Behind a season high 28 points by guard Amber Gregg, the Roadrunners were able to knock off I-35 rival Texas State, 81-64, in Southland action at the Convocation Center Saturday.
As Rivalry games go, it was a pretty one-sided affair in the early going as the Roadrunners jumped out to as the Roadrunners took the lead early and held it the entire game.
A big reason for the Roadrunners success was the play of guard Amber Gregg. Gregg put in a season high 29 points with 17 of those points coming from the free throw line. Gregg’s 17-of-20 from the free throw line set a school record for free throw makes.
For Gregg it marked the final time she would play Texas State in her college career.
“It was a big game for us,” Gregg said. “All the seniors, we knew it was the last time we would play them.”
Even with Gregg shooting lights out, the Bobcats were able to make a small run at the beginning of the second half that caused head coach Rae Rippetoe-Blair to call a timeout.
“Coach told us to keep our composure,” Gregg said. “We had to stick to our game plan and keep our composure.”
Although the Roadrunners held the lead throughout the contest, the Bobcats were able to make it a tough game.
“It was hard fought game; I thought we played well the first half,” Rippetoe-Blair said. “We gave up some easy transition baskets and we can’t do that.”
Even with the game out of reach, the Bobcats continued to foul in the final minute of the game, only prolonging the inevitable defeat.
“I was afraid someone was going to get hurt,” Rippetoe-Blair said. “They really hammered Amber a lot; that was my main concern, I couldn’t get Amber out of the game.”
The Roadrunners, in improving to 10-4 in conference play, won the SLC West division. With two games to play the Roadrunners sit in third in the overall conference standings.
“Every game is important; you don’t want to let one of these games slip,” Gregg said. “We are going to keep improving going into the tournament.”
The Roadrunners will travel to Conway, Arkansas Wednesday to face the Central Arkansas Sugar Bears before returning home for the final basketball game of the 2011 season at the Convocation Center Saturday at four against UT-Arlington.
