Box Score
Katy, Texas – The number four seed Texas State men's basketball team played its last 40 minutes of the season tonight in the semifinals of the State Farm Southland Conference Tournament as it fell to top-seeded McNeese State, 91-83, at the Merrell Center.
The Bobcats and Cowboys were in an up and down battle most of the game, but McNeese State found a way to stay ahead of Texas State. McNeese State managed to hold a 20-point lead over Texas State with 3:27 left in the game, but the Bobcats fought back and ended up dropping the game by eight points.
McNeese State came out of halftime and hit a quick three-pointer to take and 11-point advantage, but Texas State would not be denied as a trey by White and a jumper by Johnson narrowed the Cowboys lead to six. For the next six minutes the game stayed within a single digit range for the Bobcats, and then McNeese State decided to switch gears to slowly pull away.
A three-point play by C.J. Collins with 7:50 left to go in the game stretched the Cowboys lead to 17 points, as McNeese State tried to create a foot race with the Bobcats. Jones stopped the Cowboys 7-0 run with a four-point play as he was fouled on a three-point shot to trim the score to 54-66.
Jones hit another three-pointer to keep Texas State in the game, although the Cowboys still led by double digits. McNeese State continued to score, but a slam dunk by Bishop stunned the Cowboys defense for a brief second with five minutes to go.
With the Bobcats being called for fouls in the final minutes, the game started to really favor the Cowboys as they were able to keep a steady lead on the scoreboard to go up 81-63 with a little under four minutes to go on the clock. A pair of treys by Rios brought energy to the Bobcat offense, but the Cowboys were able to add to their total from the charity stripe.
Five consecutive points by Brooks Ybarra and a three-pointer by Rios cut the Cowboys lead to ten with less than a minute to go, but it would not be enough as the Bobcats fell short to drop the semifinals game to McNeese State tonight.
It was all Bishop and Johnson in the first half as the inside duo combined for 21 points and 13 rebounds. The Bobcats out-rebounded the Cowboys 21-15, but it was their 9-of-25 shooting that hurt them on the scoreboard. Johnson hit five straight free throws for the Bobcats to give them a 24-23 lead, but the Cowboys went on a 14-5 run to take a 37-29 lead into halftime.
Tonight was the last game for Bobcat seniors Tony Bishop, J.B. Conley, Cameron Johnson, Uriel Segura and Ryan White.
