Bobcats held their 33-31 lead over the Herd going into the second half.
After a 3-point play from Hayes, the Herd took the lead over the Bobcats in the third quarter. The Herd maintained the lead over the Bobcats for the remainder of the game.
Guard Heather Baymon drained two 3-pointers for the Bobcats in the last 18 seconds of the game to bring the Herd’s lead down to a two-possession game. The Bobcats knocked down five total 3-pointers throughout the game, two from Baymon and three from Harris, while the Herd made three.
Both teams struggled with fouls, with guard CC Mays fouling out for the Herd and Harris fouling out for the Bobcats in the last minute of the game.
The Bobcats finished their season in 10th place in the Sun Belt Conference. The Herd will go on to face the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns tomorrow at 2 p.m.
