JONESBORO, Ark. – Four Texas State men's basketball players reached double figures in the 71-60 victory over Arkansas State Thursday night in the Convocation Center. Emani Gant led the Bobcats with 21 points on 9-of-15 shooting and made all three of his free throw attempts.
 
With the win, Texas State moved to 12-13 overall and 6-10 in the Sun Belt Conference and gives head coach Danny Kaspar his 499th career victory. The Red Wolves fall to 11-17 on the season, 7-10 in the league and are one of three teams (Georgia State and South Alabama) that are half a game ahead of the Bobcats for one of the final spots in the conference tournament.
 
Cameron Naylor scored 14 points with a team-high nine rebounds and two blocks. Netting 13 points on 3-of-7 shooting from beyond the arc was Ethan Montalvo. The fourth Bobcat to reach double digits was Kavin Gilder-Tilbury with 10 thanks to two three-pointers.
 
The lone starter not to reach 10 points was Ojai Black with four. The junior point guard did his damage handing out eight assists, tying his career-high that he set earlier this season at home against the Red Wolves.
 
Offensively, Texas State made 28-of-64 field goal attempts (43.8 percent) and were 10-for-12 (83.3%) at the free throw line. The Bobcats held Arkansas State to 31.7 percent shooting (19-of-60) and 29.4 percent (5-for-17) from long distance.
 
Pacing the Red Wolves was Anthony Livingston with a 19-point, 11-rebound effort. Devin Carter was the only other player to reach double digits with 10 points while Donte Thomas handed out six assists.
 
Two jumpers from Naylor opened the scoring and put the Bobcats in front early. ASU answered back with two buckets in 27 seconds to take its first lead of the game 5-4. Back-to-back layups by Black and Gant allowed Texas State to take a three-point lead a little over four minutes in the contest.
 
An 11-4 run from the Red Wolves gave them their largest lead of the half at 18-14. They would stay in front until a fast break slam by Anthony Roberson knotted the score but Carter followed with two free throws to give ASU a 31-29 advantage. Gant hit a turnaround jumper from the left wing for the final points of the half and tie the score at 31-31.
 
The Red Wolves' Sean Gardner hit a three-pointer to give them a 35-34 lead almost three minutes into the second half. That would be the last time they were in front as Gilder-Tilbury responded with a three on the very next possession and Black nailed a jumper to make it a four-point Bobcat advantage.
 
ASU was able to cut its deficit to two three times, the last coming at the 12:01 mark. Texas State then went on a 16-4 run behind five points from Gilder-Tilbury and four courtesy of Gant. Capping the scoring streak with a three was Montalvo.
 
The closest the Red Wolves were able to get the rest of the way was nine when Frederic Dure made a trey with 4:25 remaining in the game. A layup by Gant on the next trip down the court gave the Bobcats a double-digit lead for good.
 
Next up for the Bobcats is a trip to Little Rock on Saturday for a 6 p.m. game.