Nov. 23, 2005

Box Score

SAN MARCOS - Marlo Saunders scored 22 points and Nedrie Simmons added 20, including a three-pointer to give Texas-Permian Basin the lead for good with 1:40 to play as the Falcons upset Texas State 75-69 Wednesday in Strahan Coliseum.

Texas-Permian Basin improved to 2-2 with the win. Texas State dropped to 0-3 to start the season. The Bobcats travel to Arkansas-Little Rock Saturday.

Texas State led by as many as 17 points in the first half and shot 55.2 percent from the field for the game. But turnovers plagued the `Cats as UTPB scored 31 points, including 24 in the second half, off miscues. Texas State turned the ball over 27 times on the night.

The Bobcats led 38-26 at halftime but UTPB used the first 10 minutes to cut into the lead and tied the game at 48-48 with 9:32 to play on a Corey Hadnot jumper. Hadnot's basket was part of an 8-0 Falcon run capped by a pair of Saunders free throws to give UTPB a 50-48 lead with 9:02 to play.

Texas State would regain the lead as Jeremy Johnson and Chris Langhorne knocked down back-to-back three-pointers to give the `Cats a 54-50 lead with eight minutes to play.

The Bobcats led 62-58 before the Falcons went on an 11-2 run to build a five-point lead late in the game. With Texas State up 64-63, Simmons drilled his first three-pointer to give the Falcons a 64-62 lead with 1:40 to play. After a missed Bobcat shot and turnover, Simmons knocked down another three and the Falcon lead was 69-64. Simmons' successive three-pointers were his only field goals from behind the arc. He was 7-for-11 from the field, had four assists and four steals.

As a team, the Falcons had 15 steals. Starting guard Anwar Morgan had four steals while Marcus Saunders had three and scored 10 points.

UTPB closed out the game by knocking down six straight free throws to ice the win. The Falcons shot 84 percent from the line for the game (22-of-26) and connected on 51 percent of their shots in the second period.

Texas State was led by Chris Langhorne and Charles Dotson who both scored 12 points. Jushay Rockett scored eight points, had 12 rebounds, five assists, four blocks and a steal.