Box Score
Nacogdoches, Texas – A desperation three-pointer by Stephen F. Austin with time winding down in overtime sunk Texas State on the road 73-70 in a thriller at Johnson Coliseum today in Nacogdoches, Texas. The loss snaps the Bobcats five-game winning streak, as they fall to 13-13, 8-4 SLC. The Lumberjacks improve to 16-8, 7-5 SLC.
Tony Bishop was hot today from all over as the senior forward from Garland, Texas netted a career-high 23 points and added 13 rebounds in the Bobcats loss. Ryan White had 19 points and nine assists, just shy of a double-double.
With 35.3 seconds left on the clock and the ball in SFA's hands the Lumberjacks' Darius Gardner tossed up a long range three-pointer that connected with 1.0 seconds left to go in the game. Texas State attempted a last second heave, but the ball went just under the rim as the Bobcats fell to the Lumberjacks 73-70 in overtime.
Stephen F. Austin began the overtime period with three straight points, but a layup by Travis Jones ended that stint and gave the Bobcats their first points of the period. After a Lumberjack bucket, Bishop added a layup and White hit a free throw to tie the game at 64-All.
The Lumberjacks made three free throws due to a Bobcat technical foul and a shooting foul to take a 67-64 lead. Bishop tacked on four points with a mixture of Lumberjack points to take the game to 58-59 with SFA having the one-point advantage.
Stephen F. Austin scored four straight points to start the second half, but Bishop cut that scenario short with a slam dunk. The dunk sparked a 7-4 run by Texas State as the Bobcats cut the Lumberjack lead to six with 11 minutes remaining.
White hit a three-pointer with nine minutes to go to bring the Bobcats to within three points; 46-49. The Lumberjacks went on a five-point run, including a Bobcat goaltending call to take the lead back up to eight with seven minutes to go. It was another trey by White that ended SFA's run and gave the Bobcat offense some momentum. Matt Staff joined in on the scoring with a fast break layup to bring the Bobcats to within three.
Staff connected on a pair of free throws to cut SFA's lead to 54-53, but after a jumper by Jereal Scott the Lumberjacks were back up by three. An unbelievable play by Bishop to save the ball and put it in the ball in the basket, brought the Bobcats back to within one with fewer than four minutes to go.
A layup by Bishop off a feed from White saw the scoreboard change to 57-58 with the Bobcats down by one with 1:17 left in the game. The Lumberjacks missed a three-pointer with 52 seconds left on the clock and the Bobcats dribbled the ball down the court to call a timeout to think things through.
White stepped to the charity stripe with 32.8 seconds on the clock, after drawing the foul to sink a pair of free throws to give Texas State its first lead of the game at 59-58. SFA's Scott hit a free throw with seven seconds remaining to tie the game and send it to overtime.
SFA jumped out to a 4-0 start to begin the game, but the lead wouldn't last for a long. Texas State went on a 9-4 run sparked by a J.B. Conley bucket and ending with a Bishop layup to take a 9-8 lead. Both teams would trade baskets for the next few possessions before SFA went on a 9-0 run to take a 31-20 lead on Texas State. The Bobcats ended the half on an 8-4 run with a fast break layup by Bishop to end the half with the Bobcats down, 28-35.
Jereal Scott led Stephen F. Austin with 30 points and nine rebounds. Also, scoring in double figures was Jordan Glynn and Darius Gardner with 12 points each.
Texas State returns home to host Southeastern Louisiana on Wednesday, Feb. 23 at Strahan Coliseum. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m.
