TXST ends homestand with win over Arkansas State
Texas State ended its four-game home streak on a high note as the Bobcats defeated Arkansas State in a dominant 89-55 win on Saturday.
Women’s head basketball coach Zenarae Antoine was delighted with her team’s reaction to the disappointing loss to Louisiana on Jan. 7. The Bobcats followed the loss with a two-game win and are now poised to begin a four-game away swing.”
“I’m very happy – regardless of who our opponent was – that we were able to string two games in a row,” said Antoine. “That was important and then our coaching staff should find a way to help our team implement the game plan.”
One of Texas State’s struggles during conference play was the game in the third quarter, which allowed for a 19.6 point average during that period.
Although the Bobcats conceded 24 points in Saturday’s second quarter, Texas State responded by holding the Red Wolves to just 11 points.
“We did a good job in the third quarter,” said Antoine. “I pointed out our consistency in this third quarter. We were outstanding during the non-conference part of our schedule but we had to challenge the team to improve because we conceded 24 points in the second quarter.”
One of the keys to the two-game winning streak was the Bobcats’ ability to outrun their opponents.
After a 42 rebound performance Thursday against Georgia State, Texas State followed with a 49 rebound performance against Arkansas State, including 32 defensive rebounds.
The focus on the rebound on the defensive end was a key focus for graduate senior center Jaeda Reed.
“I think coming into this game our main focus was on the defensive end,” Reed said. “We wanted to push each other in training. And, like Coach Z said, we wanted to control the glass and blame each other for the rebound. Those two things definitely helped us get those two wins this week.”
The defensive minded Bobcats have made Antoine happy as the work has shown results.
“I’m thrilled because there’s understanding and trust with this team,” said Antoine. “You do your heavy work early and then the rest falls into place. It’s just tough to do, but they (Texas State) put in the work and now we have two wins. No win comes easy or comfortable, but we’ve given ourselves enough cushion for our other student athletes to get in the game and play. It happened because we played defensively and rebounded.”
Reed, along with redshirt senior Lauryn Thompson and junior forward Nicole Leff, have not only held off post-play this year, but also pushed each other for better rebounders during practice.
“We push each other during practice,” Reed said. “Even though we’re just a scout team, we keep pushing each other to say, ‘Hey, go box and get that rebound,’ or encourage each other to crash the boards. We talk to each other continuously and stay in touch.”
One thing Reed has been working on is focusing on being confident, especially on the defensive end.
“It was trying to stay calm and not get into my head,” Reed said. “I can be defensive, so I try to calm down at times while also knowing that I just have to play defense for everything to fall into place. That helped me get into my groove.”
Texas state begins its four-game road trip Thursday when the Bobcats travel across the state line to fight the Louisiana Monroe Warhawks.
