From staff reports
DES MOINES, IA — Victoria Davis led the Texas State women’s basketball team with 17 points and brought down five rebounds in the Bobcats 2008-09 season opener, but four Drake Bulldogs had double-digit performances, and the team fell 72-54 Friday night at the Knapp Center.
Texas State started the scoring with a jumper from Ryan Bradford to open the game, but followed with a 29-percent effort from the field in the first half.
The Bobcats trailed by as many as 15 points when Drake scored eight unanswered points for a 22-7 edge at 10:08 and maintained a double-digit lead until just under a minute in the half.
Davis took the last bucket to trim the deficit to eight points heading into the half down, 31-23.
Texas State regrouped in the second half and came out firing, scoring eight points in the first two minutes of action. Down 32-31 after a quick free throw by the Bulldogs, Ashleigh Brady initiated a 12-0 run with a jumper at the 16:25 mark.
Senior Ashley Cole drained a three-pointer off a dish from Davis and Ofoegbu followed it with a three-point play on the next possession, 46-37.
Texas State finished the half with 36 percent shooting from the field and brought down 20 rebounds, but a hot hand from Brady carried Drake to the finish. The game-high scorer went 4-of-4 from the field in the final half of action to aid the team’s 45-percent effort.
The Bobcats could not match the effort and trailed by as many as 20 points in the final minutes of action, resulting the 16-point defeat.
Texas State edged Drake on the boards, 38-37 and Cole posted a team-best six rebounds.
The Bobcats shot 69-percent from the free throw line, sinking 9-of-13 attempts.
Texas State is scheduled to play Iowa this afternoon at 2:05 p.m.
Live stats will be available via the host schools web-site.
