Guard Zyion Shannon brushes past Texas State defenders for a lay-in. Shannon scored 7 points and added 4 steals on defense.

The Arkansas State Lady Wolves took on the Texas State Lady Bobcats in their final home game of the regular season. 

The Red Wolves had an emotional day, as it was Senior Night, celebrating the success of seniors D’Arrah Allen, Crislyn Rose, Wynter Rodgers, Mia Tarver, Payton Fields, Marlie Dickerson, Mimi McColister, Bella Weary, and Zyion Shannon.

The Lady Wolves got off to a fast start, putting up 26 points to Texas State’s nine in the first quarter. The key difference in the two teams’ play was forcing steals.  The Red Wolves are ranked eighth in the nation in steals, averaging 15.3 per game. The team is second in the nation in forced turnovers, averaging 28.08 per game. The Red Wolves had 10 steals in the first quarter and a total of 14 for the game.

The Lady Wolves shot 8-of-18 from the field and 6-of-12 from 3-point range in the first quarter. Offensively, they were in sync, and their defense turned into easy transition layups.

In the second quarter, the Red Wolves continued their dominance, outscoring the Bobcats 22-14 while shooting 8-of-17 from the field and 44% from 3-point range. They also were a perfect 2-of-2 from the free-throw line.

Texas State ended the half missing six of its final seven field goals while A-State continued to add to its lead. Guard Mia Tarver led the way at halftime with 15 points, shooting 5-of-7 from the field, along with three rebounds and three assists. 

Guard D’Arrah Allen chipped in with seven points, going 1-of-4 from the field and 4-of-4 from the free throw line.

Guard Amyria Walker led the Bobcats with six points, shooting 1-of-4 from the field, 1-of-2 from 3-point range, and 3-of-4 from the free throw line.

It was the Lady Wolves’ third quarter that ultimately allowed them to pull away from Texas State. A-State went on a 14-2 run over six minutes and 22 seconds while forcing the Lady Bobcats into four turnovers and four missed shots during the run. The Red Wolves outscored the Bobcats 24-8 in the third quarter.

The Red Wolves used their dominant third quarter to add to their lead and finish the game strong, outscoring the Bobcats 22-15 in the fourth. The Lady Wolves finished with 36 points off Texas State’s 26 turnovers and added 41 bench points, showcasing their depth.

The Red Wolves also had 34 points in the paint compared to Texas State’s 26, and 14 fast-break points to the Bobcats’ 11. Tarver led the Wolves in scoring with 15 points, shooting 5-of-8 from the field and 5-of-8 from 3-point range. She also added five rebounds, one steal and two assists, finishing with a plus-25 on the court.

Allen continued to contribute to the lead with 13 points, five rebounds, two assists and a steal, finishing with a plus-2 on the court.

After the game, Head Coach Destinee Rogers said she was pleased with her team’s dominant Senior Night victory.

“I thought we built great momentum going into the tournament, and it is nice to see us shoot the ball the way we shot it,” Rogers said. “Twenty-four assists. We scored 36 points off their turnovers. We got 21 offensive rebounds. I thought we did everything that it takes to win the way we want to win.”

Beyond being happy about the win, Rogers said she was satisfied with the send-off for the seniors at their last game in First National Bank Arena.

“I thought the way that we played, we were able to celebrate our seniors the right way. So super happy that we got the win,” she said. “These seniors mean the world to me. So happy to send them out the right way on the home floor. But now we know that the job is not done, and we got a job to do, and we know that we’re capable of doing it.”

Rogers said her team played exactly how she wanted, with freedom, fearlessness and confidence. She said she knows her team is the underdog in the upcoming SBC tournament and that she is excited to be in that position again.

“We played three games in three days,” Rogers said. “We’ve had way harder practices in three days than the games are gonna feel like to them. So we just got to get them ready. We want to be confident. We want them to go in and fight and also believe that you can win it.”

Leading scorer Mia Tarver said she is always prepared to score.

“I would just say I have to stay ready to shoot,” Tarver said. “I feel like the flow of the game we play at a fast pace, so I can’t never not be ready to shoot.”

Forward Wynter Rogers said her relationship with Rogers, her sister and coach, has grown over the last few years and that it means the world to her to have played for her at A-State.

“I texted her the other day, I was like, just thanking her,” Rogers said. “Like, these were, like, some of the three best years of my life. Just like playing for her and just being her at A-State. So, you know, all thanks to her, all thanks to the other people, all the people around me. You know, all y’all. I’m just very thankful to be able to play for her.”

Rogers said the experience has been special for her as well.

“I didn’t get to spend a lot of time with Wynter when she was growing up,” Rogers said. “So to get these three years where we see each other every day, if she needs something, she calls me, just the relationship that we’ve built here in three years is something that I think has made us closer than ever.”

While the night called for celebration, Rogers said she still wanted to hold off getting too caught up in the joy.

“I love all these seniors to death,” she said. “But I think the thing for me was I was trying not to be too emotional, because I know there’s more in the tank, and the emotions that I want to show with this group is to win another championship.” 

The Lady Wolves’ dominant performance against the Bobcats allowed them to clinch the number three seed in the Sun Belt Conference tournament in Pensacola, Florida.

Rogers and her team will begin their chase for back-to-back SBC titles Saturday as they await the winner of game six in the Sun Belt Conference tournament.

Categories: Sports