SAN MARCOS, Texas – Nijal Pearson recorded his first double-double of the season and the Texas State men's basketball team (16-3, 5-1 in Sun Belt Conference) overcame its largest deficit this year to defeat Arkansas State (8-11, 2-4 in the Sun Belt) 77-64 Saturday afternoon in front of 4,163 fans at Strahan Arena.
 
Pearson scored 29 points and pulled down 11 rebounds to lead three players in double figures. Tre'Larenz Nottingham netted 13 and Alex Peacock added 10 before he left the game with seven minutes to play.
 
The game began with Pearson scoring 10 decisive points in the first half. He netted five points to give the Bobcats an early 9-5 lead. Then, he and Nottingham each scored five points to help the Bobcats overcome a 10-point deficit and tie the halftime score at 32-32. Pearson scored the final three points in the first half on a three-point shot from 30 feet away just before the buzzer sounded.
 
"It is the first time I have ever hit a shot like that with time running down in a game," Pearson said. "I have hit them in practice before, but never a game."
 
The Bobcats used that momentum in the first seven minutes of the second half as they stormed out of the gates with a 20-0 run. Pearson led that rally with a pair of three-point shots and a jumper in the paint for eight points.  Alex Peacock added three points and set up two more baskets with a steal and a blocked shot. Mason Harrell capped the run with a three-point shot to make the score 52-32 with 12:48 left to play.
 
The two teams battled back and forth before Arkansas State rallied to climb back to within eight points, 65-57, with 3:35 left to play.
 
Texas State did not allow the Red Wolves to get any closer as Pearson made four free throws and Jaylen Shead added two more in the final 1:07.
 
The victory moved Texas State into a first place tie in the Sun Belt Conference standings with Georgia State, which fell 77-75 at Troy on Saturday. The Bobcats and Panthers meet in Atlanta for a second time this season next Thursday night. Texas State will also travel to Georgia Southern on Jan. 26 before its next home game against UTA on Feb. 2.