SAN MARCOS, Texas – Texas State (5-2) locked down defensively in the second half to pull out a 61-56 decision vs. Abilene Christian (2-4) Monday night at Strahan Arena. With the win, the Bobcats improve to 3-0 in the Southwestern Showdown and are 4-0 at home this year.
 
"That was a tough game," said head coach Danny Kaspar. "They [Abilene Christian] played really good defense which was a major reason why they were an NCAA team last year. I knew it would be a tough game, so I am glad about the way our guys came back after the first half."
 
BOBCAT NUMBERS
• The turning points in the game was at the beginning of the second half when the Bobcats held the Wildcats to 10 points on their first 23 possessions.
• Overall, TXST shot 48.0 percent from the floor. ACU outshot the home team, however, from three-point range (.385-.333) and at the free-throw line (.765-.471).
• For the second time this year, the Bobcats had four or more players score in double figures. Senior guard Nijal Pearson led the way with a game-high 16 points on 6-of-14 shooting. He also had three rebounds.
• Sophomores Caleb Asberry, Mason Harrell and Alonzo Sule all had 10 points. Asberry logged a career-high four steals, Harrell turned in his third consecutive game with 10 or more points, and Sule's 10 points were a season-high.
• Although junior forward Isiah Small scored just three points, he led the Bobcats in rebounds and assists with nine and four, respectively.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
• Abilene Christian opened the game with seven unanswered points and led 13-5 at 11:53 mark.
• Pearson sparked a 10-2 run with a four-point play to give the Bobcats a 21-19 lead with 6:54 remaining in the half.
• The Wildcats closed the first half with a 10-3 run and went into the locker room with a 36-30 lead. ACU's senior guard Payten Ricks led the visiting team with 11 points, while Asberry led the Bobcats with 10.
• The Bobcats came out of intermission by scoring the first five points and used a 17-2 scoring run, highlighted by a 10-0 burst to take a 54-46 lead with 5:22 remaining in the game. The Wildcats were scoreless for over seven minutes in that stretch.
• ACU pulled within three points at 56-53, but Pearson delivered the dagger with an easy layup with 1:50 to go and the Bobcats eventually won 61-56.
 
INSIDE THE BOX SCORE
• Texas State outscored Abilene Christian 31-20 in the second half and is now 1-1 this year when trailing at halftime.  
• The Bobcats held the Wildcats to a .172 field goal percentage in the second half, including a 0-of-6 display from 3-point range.  
• Texas State has outscored the opposing bench in every game this season and held a 28-21 advantage in the win vs. Abilene Christian.
• For the second consecutive game, the Bobcats turned their opponent over 16 times. They outscored the Wildcats in points off of turnovers 13-12 and dominated in fastbreak points 12-4.
• ACU outrebounded TXST 40-30 with the biggest discrepancy on the offensive glass at 15-6. The Wildcats registered 15 second-chance points. ACU slightly won the battle in the paint 26-24.
• After scoring 11 in the first half, Ricks scored two points in the final 20 minutes to lead the Wildcats with 13 points. He also led the team with eight rebounds. Junior center Kolton Kohl followed his lead with 11 points and seven boards.
 
UP NEXT
The Bobcats will conclude the Southwestern Showdown vs. Hartford at 4:30 p.m. Nov. 30 at Strahan Arena.
 
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