SAN MARCOS — Texas State women’s basketball could not stop a surging Southern Miss offense Wednesday in front of a packed Strahan Arena, falling 76-62.

Forwards Kyra Anderson and Taleiyah Gibbs led the Bobcats with 16 and 15 points, respectively. But Southern Miss’ combination of outside shooting and size on the interior proved too much for Texas State (7-9, 3-3 in Sun Belt), who were out-rebounded 47 to 34. 

MORE: Texas State women’s basketball guard KP Parr breaks out in win vs Louisiana

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Texas State will return home Saturday for a rematch with Troy, which defeated them 84-49 in the teams’ first go-around.

Here are some takeaways from the Bobcats’ loss:

3-pointer difference

Texas State shot 43.1% from the field, nearly 7 percentage points higher than Southern Miss, which shot 36.5%. The key difference between the two teams, however, were the 3-pointers.

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Guard Carly Keats had the hot hand for Southern Miss, draining 5-of-9 attempts from beyond the arc and scoring 17 points. Overall, the Golden Eagles went 9-for-26 from three, while the Bobcats’ only two 3-pointers of the game came from guard Saniya Burks with less than three minutes left in the game.

“We bring it within single digits, and then boom, get away with a three,” Texas State head coach Zenarae Antoine said. “That was really tough, and it started to wear on the players.”

Although Burks’ final points were largely meaningless to the game’s outcome, Antoine said it’ll be good for the guard’s confidence, as she’s been in a shooting slump. The sophomore had made 2-of-16 3-point attempts in 2026 before going 2-of-5 against Southern Miss.

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“She really needed that,” Antoine said. “That’s going to be important for her moving forward.”

Taleiyah Gibbs growing as a starter

Since Gibbs’ breakout game against Louisiana in December, Antoine has been leaning on the 6-foot forward more and more, eventually inserting her into the starting lineup against Troy.

Gibbs struggled in that game and in a Jan. 10 rematch with the Ragin’ Cajuns, but Wednesday, she once again flashed her tantalizing potential. Gibbs’ combination of height, coordination and athleticism was on full display, as she recorded 15 points, six rebounds and zero turnovers while playing a team-high 34 minutes.  

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Antoine said her positional versatility makes her a utility player that Texas State can utilize all over the court. As Gibbs continues to gain more experience on the court, her coach believes she’ll get even better.

“She really has elevated us, and in things that don’t even show up on this stat sheet,” Antoine said.

Texas State women's basketball coach Zenarae Antoine at practice.

Texas State women’s basketball coach Zenarae Antoine at practice.

Texas State University

Crowd impact

Texas State invited elementary schools from around the community for Wednesday’s annual “Kids Game,” drawing a crowd of 2,858, the largest of this season. Antoine said the Bobcats prepared for the environment, knowing the incredibly enthusiastic children would likely provide the most raucous environment seen so far.

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The coach admitted it was tough keeping focus early amid the noise. But to Antoine, the more important aspect is what the event does for the community and Texas State as a whole.

“Some of these students, they may never go to a major sporting event in their life, or for the next couple years,” Antoine said.

Antoine said Texas State athletic director Don Coryell started the event and that it has grown under ticket manager Lucas Westbrook. She spoke highly of their efforts to bring the community together and how the game gives underrepresented groups unique touchpoints with Texas State.

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“To be able to bring them in as reward and something fun to do, I’m really thankful that our community has come together,” Antoine said.