SAN MARCOS, Texas – Senior guard Tre'Larenz Nottingham scored 24 points and Eric Terry added 14 to lead the Texas State (12-2, 1-0) men's basketball team to a 73-70 victory over Georgia Southern (8-6, 0-1) in the Sun Belt Conference opener for both teams in Strahan Arena Thursday night.
 
Alex Peacock recorded his second double-double of the season with 11 points in 10 rebounds, and Nijal Pearson added a career-high 14 rebounds for the Bobcats, who improved to 6-0 in home games this season.
 
Georgia Southern had four players score in double figures with Simeon Carter netting 20 points, Isaiah Crawley adding 16 and Tookie Brown and Quan Jackson chipping in with 13 each.
 
The Bobcats jumped out to a 43-37 halftime lead as Terry and Nottingham combined for 18 points in the opening period.
 
Texas State extended its lead to 12, 53-41, with 17:26 left to play as Nottingham netted eight points after Terry opened the second half with a layup on an assist from Nijal Pearson.
 
The Eagles pulled to within six, 60-54, when Brown hit Carter for a slam dunk. However, Nottingham nailed a pair of three-point shots and Pearson scored two more points to give the Bobcats a 68-54 lead with 8:29 left to play.
 
Georgia Southern answered with seven straight points when Jackson nailed a three-point shot from the left wing and both he and Brown added layups to cut Texas State's lead to seven. Nottingham's layup gave the Bobcats a 72-63 lead with 3:03 left to play.
 
Georgia Southern pulled back to within 73-70 with 20 seconds on a jumper by Carter in the lane. The Eagles fouled Jaylen Shead on Texas State's next possession, but he missed both free throws, giving Georgia Southern a chance to tie the score. However, Calvin Wishart, Jackson and Brown each missed a three-point shot in the final seconds as the Bobcats held on for the victory.
 
Both teams return to action on Saturday, January 5. The Bobcats host Georgia State in Strahan Coliseum beginning at 4 p.m., while Georgia Southern travels to UTA.