Texas State men’s basketball (6-2) dominated the University of Denver Pioneers (3-7) Sunday afternoon on the way to a 71-58 win, marking its fifth win in a row. 
It was a slow start for the ‘Cats as they allowed Denver to connect on its first four field-goal attempts resulting in an early 10-6 hole. That’s when Texas State started to get comfortable.
Sophomore guard Dylan Dawson got hot and knocked down three treys in a span of two minutes and 20 seconds. A jumper from senior guard Mason Harrell, and a put-back from senior forward Nighael Cesar added to a 13-0 run that put the Bobcats up 19-10.
Denver’s offense couldn’t get much going despite shooting 52% from the field in the first half. Texas State’s defense held the Pioneers to only 19 first-half shot attempts and forced 12 first-half turnovers. In comparison, the Bobcats attempted 31 shots and only turned it over six times in the first frame.
After some back and forth buckets, the ‘Cats headed into halftime with a 35-28 lead that they’d never relinquish.
Texas State started the second half on fire. They connected on their first six field-goal attempts after the break, including two straight three-pointers from senior guard Shelby Adams. Those six field goals added to an 18-3 run for the Bobcats, putting them up 53-33. A 20 point lead that served as the largest of the night.
In an attempt to make a comeback, Denver picked up the defensive intensity and capitalized off of some lackadaisical play from Texas State. A steal and a fast-break layup from senior forward Michael Henn sparked an 11-3 run that brought the lead back down to 12 at 56-44.
Things began to look a bit uncertain when Denver forced a Texas State shot clock violation with 8:07 to play, but on the next possession, junior forward Tyrel Morgan improbably blocked a dunk from Denver junior guard Payton Moore. That momentum saver was followed by a dagger step-back three from Harrell that felt like a game sealer with the score at 61-46 and 7:37 to play.
From there Denver wasn’t able to mount another run, and most of the game’s starters were subbed out with less than three minutes to go. The Bobcats were able to keep their turnover advantage, finishing the game with 28 points off turnovers to the Pioneer’s 17.
The ‘Cats also were also able to squeeze out extra points by working the glass. Texas State doubled Denver in offensive rebounds with 14. That resulted in 17 second-chance points for the home team, while the visitors could only manage four points after an offensive board.
Adams finished with a season-high of 14 points and tied for the team lead in offensive rebounds with four. Harrell was the Bobcats’ second-leading scorer with 13 points while also handing out five assists. Senior forward Isiah Small had a nice day after missing the team’s last game against Rice, ending the afternoon with 12 points and a team-leading eight total rebounds.
Junior guard K.J. Hunt was Denver’s highest scorer with 14 points. Henn and sophomore guard Jordan Johnson put up 10 and 11 points respectively. The Pioneers couldn’t find a way to put up more shots and finished the game with 45 total attempts to Texas State’s 58.
The Bobcats will look to keep their win streak in their next contest against the Southwestern University Pirates at 4 p.m. on Dec. 12 in Strahan Arena. The game will air on ESPN+.