Feb. 21, 2009

Final Stats

San Marcos, Texas - - Ryan White made four consecutive free throws in overtime and Corey Jefferson scored a career-high 22 points to lead the Texas State men's basketball team to a 71-66 overtime victory over Nicholls in a Southland Conference game at Strahan Coliseum Saturday afternoon.

The win improves Texas State to 12-13 overall and 5-7 in SLC play, while Nicholls fell to 15-10 overall and 8-4 in SLC play.

The first half was a defensive battle as both teams combined to score just 47 points with Nicholls holding a 24-23 edge following a last=second lay-up by Nicholls' Antoly Bose. Bose scored 13 points to lead the Colonels, while Jefferson and White scored six points each to lead the Bobcats in the first half.

The Bobcats trailed by as many eight points in the second half and trailed 58-54 with 2:05 left to play before Jefferson and Brent Benson hit back-to-back three point shots. Benson's trey came with 13 seconds left in regulation and sent the game into overtime.

In the overtime period, Texas State scored the first six points to take a 66-60 lead with 2:22 left to play. Cameron Johnson scored the first three points with a lay-up and one free throw in the first 1:09 of the period. Then, Benson added another free throw with 3:50 left and Brandon Bush tipped in a missed shot by John Rybak.

After Bose nailed a three-pointer from the left corner for Nicholls, White made the first two of his four consecutive free throws.

Ryan Bathie connected on a three-pointer from the top of the key as Nicholls narrowed the lead to 68-66 with 21 seconds left in the game.

White came right back and nailed two more free throws, extending Texas State's advantage to four points.

John Bowman closed the scoring for the Bobcats with another free throw.

In addition to Jefferson's game-high 22 points, Bush netted 16 points and a game-high eight rebounds, while White finished with 12 points.

Bose and Bathie both finished with 21 points and Kellan Carter had 10 points for the Colonels.