MONROE, La. – Hot-shooting Texas State built an early double-digit lead and never let ULM in front, picking up the 85-62 win over the Warhawks Friday night at Fant-Ewing Coliseum.
The Bobcats (9-10 overall, 6-8 Sun Belt) never shot worse than 47% in any individual quarter en route to a 53% effort from the field (28-of-53). Texas State also connected on 8-of-16 3-point field goal attempts.
Meanwhile, ULM (3-18, 1-14) struggled to get going offensively and couldn't slow the Bobcats defensively. The Warhawks shot 62% from the floor in the fourth quarter, but it was too late as Texas State was firmly in control.
"It was a night and day game from our Little Rock game on Monday," head coach
Brooks Donald Williams said. "We're disappointed we didn't carry over the same intensity and execution on both ends of the floor. We're looking forward to another opportunity tomorrow to play some basketball, grow as a group and learn from our mistakes."
Gara Beth Self led ULM with a season-high 16 points on the strength of four 3-pointers.
Whitney Goins canned 4-of-5 treys as well for 12 points, while
Kierra Brimzy also had 12 points, going 6-of-6 at the free throw line. Texas State had five players reach double figures, led by Lauryn Thompson's 13 points.
Only Self was able to score for ULM in the opening quarter. Texas State led 10-2 before Self hit her first 3-pointer of the night. Self swished in another trey late in the quarter before Thompson answered at the other end for the Bobcats to give Texas State the 18-8 first quarter lead.
ULM would never get the deficit under 10 points the rest of the way. The Bobcats slowly pulled away to a 17-point halftime lead, 40-23, after Ja'Kayla Bowie hit a jumper with 14 seconds left in the half.
In the third quarter, Texas State extended the lead to 24 on Gabby Standifer's 3-pointer at 61-37. Self hit her fourth and final 3-pointer in the fourth quarter to bring ULM within 19 again at 71-52, but the Bobcats pulled back away down the stretch, leading by as much as 26 on Sierra Dickson's layup with 1:43 remaining.
ULM will honor Goins for Senior Day prior to the start of Saturday's regular season finale against Texas State. Tipoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Fant-Ewing Coliseum. For tickets, call 318-342-HAWK or go to ULMWarhawks.com. Links to live video and stats are on the women's basketball schedule page at ULMWarhawks.com.
