Texas State men’s basketball (2-0) defeated Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (1-1) 75-63 on Nov. 28 in the Bobcats’ first away game of the season.
The difference-maker for Texas State was the team’s ability to make shots and get different players involved in the offense. On the other end, the Islanders’ free throw shooting kept them in the game early on but as their free throw percentage slipped late in the game the Bobcats were able to pull away.
Offense was hard to come by for both teams to start the first half. Five minutes in the score was only 8-5 with Texas State in the lead. Gradually both squads picked up the pace as they began to feel each other out.
With 13:52 left in the first, senior guard Shelby Adams made a pair of free throws to put the Bobcats up 10-6 as Texas State looked like it may begin to pull away. TAMU-CC stuck with it however and kept the game close in the half.
At 8:02 junior guard Rasheed Browne went 2-2 from the line for the Islanders to tie the game 22-22. Texas State’s junior forward Alonzo Sule responded with a quick layup on the other end to retake the lead. Browne quickly fired back with a three-pointer to make the score 25-24 as TAMU-CC took its first lead since the 18:58 mark.
After trailing for almost five minutes, junior guard Mason Harrell would tie the game up for the Bobcats at 31-31 with a pair of free throws. Sophomore guard/forward Jalen White would once again tie the game at 33-33 with free throws of his own
Back-to-back made jumpers from senior forward Quentin Scott and junior forward Nighael Ceaser would take Texas State into halftime leading narrowly at 35-33.
The Bobcats were more efficient in the first, shooting 51.9% (14-27) from the field and 50% (3-6) from three-point land compared to TAMU-CC’s 34.8% (8-23) field goal percentage and 33.3% (4-12) three-point percentage.
The Islanders kept the half competitive by getting to the line frequently and converting once there, shooting 81.3% (13-16) while Texas State only shot 50% (4-8).
In the second half, TAMU-CC cooled off from the free throw line allowing Texas State to take control of the game.
Six minutes in, the Islanders kept the second half close, only trailing 43-40. At that point, Texas State began to pull away by going on a 10-2 run, including two threes by junior guard Caleb Asberry, to take the lead 53-42.
With 6:02 on the clock, Sule went 2-2 from the line to make the score 59-50. From here the Bobcats coasted to victory, never allowing the Islanders to come within 10 points, winning the game 75-63.
Texas State shot 54.2% (26-48) for the game, 60% (6-10) from three and 70.8% (17-24) from the charity stripe.
Harrell led all scorers with 18 points (7-13) to go along with two assists, two rebounds and two steals. Sule finished with 14 points on 50% shooting and two steals. Asberry was a perfect 4-4 from three-point land and finished with 12 points. Senior forward Isiah Small finished with no points despite starting the game but led the team in rebounds with six and assists with three to go along with a block.
TAMU-CC finished shooting 34% (16-47), 25.9% (7-27) from three and 66.7% (24-36) at the line.
Senior guard Myles Smith led the Islanders with 13 points, five rebounds and four steals. Browne was the game’s leading rebounder with eight while scoring 11 points.
Texas State will take on Mississippi State in their next contest at 6 p.m. on Nov. 30 in Starkville, Mississippi.