Jan. 28, 2006

SAN MARCOS - Texas State survived 25 turnovers, four double-digit scorers from Northwestern State and a blown 23-point lead to take a 76-71 victory Saturday at Strahan Coliseum.

Joyce Ekworomadu scored a career-high 27 points on 12-of-17 shooting to lead the Bobcats (12-6, 4-3 Southland Conference). Her scoring total was the highest recorded by a Bobcat this season.

Northwestern State (10-7, 3-4 SLC) dropped their second straight on its Texas road trip, having lost 73-65 at Texas-San Antonio Thursday.

Tamara Thompson turned in her second-consecutive double-double (fourth of the season), scoring 11 points and pulling down a game-high 12 rebounds. Additionally, she blocked a game-high four shots.

Jeana Hoffman and Ashley Riley also scored 11 points for the Bobcats, marking Riley's first double-figure outpouring of the year. Jenna Hoffman led the team with nine assists.

Northwestern State was led by Sheronda Bell and Tena Matthews, who scored 18 and 17 points, respectively. Shenise Miller posted a double-double of her own, scoring 10 points and pulling down 10 rebounds. Chassidy Jones added 12 points and grabbed nine caroms.

The Bobcats scored the first 14 points of the game, opening on an Eworomadu layup on the Bobcats' first trip down the floor, and she then connected on a three-pointer on the next possession to give Texas State a 5-0 lead just before the 19:00 mark.

The Bobcats scored on their first four trips down the floor to take a 9-0 lead at the 17:56 mark on baskets by Thompson and Ekworomadu, and Texas State stretched its game-opening lead to 14-0 on a three-pointer from Jeana Hoffman with 14:27 remaining in the first half.

Northwestern State finally got on the board nearly six minutes into the game when Shonte Kennedy sank two free throws to make the score 14-2.

The Bobcat lead reached as high as 23 when Ashley Leffingwell hit a three-point shot to make the score 39-16 with 3:35 remaining, but the Lady Demons ended the half on a 14-3 run, pulling to within 10 points on a jumper by LaTonya Perry with 41 seconds in the half to make the score 40-30.

A layup from Ekworomadu with nine seconds left gave the Bobcats a 42-30 at intermission.

Northwestern State opened the second half on a 5-2 run to make the score 44-37, and after falling behind by 13 points on a layup by Riley at 16:31, the Lady Demons went on an 18-4 run to take their first lead of the game at 55-54 on a layup from Matthews with 11:54 remaining in the game.

The lead was the only advantage Northwestern State would have, as the Bobcats responded by scoring the next six points on baskets by Ekworomadu, Leffingwell, and Erica Putnam to give the `Cats a 60-55 lead at the 10:31 mark.

The Demons went on 9-4 run over the next 4:01, tying the game at 64 on a three-pointer from Bell, but Texas State again responded by using an 8-1 scoring run to take a seven-point lead on a layup from Ekworomadu.

Northwestern State got as close as two points with 33 seconds left to play, but got no closer as Jenna Hoffman found Thompson alone under the basket for an easy layup. The basket gave Thompson her double-double and gave the `Cats a 75-71 lead. Ryann Bradford added a free throw with 0:00.3 seconds remaining to ice the Texas State victory.

The win wrapped the Bobcats' two game homestand, and Texas State next travels to Hammond, La., to face Southeastern Louisiana Thursday at 7 p.m.