SAN MARCOS, Texas– Texas State (3-2) heads west for a 9 p.m. CT game on Nov. 20 at UNLV (2-3) inside of the Thomas & Mack Center to continue play in Southwestern Showdown, a multiple team event presented by Engage Telehealth.
 
FOLLOW ALONG
Watch at UNLV: Mountain West Network
Listen at UNLV: AM 1300 The Zone, 89.9 KTSW Radio, TuneIn App – Bill Culhane
Live Stats at UNLV: Sidearm
 
SETTING THE SCENE
• The Bobcats' 16.8 scoring margin leads the Sun Belt Conference as they score 77.0 points per game (No. 6 in the Sun Belt) and surrender just 60.2 points per game (No. 3 in the Sun Belt).
• Texas State also ranks in the top three of the conference in field goal percentage (.493, No. 2), field goal percentage defense (.360, No. 2), total rebounds (185, No. 2), free-throw percentage (.774, No. 3), and 3-point field goal defense percentage (.301, No. 3). As of Nov. 18, the Bobcats are in the top 50 of the NCAA in each of these categories accept 3-point field goal defense.
• The Bobcats get back over .500 after a 73-58 victory vs. Jackson State. TXST is still searching for its first road win of the season.
• Senior guard Nijal Pearson averages 17.8 points (T-No. 4 in the Sun Belt) shooting .464 from the floor, .400 from 3-point range. (No. 9 in the Sun Belt), and .714 at the stripe. Pearson also has 4.0 rebounds per game.
• Junior forward Isiah Small leads the Sun Belt with 8.8 rebounds per game and his total of 44 rebounds rank No. 24 in the NCAA. Small averages 9.4 points per game after scorching Jackson State for a season-high 20 points on 6-of-7 shooting, including a perfect 3-of-3 performance from behind-the-arc.
• Sophomore guard Mason Harrell averages 9.8 points per game and leads the team with 3.4 assists per game (No. 10 in the Sun Belt). Junior guard Marlin Davis averages 8.0 points per game and ranks No. 11 in the NCAA with 12 total steals (T-No. 3 in the Sun Belt).
 
PEARSON RECORD TRACKER / NOTABLES
• Pearson chipped in 13 points vs. Jackson State and now has 1,610 career points. Pearson needs 13 more points to past Donte Mathis (1995-99, 1,622 points) to move to No. 3 on the all-time scoring list. He has scored 13 or more points in each game this season.
• The Beaumont, Texas native has 142 career steals, ranking No. 5 in school history. Ryan White (2007-11) is at No. 4 with 154 career steals.
• Pearson has 592 career rebounds ranking No. 14 in the program's record book. He needs 27 more boards to move pass Charles Spurlin (1977-81, 618) to No. 13. Pearson is on pace to end his career inside the top 10 in career rebounds at Texas State.
• Pearson was named to the Lou Henson Award Preseason Watch List on Nov. 5. Pearson appeared on the Lou Henson Mid-Season Watch List last year. He was also picked as the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Year in a couple of publications including the Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook and Street & Smith's.
• Pearson was tabbed to the 2019-20 Preseason All-Sun Belt First Team by the Sun Belt Conference after garnering All-Sun Belt First Team honors in the 2018-19 season.
 
SCOUTING UNLV
• UNLV ended its three-game losing streak when they defeated Abilene Christian 72-58 to open the Southwestern Showdown Monday night in Las Vegas.
• After picking up an 86-71 win in their home opener vs. Purdue Fort Wayne, the Rebels dropped three straight games including two overtime losses vs. Kansas State (60-56) and at California (79-75). Before the win vs. ACU, UNLV loss at UCLA 71-54.     
• The Runnin' Rebels average 68.6 points on average and gives up 67.8 points per game this season. UNLV has a .452 field goal percentage and has a .324 clip from 3-point range. They also shoot 75.3 percent at the free-throw line.
• UNLV has a -1.8 turnover margin as they average 15.8 turnovers per game.   
• Junior guard Amauri Hardy leads the Rebels with 19.0 points per game shooting .481 and .419 from the field and 3-point range, respectively. Hardy also averages 3.4 rebounds per game and has 15 total assists, four steals, and two blocks.
• Senior guard Elijah Mitrou-Long follows with 12.6 points and has 4.6 rebounds per game to go along with a team-high 16 assists. He also has five steals.
• Junior forward Donnie Tillman scores 12.4 points and has 4.4 rebounds per game. Hardy, Mitrou-Long, and Tillman all have 15 total turnovers this year.
• Junior forward Cheikh Mbacke Diong is a presence in the paint with team-highs 10.6 rebounds per game and 11 total blocks. He also leads the Rebels with six steals. Diong chips in 7.2 points per game and have a .609 field goal percentage (14-of-23) and .889 free throw percentage (8-of-9).
• UNLV was picked to finish seventh in the 2019-20 Mountain West Preseason Poll.    

SERIES HISTORY
• Monday will be the first meeting between Texas State and UNLV.
 
UP NEXT
• Texas State will finish the Southwestern Showdown in San Marcos where they will have consecutive home games for the first time this season. The Bobcats will play Abilene Christian at 7 p.m. Nov. 25 and Hartford at 4:30 p.m. Nov. 30 at Strahan Arena.
 
SEASON TICKETS
Season tickets are now available for purchase through the Texas State online ticket center website. Prices for season tickets will depend upon seating location. General admission season tickets will be available for as low as $99 and lower reserved seating options will start at $130. Any questions regarding 2019-20 Texas State men's basketball season tickets can be addressed to the Texas State Athletics Ticket Office at 512-245-2272 or via email at gametickets@txstate.edu.
 
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