After narrowly defeating UT Arlington in the Simmons Bank Showdown, Texas State men’s basketball (6-5) returned to Strahan Arena in San Marcos where it’ll host three games before beginning conference play. 
For its first matchup, the Bobcats welcomed the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Crusaders (4-3) Tuesday night. Despite coming into the game as heavy favorites, Texas State suffered its worst loss of the 2022-2023 season by a score of 71-65. 
Texas State’s Achilles heel so far this season has been its shooting, particularly from long distance, and Tuesday’s game was no different. The Bobcats went 11-for-33 from the field and 1-for-9 from three in the first half. 
Texas State graduate guard Mason Harrell, the team’s leading scorer this season, was held in check by the swarming Crusader defense going 3-for-9 from the field and 0-for-2 from three for just seven first half points. 
UMHB wasn’t much better from the field, shooting 12-for-33, but was red hot from behind the arc going 7-for-11, allowing the Crusaders to build a 15-point lead it’s largest of the game late in the first half. 
Texas State’s lone first-half three came curiosity of freshman guard Jordan Mason with 20 seconds remaining to make the score 36-24 at halftime. Mason was a perfect 3-for-3 from the field and 1-for-1 from three for seven points in the first half. 
Texas State’s shooting struggles carried over into the second half forcing the team to adjust and drive to the basket, resulting in UMHB fouling and sending the Bobcats to the free throw line often. 
After only making one trip to the free throw line in the first half, Texas State went 17-for-22 as a team from the free throw line in the second half allowing the Bobcats to cut into the UMHB lead over the course of the half.
A 10-4 run led by Harrell brought Texas State within three points at 59-56 with 3:44 minutes remaining in the game.
After being stifled by the tenacious UMHB man-to-man defense in the first half, Harrell managed to get himself going in the second half scoring 13 points to lead the way for the Bobcats. He finished the game as the team’s leading scorer on the night with 20 points to go along with five rebounds and four assists. 
After a made UMHB free throw, Texas State junior forward Nate Martin scored five unanswered points to give the Bobcats a 62-60 lead with 1:30 remaining. This was Texas State’s first lead of the game since the early minutes of the first half. 
Martin finished the game as the team’s second leading scorer with 13 points while also registering six rebounds and three assists. 
Texas State’s lead was short lived as UMHB senior guard Josiah Johnson responded by scoring seven straight points over the next 1:14 putting the game out of reach and clinching the win for the Crusaders.
Johnson finished the night with a game high 25 points. He also had seven rebounds and one assist. 
Even though Texas State had more bench points, fast break points and points off turnovers and more rebounds than UMHB its shooting struggles were too much to overcome. 
Texas State finished its poor shooting night 23-61 from the field and an abysmal 12% from three. 
Texas State will look to regroup from this humbling loss as it prepares for its next opponent, the Sam Houston State Bearkats, on Saturday. 
Tip off is set for 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 17 at Strahan Arena in San Marcos.