Jan. 4, 2007

Box Score

SAN MARCOS - Brandon Bush scored 21 points as Texas State snapped a 15-game Northwestern State conference winning streak and beat the two-time defending Southland Conference champions 85-81 to open league play Thursday in Strahan Coliseum.

The Bobcats begin SLC play with a win for the first time since 2004 and handed first-year coach Doug Davalos a victory in his Southland debut on the sidelines.

Texas State is now 6-8 and 1-0. The Bobcats wrap up a four-game home stand with their second league game Saturday as they play host to SLC newcomer Central Arkansas. Tip-off is slated for 4 p.m. The Bears fell 66-60 at Texas-Arlington Thursday. Northwestern State, 5-8 and 0-1, plays its fifth straight road game Saturday at UTA.

The Bobcats built a 45-32 lead by halftime taking advantage of NSU's poor shooting. The Demons had several shots rim out during a stretch and managed just five second-chance points despite nine offensive rebounds. A three-pointer by Antwoine Blanchard with 5:44 to play in the half gave Texas State a 26-24 lead and sparked a 13-2 run that was capped by a trey by Matt Fullenwider to give the Bobcats a 36-26 lead.

Brandon Thomas' two free throws with two seconds left in the half gave the Bobcats a 13-point lead at the break. NSU shot 31 percent from the field in the first half and turned the ball over 13 times in the period which led to 17 Texas State points.

Texas State would survive a Demon run late in the game and hold on for the four-point win. The Bobcats' last double-figure lead came with 5:30 to play, 73-62. NSU would score the next seven points to cut the lead to four.

Down the stretch, Dylan Moseley would drill a three-pointer as the shot clock wound down to give Texas State a 78-70 lead with 2:55 to play. The Demons would score the next six points - a free throw by Jerry Moody, a jumper by Luke Rogers and a three-pointer by Keithan Hancock to tie the game at 78-78 with 1:46 to play.

Hancock answered two free throws by Chris Agwumaro with a jumper in the paint to tie the game at 80-80 with 1:15 to play.

Bush would make a pair of free throws at the other end with 46 seconds left and after Blanchard stole the ball from Colby Bargeman, George Kiel made two more from the line for the Bobcats to make it a two-possession game, 84-80, with 27 seconds to play.

A 1-for-2 performance at the line by Kennan Jones allowed the Bobcats to hold on to a three-point lead and Bush again made it a two-possession game when he overcame a miss of his first free throw with a make on his second attempt with 14 seconds left.

Northwestern State was led by Hancock's 19-point effort while Jones finished with 14.

Brandon Thomas scored 15 points and had six rebounds before picking up his fifth with four minutes left. He was one of four Texas State players to foul out as each team finished with 29 fouls. Blanchard scored 14 points and had five steals before fouling out in the final seconds.