Jan. 30, 2008

Final Stats

Nacogdoches, Texas - For the second-straight outing, Ryan White led the Texas State Bobcats with 13 points as the lone double-figure scorer for the Bobcats. The team fell behind with 13:00 in the first half and never caught up to a hot-shooting Stephen F. Austin team and dropped an 81-63 decision at Johnson Coliseum Thursday night to the Lumberjacks.

The Bobcats are now 3-4 in Southland Conference action and 10-10 overall.

Chris Agwumaro opened the game with a raining three-pointer and the Bobcats maintained the score, posting a 10-4 margin over the Lumberjacks. At 13:42, Josh Alexander hit a three for the `Jacks to tie the game, 11-11, but Brent Benson connected from 12 feet out to pull the `Cats up by the straps. Stephen F. Austin countered with an 8-0 run over Texas State for a lead they would hold onto throughout the contests.

Trailing 24-14, Brandon Thomas muscled under the basket for a three-point play to trim the gap. At 5:34, Brent Holder drained three points on an assist from Brandon Bush to bring the `Cats within three, their closest margin for the remainder of the half.

The Bobcats entered the half down 38-30, despites fairing better in the half with a 45.8 shooting effort to the `Jacks 42.3 outing.

Agwumaro led the team a t the half with six points and freshman Ty Gough topped the board count for both teams, grabbing five in the half.

Texas State scored a quick three points to start the second half, but Stephen F. Austin came back to keep the ten-point gap, but Holder found his second long-range basket of the night to put the `Cats at 43-36 to shut down the scoring rally.

After a five-point run by SFA, a pressure-cooked Bobcat defense forced a backcourt turnover and Benson caught the remains for an easy two points, making it a 48-38 ball game.

SFA graduated to a 16-point lead over the `Cats, but sent Bush to the line at 7:47 to break a second stint of unanswered ball. Bush committed his fifth foul of the night on the next possession and was sent to the bench with nine points and three rebounds. The top-rebounder has only been held to three rebounds once more this season in the SLC-opener against Northwestern State.

The Bobcats played a cat and mouse game for the remainder of the outing, coming within nine points from the `Jacks lead. The final tally ended at 81-63, in favor of Stephen F. Austin.

With 40 seconds remaining on the clock, White was whistled for his fifth foul and was sent to the bench with 13 points, the lone Bobcat in double-figures.

For the game, the Bobcats shot just 33.9 percent from the field against the Lumberjacks 46.8 showing. From the free throw line the `Cats were 17-30 for the night, while SFA finished 31-45 from the stripe. Both teams were held to just six from beyond the arc.

Gough finished with nine rebounds, sharing a game-high with SFA's Alexander. Texas State won the battle of the boards, recording 43 rebounds to their counterparts 37.

Alexander finished just one rebound shy of a double-double, leading his squad with 19 points.

The Bobcats will face Sam Houston State Saturday for their next outing in a double-header with the Bearkats. The Bobcat women's team is scheduled for a 2 p.m. tip and the men will follow tentatively at 4 p.m.