SAN MARCOS, Texas – The Texas State men's basketball team ended the Thanksgiving weekend with a dominant win over Howard Payne, 68-39, Sunday afternoon at Strahan Coliseum. The Bobcats are now 3-1 on the season for just the fourth time since 1993-94.Â
Texas State went on a 17-0 run midway through the first half to take control of the game. Cameron Naylor keyed the run, with a highlight dunk, followed by a block and two midrange jumpers to help the Bobcats take a 19-14 lead. During the run Naylor had eight points and four rebounds. He finished the game with 18 points and 14 rebounds.
The Bobcats held the Yellow Jackets scoreless for nearly nine minutes before Howard Payne hit a three with 3:36 to play in the first. Texas State went into halftime with a 32-18 lead, the second fewest points it has allowed in a half this season. Previously, the Bobcats allowed 17 to Lamar in the first half.
Ed Seay got into the scoring in the second half as he finished with 10 points and three rebounds. Seay was part of a three-man rotation at the center position along with Kendell Ramlal and freshman Austin Evans. Ramlal did his part to protect the paint as he came away with a career-high four blocks. The near seven-foot Evans played 12 minutes, recording his first career point along with adding a rebound and a blocked shot.
Texas State finished with six blocked shots as a team, its most on the season and owned the points in the paint advantage 30-22. All 14 men on the roster saw action Sunday afternoon, including the first career action for freshmen Brian Herring and Jonathan Wiley. In total the Bobcats finished with 48 bench points, compared to just 13 for Howard Payne.
The Bobcats will stay at home to host Texas Lutheran on Wednesday, Dec. 3, at 7 p.m., at Strahan Coliseum.
