Box Score
Hammond, La. – Brooks Ybarra hit the game-winning basket for the second game in a row as Texas State defeated Southeastern Louisiana, 62-61 in the Southland Conference Toyota Game of the Week. Ybarra hit a step-back jumper to lift the Bobcats to the win tonight at the University Center. Texas State is now 12-15 and 4-10 in conference play. The Lions drop to 10-16, 3-10 in league play.
Matt Staff recorded 21 points and 13 rebounds. Wesley Davis added 12 points. Texas State finished 44 percent from the floor and 68.2 percent from the free throw line.
With 12 minutes to go in the game the scoreboard read 42-42, as the Bobcats went on an 11-7 run to start the period. Texas State led by as many as seven points before the Lions battled back with a 6-0 run of their own to take a 52-51 lead at the 5:32 mark in the second.
Reid Koenen gave the Bobcats the lead with a jumper before the Lions hit a pair of free throws to go back up by one. The game would continue to be intense with neither team willing to give up – trading points down the stretch.
A crucial layup by Vonn Jones helped the Bobcats to a 60-57 lead which forced Southeastern La. to call a timeout with 1:37 on the clock. A turnover by the Lions on the next possession gave the Bobcats the ball with a minute to go. Southeastern La. was able to come away with the rebound on the Bobcats' missed shot attempt, racing down the court for a fastbreak layup. Texas State then turned the ball over on the inbounds play which led to a Lion basket and a one-point lead with five seconds remaining in the game.
Texas State had 3.8 seconds to work with on the clock to score and it was Ybarra who took the final shot. He drained it with what looked like ease and the Bobcats captured the win.
A pair of free throws by Staff at the 8:10 mark in the first half gave him 10 points to become the first player of the game to hit double figures. The Lions led by as many as six points in the period. Southeastern La. closed the period out on a 9-4 run - Texas State's four points all came at the charity stripe. The Lions edged the Bobcats in made shots, 12-8.
Southeastern La. was led by Roosevelt Johnson who netted 18 points and 13 rebounds. Todd Nelson added 12 points and Antonnio Benton added 11 points.
Texas State will close out its three-game road trip on Saturday, Feb. 25 at UTSA. Tip-off at the Convocation Center is slated for 4 p.m. The Bobcats will then head home to San Marcos to host Lamar and Sam Houston State at Strahan Coliseum.
Notes: Bobcat starters for tonight… Vonn Jones, John Bowman, Travis Jones, Brooks Ybarra and Matt Staff started for Texas State for the second straight game … Texas State improves its win streak to three games … second straight road win … Matt Staff earned his 19th double figure game of the season and sixth double-double … John Bowman appeared in his 117th career game to tie for second all-time on the Bobcat record charts … Wesley Davis reached double figures for the sixth time in his career.
