CANCUN, Mexico – The Texas State women's basketball team fell to Iowa State by a score of 83-61 to open up the Cancun Challenge on Thanksgiving Day at the Hard Rock Hotel Riviera Maya. The loss moves Texas State to 2-2 on the young season.
Kaitlin Walla led the Bobcats with a team-high 14 points, marking her season-high. Taeler Deer also posted her second-straight double-digit performance with 12 points.
After the Bobcats made the first basket of the game on an Ericka May jumper, the 'Cats and the Cyclones exchanged the lead five times through the first seven minutes of play. Iowa State then took its final lead of the contest after an 8-0 run put it up 19-12 with 1:09 left in the first.
A three by Toshua Leavitt broke the Cyclone run, but a jumper in the paint as time expired by Iowa State put the Cyclones up 22-15 at the end of the first.
Iowa State extended its lead to double-digits in the second quarter with a three-pointer by Seanna Johnson. Texas State rallied by going on a 5-0 run of its own, but five unanswered in the closing minutes of the half by Iowa State granted the Cyclones a 13-point halftime lead.
Kaitlin Walla came alive in the third quarter as she started by making the first five points by Texas State. Her first three of the game as well as back-to-back made free throws cut the Cyclone lead to 12. Just over a minute later, another three with 7:02 left in the third by Walla made it a single-digit ball game.
Iowa State retaliated by going on a 10-3 run through the heart of the third to take a 16-point lead over Texas State. Another three by Leavitt cut that lead to 13 heading into the fourth. Walla finished the third quarter with 11 points and the Bobcats and Cyclones tied with 22 points apiece.
Texas State used the entire fourth to try claw back in the contest, but the Iowa State offense and size proved to be too much for the Bobcats as they outscored Texas State 23-14 in the final 10 minutes of play.
The Bobcats made eight three-pointers in the second half while finishing the contest with 12, a season-high and a mark that was just two shy of the school record for three's in a game. Walla and Ayriel Anderson each finished the game with three, three's apiece. May led the Bobcats with seven rebounds and Deer recorded three steals.
The Bobcats finished a perfect 3-for-3 from the charity stripe while Iowa State made 14 trips to the line and converted on 11 of them.
Texas State will continue play tomorrow morning at the Cancun Challenge against Idaho. Tip-off against the Vandals is scheduled for 10 a.m. Central Time.