Box Score
Vermillion, S.D. – Brooks Ybarra hit a pair of free throws with time winding down to sink South Dakota on the road tonight in the Sears BracketBuster game. Texas State fought hard to capture a 93-92 win at the DakotaDome tonight.
Texas State shot 42.3 percent from the floor and made 20 of 25 free throws to have a solid night from the floor. Ybarra led the Bobcats with a career-high 29 points. Vonn Jones netted a career-high 18 points with five assists. Reid Koenen also hopped on the career train with 17 points. Matt Staff added a respectable 15 points and five boards to round out the Bobcats double digit scorers.
The Bobcats first lead in the second half came when Ybarra registered a triple from the right corner that gave Texas State a 53-52 lead three minutes into the second. The Bobcats went on an 11-5 run that forced South Dakota to take a timeout after Ybarra hit his fifth triple of the night.
The Coyotes tried to creep back into the game and cut the Bobcats lead to three after a layup by Louie Krogman brought the score to 64-61 in the Bobcats favor. Texas State could not be stopped on offense and a reverse layup by Ybarra gave the Bobcats their first double digit lead of the game at 80-70.
South Dakota came to within three points when Steve Tecker hit a three-pointer with 1:25 on the clock. The bucket led to the Coyotes fouling to send the Bobcats to the free throw line in hopes of controlling the game. With 25.8 seconds to go in the game, Texas State held on to a 90-89 lead. Koenen made one of two from the free throw line. South Dakota's Krogman scored a three-point play to take the lead, as the Bobcats trailed by one with 13.6 seconds on the clock. Ybarra was able to sink a pair of free throws to lift the Bobcats to a 93-29 victory at the DakotaDome.
Texas State began the game with a three-pointer by Ybarra to get things started. South Dakota fought back and connected on eight of their first 13 shots to take a 20-11 lead on Texas State. The Bobcats came to within three points when Jones, V. made a trio of free throws after getting fouled on a three-point attempt that cut the Coyotes lead to 39-36. Ybarra netted three treys in the first period for a 15-point first half performance to lead the Bobcats, as the Bobcats entered the locker room down, 47-40.
South Dakota was led by Louie Krogman who finished with a career-high 37 points. Trevor Gruis added 23 points and 15 rebounds. Charlie Westbrook had 18 points.
Texas State will continue their three-game road trip at Southeastern La. on Wed., Feb. 22 in the Southland Conference Game of the Week to be aired on the SLC TV Network, as well as ESPN3.com.
Notes: Bobcat starters for tonight… Vonn Jones, John Bowman, Travis Jones, Brooks Ybarra and Matt Staff … 14th different lineup this season … Ybarra notched his team-leading 21st double figure scoring game, en route to a career-high 29 points … Vonn Jones tallied a career-high 18 points … Koenen tallied a career high of 17 points … Staff's two blocks moved him up to fourth all-time on the season blocked shots chart with 39 … Bobcats win first true road game of the year.
