Nov. 17, 2007

Final Stats

Kennesaw, Ga. - The Texas State Bobcat basketball team overcame a half-time deficit to edge past Jacksonville State in an 86-83 consolation game victory at the 100 Club Classic hosted by Kennesaw State. Junior Brent Benson recorded a career high 21 points and freshman Ty Gough was one point shy of his first career double-double.

Texas State will remain on the road, traveling to Edinburg, Texas, taking on Texas-Pan-American. The Bobcats (3-1) will close out their four-game road excursion Nov. 29 in a 7 p.m. contest with Prairie View A&M University.

Jacksonville State falls to 1-3 with the loss and will host Berry College Tuesday at Pete Mathews Coliseum in Jacksonville, Ala.

A Corey Jefferson jumper put the first points on board in Saturday's game, giving the Bobcats a lead they would maintain until 5:41 in the first half. A JSU lay up by Gamecocks high scorer J.R. Weathers switched the lead to place them ahead by two, and each team traded baskets for the remainder of the half until JSU pulled away with 1:41 remaining and entered half-time with a five-point lead.

The Bobcats largest lead came at 12:01 in the first period with a triplet of Brent Benson free shots that put the 'Cats up nine. Benson led the team in first-half scoring with nine points and nine Bobcats were able to contribute to first half field goals as well.

However, it was a standout performance fueled by a three-pointer at 17:17 to tie the game 44-44 that gave Benson his career-high 21 point game. He completed the night shooting a perfect 4-4 from the free throw line and recorded three rebounds.

Bobcat Brent Holder answered a JSU second half opening score, posting two of his nine game points, to bring the Bobcats within five. Chris Agwumaro followed his lead with a three-point play being fouled on his way to the board. After draining the extra point, giving him three of his twelve total points, combined with a Ty Gough lay up, the 'Cats were two points away from taking the lead away from Jacksonville State.

Neither team led by more than four points after this series, changing the lead nine times and seeing a tie score ten times in the second period of regulation.

Gough was one point short of posting his first career double-double, accruing nine points and eleven boards for the 'Cats. Teammate Matt Fullenwider tallied nine points as well and was able to snag one board this afternoon.

Brandon Thomas brought down eight of the Bobcats fifty rebounds in the contest and added six points to his resume while Brandon Bush was 7-for-9 from the free throw line tallying his lone points for the game. Jefferson and Ryan White added six points for Texas State.

Weathers led the Gamecocks with 13 points and eleven rebounds, clinching his first career double-double. Will Ginn posted 13 points with two rebounds and Nick Murphy added ten points encompassing the only J-State players to score in double digits for the night.

The Gamecocks ended the contest shooting 21-for-30 at the free throw line and just over 42 percent from the field.

The Bobcats nearly doubled their first-half 22.2% shot performance in the second half, turning twelve Gamecock turnovers into twelve of their 34 bench points.