Burks, who hadn’t scored over 15 points since mid-December, exploded for 27 points and seven 3-pointers on 9-of-19 shooting. But in the fourth quarter, the Trojans held Burks to two points on 1-of-4 shooting. Troy managed to do just enough late in the game to keep hold of its lead, with guard Ashley Baez sealing the deal with two free throws.
Texas State (7-10, 3-4 in Sun Belt) will return Wednesday to face Appalachian State. Here are some takeaways from the Bobcats’ loss:
Burks has shown an ability to get white-hot from distance from the first game of the season against Ohio, in which she scored 34 points with seven made 3-pointers. But she’s had difficulty maintaining that same level of play during Sun Belt play, hitting the 20-point mark once against ULM.
When the two teams played earlier this season, Burks had nine points as the Trojans blewout the Bobcats 84-49. Texas State flipped the script this time around and showed what it can do when its top bucket-getter is operating at full capacity.
There is no separate column for “moral victories” on Texas State’s win-loss record. But Burks finding her footing in the Sun Belt could change things for the Bobcats and how they’ve been competing.
Texas State subbed in Amyria Walker with seven minutes left, looking for a spark of offense. She led the Bobcats in scoring in her limited time, making 3-of-6 attempts for six points. Considering Texas State struggled to score outside of Burks for most of the game, is there room for Walker to get more playing time?
Head coach Zenarae Antoine can only spare so much playing time for her guards, with Burks, KP Parr and Deja Jones handling a load of the minutes. But it’s worth wondering how much longer Antoine can continue to rely on Jones, who recorded two points, one rebound, zero assists and two turnovers against Troy.
The Bobcats still haven’t found an answer to their troubles on the glass. Troy won the rebounding battle 51-42, earning 18 second-chance points to four for Texas State.
Kyra Anderson, Angela Carroll and Taleiyah Gibbs are starters and the Bobcats’ three tallest players, but the Trojans seemed unbothered in the paint. Texas State isn’t a tall roster, but Troy forward Fortuna Ngnawo is an inch shorter than the 6-foot-1 Anderson, yet she still grabbed 17 rebounds.
Height plays a role against teams like UTSA, which fielded a roster with three starters over six feet tall, including the 6-foot-4 Emi Dannebauer. But in the Sun Belt, Texas State cannot continue to lose the battle in the paint so badly.