Bobcat basketball set to play twinbill tonight

Women host Paul Quinn, men face SAGU

By Tyler Mayforth

Road trips give coaches time to evaluate their team. Not only can the coaches weigh the intangibles of how their squads handle traveling, but overall strengths and weaknesses.

Both the Texas State men’s and women’s basketball teams have had their share of trips during the preseason. The men have only played at home once, while the women have yet to experience a home crowd.

Each return home for a doubleheader tonight when the women kick it off at 5:30 p.m. against Paul Quinn and then the men follow with a game with Southwest Assemblies of God.

“This is an opportunity for our fans to see us,” Bobcat head coach Suzanne Fox said. “We’re kind of hidden, because no one knows that much about us. This will give people a sneak peek of what we’re going to be like this year.”

The women’s team is 2-4 coming into tonight’s game against Paul Quinn. Through its first six games, Texas State has struggled with consistency on both the offensive and defensive end.

To begin the season, the Bobcats traveled to Iowa to play both the Missouri Valley Conference and Big Ten champion. Texas State lost both games to Drake and Iowa, respectively, by a combined score of 159-99.

After venturing to Iowa, the Bobcats went to New York City to compete in the Tyler Ugolyn Columbia Classic. Texas State won both games, beating Navy by 19 and Long Island by two.

“I think we made the most improvement between the Iowa and New York City trip,” Fox said. “We saw a lot of zone defenses in the first two games and I thought our zone offense improve a lot in the second weekend. We actually moved on offense. I know it sounds simplistic, but it’s how you beat the zone.”

The Bobcats lost their next two games, but hung with both Utah State and UTEP. Three Texas State players finished in double figures against the Miners, led by Kim Cessna’s 22 points.

Through six games, the Bobcats have the same amount of players averaging 10 or more points — three. Cessna, Ashley Cole and Victoria Davis each spread the ball and scoring around.

“A lot of things with this team are going to be done with a lot of people,” Fox said. “I think we have multiple people who have the ability to score each game and who that player might be will depend on who’s on.”

While the women have struggled at times to score, the men are completely different. Doug Davalos’ group has no qualms with putting the ball through the net, it’s keeping the other team from doing the same that’s the problem.

So far this season, Texas State is averaging 88.6 points per game. The Bobcats have scored more than 80 points in all but one game. On the other hand, Texas State has allowed 85 or more points three times.

“We really guarded well against Cal State Fullerton,” Davalos said. “But in the last two games on the road, we couldn’t get any stops. We can score points. We’re going to be awfully fun to watch, but we just need to figure out how to stop people more consistently.”

The Bobcats were 2-1 going into the last road trip to Wyoming and Northern Colorado. Texas State led for most of the game against the Cowboys, but were edged late. The Bobcats never led against the Bears and allowed the opposition to shoot 60 percent from the floor.

“Our biggest problem right now is five-on-five,” Davalos said. “We need to address how to be a more efficient five-on-five team in the front court and still be fast and hard to guard on offense.”

Brent Benson is one player who has done everything for Texas State so far. The second-year guard is averaging 20.8 points per game, while hitting 62 percent of his 3-point attempts.

Benson is currently ranked eighth in the nation in 3-point baskets made with 25. Not only is he shooting at an astronomical rate, he’s also learning what it takes to get more playing time.

“He needs to be an adequate defender,” Davalos said. “Brent’s not a great defender, but he can be a pretty good help-side defender. He takes charges and things like that.”

The Bobcats need to both score and defend against the Lions, because it may turn into a track meet. SAGU scores more than 80 ppg.

Both the women’s and men’s team need to iron out some kinks and tonight could be the best opportunity, against lesser competition.