STATESBORO – Texas State started the contest on a 10-0 run, building a 15-point halftime lead against host Georgia Southern and held on for a 64-52 Sun Belt Conference women's basketball victory on Thursday evening at Hanner Fieldhouse.
The Bobcats (6-7, 1-0 SBC) won the league opener for both teams, their second win in row, while Georgia Southern (5-7, 0-1 SBC) has now dropped its last two. The Eagles also fall to 0-5 in Sun Belt openers since joining the league in 2014.
Texas State led by eight at the end of the first quarter, 20-12, by shooting 60 percent (9-of-15) from the floor. The Bobcats pushed that lead to 39-21 at the break by continuing their hot shooting, hitting 8-of-16 shots from the floor, while Georgia Southern hit just 2-of-11 from the floor in the second period.
Eagle of the Game
Hailey Dias-Allen was the most consistent offensive performer of the night for Georgia Southern, hitting 8-of-15 shots from the floor for 17 points, one off of her career high. She also added six rebounds.
Key moment
Texas State opened up the game on a 10-0 run, hitting four of its first five shots from the floor, and the Bobcats never trailed in the contest. The closest the Eagles got was four points, twice late in the first quarter.
Stat of the Game
Georgia Southern hit just 5-of-20 three-pointers (25 percent), the sixth time this season that the Eagles have shot 25 percent or below from beyond the arc.
QUOTABLES
Head coach Kip Drown on the play of Hailey Dias-Allen
"They played the zone, and we were able to work her into the high post. We wanted to get the ball to her more, particularly late, but we just missed her a couple of times. But she played well. She's been working hard, Coach Wagoner's been working on things with her shooting-wise, and you can see it paying off."
On the offensive success of the Bobcats tonight
"Texas State set a ton of on-ball screens, and you know [Toshua] Leavitt is tough, but we were disappointed how we handled a couple of their other kids. You can't let some of the secondary people beat you off the dribble like they did tonight."
Next up
The Eagles return to action on Saturday, hosting UT Arlington in a 2 p.m. Sun Belt Conference matchup at Hanner Fieldhouse.
