SAN ANTONIO – The Texas State men's basketball team struggled to find its shot Friday night in a 63-48 setback to UTSA in the Convocation Center.
 
"I have no explanation for our poor three-point shooting tonight," said head coach Danny Kaspar. "They were in a zone, which gave us good looks but we did not hit our shots. What bothered me the most was how we were outrebounded."
 
The Bobcats fell to 2-3 on the season while the Roadrunners now has a record of 2-4.
 
An 8-3 to open the game for Texas State that saw Kavin Gilder-Tilbury score the final four points. The Bobcats extended their lead to 16-8 halfway through the period when Ojai Black hit a jumper from just beyond the free throw line.
 
UTSA netted 12 of the next 14 points to take a two-point lead that lasted for 40 seconds until Nijal Pearson nailed a jumper. Immanuel King made 1-of-2 at the free throw line to give Texas State a 21-20 advantage with 4:34 left in the half.
 
That free throw was the last points of the first half for the Bobcats. The Roadrunners ended the first 20 minutes on an 11-0 run with the last four coming at the charity stripe.
 
Maljhum McCrea and Gilder-Tilbury made a layup apiece and Bobby Conley added a free throw as Texas State scored the first five points of the second half.
 
Twice more during the period the Bobcats were able to pull to within five with the last being 36-31 at the 11:43 mark when Pearson made the team's first three-pointer of the game. UTSA was able to stifle the Texas State offense to extended its advantage to double-digits for the rest of the contest.
 
San Antonio native Nathan Josephs netted the final points of the game when he hit a three-pointer from the right wing with just under seven seconds remaining.
 
Gilder-Tilbury was the only Texas State player in double-figures with 12 points. Both McCrea and Pearson grabbed a game-high nine rebound. It was the most boards in a game in Pearson's young collegiate career and McCrea matched his career best.
 
As a team, the Bobcats finished 18-for-60 (30.0%) from the field and made just 4-of-27 (14.8%) from beyond the arc. They were also outrebounded 48-34 with the roadrunners having a 35-21 advantage on the defensive glass.
 
Next for the Bobcats is a matchup with McNeese State on Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Strahan Coliseum.
 
For the latest on Texas State men's basketball, visit the official website of Texas State athletics at www.txstatebobcats.com, follow the team on Twitter at @TxStateMBB, Instagram at @TxStateMBB and like on Facebook at /TexasStateMensBasketball.