Monthly Archives: February 2012

February 26, 2012 · 3:57 pm

College Basketball: Men’s Path

Texas State sports fans, a few weeks ago we all but wrote the men’s basketball team’s season off.

The Bobcats were 1-8 in the Southland Conference and at the bottom of the standings. Then, something changed.

Texas State won four of its next five conference games, improving its record to 5-9 with two games to play. The Bobcats are still mathematically in the hunt for a tournament berth.

  • Texas State must win out. A loss by the Bobcats ruins any chance of a return trip to Katy.
  • Either Nicholls State or Sam Houston State must lose out. Any win by either team eliminates Texas State from contention.

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· 1:58 am

College Athletics: Big Saturday for Texas State

It was an exciting Saturday in the world of Texas State sports.

The Bobcats swept the slate clean Saturday as the softball team advanced to the championship game of the Texas Shootout, the baseball team topped the University of Houston and both basketball teams knocked off arch-rival UTSA.

To begin the day, Texas State’s softball team beat UTEP, 3-0, in the day’s first game, then upset No. 9/10 Baylor, 1-0. The Bobcats’ pitchers (Chandler Hall and Anne Marie Taylor) combined for two complete games and 17 strikeouts in the victories.

Then Texas State’s baseball team bounced back from a tough loss Friday night against the Cougars to take the second game of the three-game series. Senior first baseman Casey Kalenkosky started the scoring with a towering home run, his third of the season, and the Bobcats rolled to a 6-1 win.

For Texas State’s women’s basketball team, it was a momentous day. The Bobcats not only beat the Roadrunners for the first time in four years (Feb. 23, 2008), but they clinched a berth to the Southland Conference Tournament for the first time since 2008.

In San Antonio, Texas State’s men’s basketball team stayed in contention for the Southland Conference Tournament with a 66-52 win over UTSA. The Bobcats rolled in the second half as they shot 52 percent from the field, 59 percent from beyond the arc and limited the Roadrunners to eight baskets. Junior forward Matt Staff provided the spark for Texas State, scoring 28 points, grabbing 12 rebounds and dishing six assists.

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February 24, 2012 · 10:55 pm

College Football: Spring Practice Schedule

Texas State sports fans, spring football practice opens tomorrow (Saturday) morning at 10 a.m.

This will be the second round of spring practices for the Bobcats under head coach Dennis Franchione.

Last year Texas State went 6-6 in its final season as a member of the Football Championship Subdivision. When the 2012 season begins, the Bobcats will be a full-fledged member of the Western Athletic Conference.

Here is the practice schedule for the spring, which will be capped by the Maroon and Gold Spring Game on March 31.

Practice Date Time
1 Feb. 25 10 a.m.
2 Feb. 28 4 p.m.
3 March 1 4 p.m.
4 March 3 10 a.m.
5 March 5 4 p.m.
6 March 6 4 p.m.
7 March 8 6 a.m.
8 March 19 4 p.m.
9 March 20 4 p.m.
10 March 22 4 p.m.
11 March 23 6 a.m.
12 March 26 4 p.m.
13 March 27 4 p.m.
14 March 29 4 p.m.
15 March 31 TBA

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February 23, 2012 · 12:16 am

College Basketball: Pair of wins for the Bobcats

Hey, Texas State sports fans, don’t count out the men’s basketball team yet. The Bobcats still have some fight left in them.

Texas State moved into sole possession of ninth place, one spot out of an automatic bid to the Southland Conference Tournament, with a 62-61 win over Southeastern Louisiana on the road.

Junior forward Brooks Ybarra was the hero for a second consecutive game, drilling a jumper as time expired to send the Bobcats into the locker room as victors. Ybarra sank the winning free throws last Saturday against South Dakota to give Texas State its first road win of the season.

You can see highlights from Wednesday’s win by CLICKING HERE.

The Bobcats, who are on a three-game win streak, still need a lot to go their way in order to make a trip to Katy. Texas State must win two out of its next three games and hope for some shakeups in the standings to slide into eighth place.

In San Marcos, the Bobcat women put a stranglehold on seventh seed (if the tournament began today) by beating Southeastern Louisiana, 67-63. Texas State got 23 points from junior guard Diamond Ford and a healthy game from sophomore guard Kaylan Martin (eight points, seven assists, five rebounds) in the win.

The Bobcats can clinch a trip to Katy if they win one more game. Texas State would love nothing more than to do it Saturday afternoon against arch-rival UTSA.

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February 20, 2012 · 11:37 pm

College Athletics: Busy weekend for the Bobcats

It was a busy, yet exciting weekend in the world of Texas State sports.

First of all, the men’s basketball team finally won a game on the road. The Bobcats were able to outlast South Dakota, 93-92, winning their ESPN BracketBuster match-up. Junior forward Brooks Ybarra, who scored a career-high 29 points in the win, knocked down a pair of free throws with time winding down to hand the Coyotes a loss.

On the flip side, the women’s team couldn’t pull out a win on the road at Stephen F. Austin. Texas State lost by 22 points (81-59) and is now 6-6 in the Southland Conference after losing four out of its last five games.

