By BRAD KEITH
TheFlashToday.com
STEPHENVILLE (February 8, 2018) — The last time the Tarleton State faithful saw Katie Webster play at Wisdom Gym was the best game of her college basketball career.
A dual-sport athlete planning to join the softball season in progress once the TexAnn basketball season is wrapped up, Webster is a Long Beach State transfer from Rockwall. The junior poured in 29 points against Midwestern State and has since helped the TexAnns to victories in two of three road contests with the last of four straight away from Wisdom Gym tipping off at 2 p.m. today in San Angelo.
Tarleton faces Angelo State at Stephens Arena, where a win would bring the TexAnns within a game of the Rambelles, who are currently tied alongside Texas A&M-Commerce or first in the LSC. It would also give Tarleton a season sweep of ASU, having won the first meeting 72-56 on January 4 in Stephenville.
Webster scored 22 points at A&M-Kingsville the first 11 Tarleton points in the fourth quarter before McKinley Bostad put the TexAnns ahead for good in a 63-59 win at the Steinke Center. Webster also had 14 boards for her second double-double, leading the TexAnns to their 18th consecutive win over the Javelinas.
A dual-sport athlete who will be on the TexAnn softball team once basketball season is complete, Webster averages 12.7 points and 6.1 rebounds in 25.7 minutes per game. Those numbers have been trending upward following a somewhat slow opening six games. She scored less than 10 points in four of the first seven contests and to that point was averaging 9.1.
But Webster has since reached double figures 13 times and exceeded 20 points on three occurrences over the past 16 contests. She has averaged 14.2 points in that and the TexAnns have reeled off 13 wins in 16 games after beginning the year 3-4.
The Flash Today caught up with Webster for a Q&A, learning how she
BK: You scored 29 points against Midwestern. Have you ever topped that, in high school maybe?
KW: In high school once I scored 39 points, but 29 is my highest in college.
BK: What, you couldn’t get 30?
KW: I missed a couple free throws (laugh).
BK: You gusys were 43-46 from the stripe that game (setting the school record for made free throws and best free throw percentage with more than 20 attempts). How much work do you put into free throw shooting in order to do that in a big game? (The TexAnns are currently hitting 77.3 percent, first in the conference by 2.4 percent.)
KW: We work on free throws every day and we have to run if we don’t make an important percentage, so everybody is knocking them down, which is important.
BK: The chemistry you have now is so much stronger than at the beginning of the season. How has the team built that chemistry.
KW: As a team I just think we are coming together naturally as the season has gone along. Our relationships off the court have become stronger with time, too, and that impacts your relationships on the court.
BK: You were recruited by Coach Wilson out of high school. Did you visit Tarleton then, how serious were you about possibly coming to Tarleton then, and what led to you being here now?
KW: I visited Tarleton out of high school and was almost 100 percent sure I was going to come here. Then I went out to California before making my decision and ended up deciding to try that. But the past two years weren’t the best, I’ll leave it at that, so I called Coach Wilson and told her I wanted to visit and she was all for it. That shows a lot of character because a lot of coaches probably wouldn’t give you another opportunity. I looked at a few other schools, too, once I decided I was definitely going to transfer, but when I came here the second time I knew it was a done deal and this is where I needed to be.
BK: Your relationship with McKinley Bostad, what is it like and how has it benefited the team?
KW: With McKinley we came in here both as transfers and decided to be roommates which was huge. We became best friends instantly and it transfers right onto the court. Playing with McKiknley is awesome. She’s so good playing outside, shooting, having so much energy. Having someone like her as a teammate is amazing because she makes us all better.
BK: What is up with her knack for being able to take over in about the last five minutes of a close game?
KW: I think it’s a little bit of her just hating to lose. That’s a great mindset to have. She’s always ready to finish.
BK: You’re on such a good run right now. Have you stopped long enough to realize your top three players are a sophomore (Mackenzie Hailey) and two juniors (Webster and Bostad)?
KW: We started a little rough and now we’re on like a big 13-game streak, and to have our key players be a sophomore :and two juniors is huge. We can build off what we do this year and yes I think we will go really far.
BK: Is Tarleton playing as well as any team in the conference right now?
KW: I think we are playing as well as we need to for right now. We just have to be consistent and then get better as we keep playing because there is still a lot we can do to be better at the end of the season to try and make a run.
BK: Okay, I did this with McKinley and it was fun. I’ll say a word, name, phrase, whatever, and you just reply with the first thing that pops into your mind.
BK: Coach Wilson
KW: Passionate
BK: McKinley
KW: best friend
BK: Tarleton
KW: home
BK: Rockwall
KW: Chiloso (favorite restaurant)
BK: Lone Star Conference
KW: unpredictable
BK: Wisdom Gym
KW: Crazy, the coolest thing I’ve ever experienced for sure
BK: Basketball road trip
KW: fun, except New Mexico
BK: :Transferring
KW: Best decision ever
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