CONWAY, S.C. (Interstat) — The Coastal Carolina women’s basketball team used a dominant third-quarter surge to turn a competitive game into a rout, defeating Texas State 85-53 in a Sun Belt Conference matchup Wednesday night at the HTC Center.

The Chanticleers, improving to 11-11 overall, outscored the Bobcats 33-19 in the decisive third period, transforming a 29-18 halftime lead into an insurmountable advantage. The offensive explosion was fueled by efficient shooting and a stifling defense that forced Texas State into 25 turnovers, which Coastal Carolina converted into 24 points.

Texas State, which fell to 9-11, struggled offensively throughout the night. The Bobcats shot just 26.7% from the field and a dismal 9.1% from three-point range. Despite winning the rebounding battle, particularly on the offensive glass with 16 boards, they could not overcome their shooting woes and ball-handling issues.

The game’s most pivotal stretch came early in the third quarter. Leading 32-22, Coastal Carolina unleashed a 12-0 run in just over two minutes, capped by consecutive three-pointers from Tessa Grady and Kristin Williams. That sequence extended the lead to 44-22 and effectively put the game out of reach, as the Bobcats never got closer than 18 points the rest of the way.

Grady, a 6-foot-2 forward from Dublin, Ohio, led all scorers with 21 points in 26 minutes, adding three blocked shots. She was instrumental in the third-quarter run, hitting two of her three three-pointers during that span. Williams, a guard from San Diego, contributed 18 points and four assists, while Kinsea Grimes of Mansfield, Texas, added 16 points, four assists and two blocks. Tracey Hueston of Roanoke, Virginia, chipped in 11 points and was a defensive force with multiple steals and blocks.

For Texas State, Kyra Anderson of Huntington, Texas, led the way with 16 points. Saniya Burks of Mexia, Texas, scored 11 points, but the Bobcats’ offense never found a consistent rhythm against Coastal Carolina’s active defense, which recorded 17 steals and nine blocks as a team.

The first half was a defensive struggle, with Coastal Carolina taking a 21-6 lead after the first quarter. Texas State’s offense showed brief signs of life in the second quarter, but the Chanticleers maintained a double-digit cushion at the break before their game-breaking run after halftime.

Coastal Carolina shot 46.3% from the field and an impressive 45.8% from beyond the arc, making 11 three-pointers. They also capitalized at the free-throw line, converting 24 of 28 attempts. Texas State managed 20 made free throws on 27 attempts, but their inability to score from the field proved too great a deficit to overcome.

The announced attendance was 786. Both teams return to Sun Belt play on Saturday. Coastal Carolina will host Troy, while Texas State travels to face Georgia State.