Then the baseball team opened its 2012 season at home in the CenturyLink Bobcat Invitational. The Bobcats won two out of the three games they played, downing Louisiana-Lafayette and Wichita State and losing to Santa Clara. Senior designated hitter/outfielder/pitcher Jeff McVaney had a huge weekend, going 7-for-14 with a home run and four runs batted in.

Across the way, the softball team held its own tournament, winning three of its four games by a combined score of 18-6. Texas State lost to Rutgers University to close out the tournament.

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February 16, 2012 · 2:38 pm

College Athletics: Benson officially to the Sun Belt

Texas State sports fans, Texas State‘s White Knight — Western Athletic Conference commissioner Karl Benson — is moving to a new kingdom.

Benson was officially introduced as the new commissioner of the Sun Belt Conference this afternoon. He will assume a full-time role with the Sun Belt as of July 1.

“It was a decision that was based on many hours of deliberation,” Benson said. “As I examined the Sun Belt as its member institutions, I was impressed with the positive outlook that the conference has and the individual members have.

“I was convinced the future of the Sun Belt was extremely bright and in the time in my career that arises — on a personal matter — that this would provide me stability and security and a tremendous opportunity to finish my career with the Sun Belt Conference.”

So what does this mean for the Bobcats and their upcoming move to the WAC? Absolutely nothing. Texas State will still be a member of the WAC in 2012-13.

What does this mean for the Bobcats’ future beyond the upcoming school year? A lot.

Benson mentioned he’d love to expand the Sun Belt’s footprint to include 12 football-playing members. He also stated Texas will be a ‘tremendous’ candidate for potential expansion.

Texas State to the Sun Belt in 2013? It looks like a solid bet.

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· 1:11 am

College Basketball: Bobcats wash away the Islanders

Texas State sports fans, if you like to watch Texas State beat Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, tonight was your night.

The Bobcats posted a sweep of the Islanders in basketball, with the men winning at home and the women scoring a victory on the road.

In San Marcos, Texas State beat A&M-CC, 79-61. The Bobcats were led by Travis Jones and Matt Staff, who combined for 40 points in the win.

Jones scored 17 points and knocked down five 3-pointers, while Staff posted a double-double with a career-high 23 points and 11 rebounds.

With the win, Texas State improved to 3-9 in Southland Conference play and must win three out of their remaining four games to reach the postseason tournament. The Bobcats travel to South Dakota for an ESPN Bracketbusters game on Saturday, then hit the road for two consecutive conference games.

In Corpus Christi, Texas State’s women’s team secured a sweep of the Islanders with a 74-61 win.

Junior guard Diamond Ford led all scorers with 22 points, while Verinus Kalu added a Ben Wallace-like performance with eight points and a career-high 19 rebounds.

The Bobcats moved into a tie for fifth place in the league with Nicholls State.

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February 11, 2012 · 10:56 pm

College Basketball: Swept again on a Saturday

Saturday was a rough day in the basketball realm of Texas State sports.

Both the mens’ and women’s team suffered defeats at the hands of UT-Arlington. Doug Davalos‘ squad fell 73-53 in the new College Park Center, while Zenarae Antoine‘s bunch lost by 16 (61-45) at home.

Earlier in the day, the Bobcat women struggled offensively against the Mavericks. Texas State turned the ball over 24 times, shot 22.6 percent from the field (12-of-53)  and only had one player in double figures (Ashley Ezeh, 14 points).

“I felt that we never got into a good offensive flow,” Antoine said.

In Arlington, the Bobcat men had their hands full with a UTA team that won its previous 14 games in a row. Texas State never led as the Mavericks jumped out to an 8-0 lead, opening it up to as many as 15 points in the first half.

The Bobcats were led in scoring by sophomore forward Reid Koenen, who sent home 16 points.

Texas State now must win four of its last five games in order to make the conference tournament.

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February 8, 2012 · 11:28 pm

College Basketball: Bobcat men still have life

Don’t count out the men’s basketball team just yet, Texas State sports fans.

Even though the Bobcats can’t win a regular-season championship in the Southland Conference, they took a big step to climbing out of the cellar Wednesday night. Texas State clubbed Central Arkansas, 94-63, securing its second win in conference play, moving into a tie for 10th place with Southeastern Louisiana.

“We live to play another game,” Bobcats head coach Doug Davalos said. “Our pulse is faint, but we’re hanging in there.”

Texas State got a jump-start from junior forward Brooks Ybarra and senior guard Travis Jones against the Bears. Ybarra scored a game-high 21 points, grabbed five rebounds and handed out three assists, while Jones posted a double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds. Jones had 11 points and nine rebounds in the first half.

The Bobcats still have a long way to go, but it was a step in the right direction for a team many thought was dead.

Texas State returns to action Saturday afternoon at UT-Arlington.

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February 6, 2012 · 11:56 pm

College Basketball: Women in, men out

If the Southland Conference Tournament began today, Texas State would have one team in the hunt for an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.

The women’s team — and its 5-3 record — would earn one of eight spots, while the men — and their 1-8 record — would miss a trip to Katy.

Both teams are back in action Wednesday night when they take on Central Arkansas.

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