SAN MARCOS, Texas – In a reversal of roles from last year's game in Strahan Coliseum, the Texas State men's basketball team was on the unfortunate end of a buzzer beating three-pointer in overtime against Little Rock Thursday night as the Bobcats fell 77-74 in front of a season-high 3,357 fans.

"We are very disappointed to lose the game after how great we started off," said head coach Danny Kaspar. "I knew and kept reminding the players that they were going to make a comeback and got to hold them off. Those missed free throws in the second half and a couple of turnovers in overtime were the difference in the game."
 
The loss dropped Texas State to 8-7 overall and 2-4 in the Sun Belt Conference while the Trojans are now 16-1 and 6-1 in league play.
 


Ethan Montalvo went off for a career-high 28 points as he made 7-of-14 shots, was 5-for-10 from beyond the arc and made all nine of his free throw attempts. He is the first Bobcat to total at least 25 points in a game since Joel Wright had 32 against Denver in the WAC Tournament on Mar. 14, 2013.

"It was a great game from Ethan. I hate to see him waste such an effort on a loss like that," Kaspar said. "He played a wonderful game and hit some big shots at the end to bring us back."
 
Kavin Gilder-Tilbury added 15, eight coming in the extra period, and dished out a team-high three assists. Finishing with 13 points, two assists, rebounds and steals was Ojai Black.
 
Off the bench, Maljhum McCrea netted eight points. Both he and Anthony Roberson grabbed a team-high six rebounds.
 


Little Rock could not miss in overtime from the field as it made six of their first seven shots with three treys to take a six point lead with 68 seconds. Gilder-Tilbury cut the deficit in half with a long distance shot and Bobby Conley knotted the game at 74-74 with a three-pointer, his only made field goal of the game, with just under 12 seconds left. The Bobcats were assisted by the Trojans missing four free throw attempts over the final 34 ticks.
 
However, Josh Hagins hit a fall-away trey with a hand in his face at the buzzer for the Little Rock victory.
 
After an opening basket by the Trojans for the first points of the game, the Bobcats responded with a 15-0 run capped off by a three-pointer by Montalvo. Black and Montalvo accounted for six and five points respectively during the scoring stretch.
 
Little Rock was able to pull to within five with just under seven minutes until halftime after a layup by Roger Woods. The Bobcats were able to increase their advantage back to double-digits and appeared to take a 13-point lead into the break after Montalvo nailed his second straight three-pointer. Lis Shoshi of the Trojans had other ideas as he hit a three just before the buzzer to make the Cats' lead 38-28 at intermission.
 
After Little Rock took only its third lead of the game with a little less than two minutes left in the second half, Montalvo hit a NBA range three-pointer to put the Bobcats in front 59-57. The Trojans answered back with 19 seconds remaining to tie the game. Cameron Naylor attempted to drive the lane for the game-winning basket but his layup attempt was off the mark while trying to cut between two defending players.
 
Next up for Texas State is another home tough home contest against Arkansas State on Saturday at home with a 4:30 p.m. tip. The game will be broadcast on Time Warner Cable SportsChannel (Ch. 323) in the Lone Star State.