Dec. 15, 2005

Box Score

EDINBURG - Playing with four fouls most of the second half, Jushay Rockett provided a spark on both ends of the floor and scored the game-winning basket as Texas State defeated Texas-Pan American 58-57 Thursday in UTPA Fieldhouse.

Texas State won for the first time this season and improved to 1-7 on the year. The victory also marked the Bobcats' first in Edinburg since the 1960-61 season. Texas-Pan American fell to 2-6 on the year.

Rockett's foul trouble started early in the game. He had two fouls less than two minutes into the game and picked up his third midway through the half. The junior college transfer started the second half and the Bobcats left him in the game after picking up his fourth foul with 18:42 left to play in the game.

Texas-Pan American scored 10 unanswered points early in the second period to stretch out a four-point halftime lead and the Broncs were up by as many as 12, 45-33 with 15 minutes to play.

Rockett only had two baskets but the four points proved to be some of the biggest in the game. In addition to the game-winning shot in the final minute, he started the comeback with a steal and fast break dunk to cut UTPA's lead to 45-35.

With less than four minutes to play in the game, Chris Langhorne had back-to-back steals and fastbreak layups to cut the Broncs' lead to 55-53 with 3:16 to play. A third straight Bronc turnover led to a pair of free throws by Antwoine Blanchard tying the game at 55-55 with 3:02 remaining.

Jeremy Johnson, who scored a career-high 16 points, had a layin roll out on a drive in which he was fouled. The possibility of a three-point play could have put the Bobcats up by three. He made the first free throw to break a 55-55 deadlock while his second shot was rebounded by Trevor Cook. But the Bobcats could not capitalize on the opportunity.

UTPA's Kano Edwards would make a pair of free throws with 58 seconds to play to put the Broncs back up by one, 58-57.

The Bobcats would work the ball around the perimeter before going inside to Rockett posted up on the right side of the court. He backed in and drove inside for the layin with 34 seconds left and the `Cats regained the lead.

On UTPA's final possession, Langhorne stole the ball from backup point guard Danny Puente. But the Bobcats, who have struggled with turning the ball over all season, had the ball sail out of bounds with 1.2 seconds to play and give the Broncs one more opportunity. An inbounds pass and a Puente three-pointer from beyond the halfcourt line bounced off the glass and front iron allowing the `Cats to hang on for their first win.

In its last game, Texas State had gone 0-for-9 from three-point range but against UTPA Thursday, the Bobcats made 8-of-18 from behind the arc. Johnson led the Bobcats, making 3-of-5 three-pointers.

Cook led the Bobcats with his first career double-double. The freshman from Coppell scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. He was 7-of-13 from the field, including 2-for-4 from three-point range and also had three blocked shots. Blanchard scored 10 points to go with six assists but also had six of the Bobcats' 20 turnovers in the game.

Texas State built as much as a 21-15 lead in the first half as the Bobcats went on an 11-2 run.

Three straight baskets by Johnson, including back to back three-pointers coupled with Cook's trey from the wing gave the `Cats their biggest lead of the first half.

Following Cook's three-pointer, Larry Sheppard answered at the other end, sparking a 12-2 UTPA run that put the Broncs up 27-23 when Cori Gaither's pull up jumper fell with 5:01 to play in the half.

Texas-Pan American would build as much as a 33-27 lead in the final minutes of the half. A three-pointer by Brandon Bush with 2:14 left in the half and Cook made the first of two free throws to make it a one-point game with 1:36 to play in the half.

UTPA would add a field goal on Puente jumper to take a 35-31 lead at the half.

Thursday's game was the first in a home-and-home series between the two institutions. UTPA travels to Texas State in January.

The Bobcats are back in action next Thursday when they travel to nationally-ranked Texas. UTPA travels to Stephen F. Austin next Tuesday.