SAN MARCOS, Texas– Texas State (6-4) looks to get back on track with a 5 p.m. tip-off on Sunday, Nov. 15 at Strahan Arena vs. Bethany College (5-7). This will serve as the Bobcats final game before entering Sun Belt Conference competition next week.
 
FOLLOW ALONG
ESPN + vs. Bethany College: PXP: Brant Freeman, Analyst: Suzanne Fox
Listen vs. Bethany College: AM 1300 The Zone, 89.9 KTSW, TuneIn App – Bill Culhane
Live Stats vs. Bethany College: Statbroadcast
 
SETTING THE SCENE
• Texas State enters Sunday's game on a two-game losing streak after dropping a 77-71 decision against rival UTSA. It was the Bobcats' first loss at home this season.
• The Bobcats' strength remains to be their defense as they give up 61.4 points per game (No. 2 in the Sun Belt) and holds opponents to a league-low 36.6 field goal percentage which ranks 16th in the nation.
• The Bobcat offense averages 71.0 points per game behind a 46.1 field goal percentage (No. 3 in the Sun Belt) and a 33.3 3-point field goal percentage (No. 7 in the Sun Belt). They also shoot 72.6 percent from the free-throw line which sits No. 2 in the conference.
• Senior guard Nijal Pearson is No. 2 in the Sun Belt with 17.7 points per game behind a 42.7 field goal percentage and .340 clip from 3-point range. He also averages 4.6 rebounds per game and has 17 assists, 10 steals and five blocks on the year. Pearson has scored in double figures in the first 10 games and scored 15 points or more in five consecutive games.
• Sophomore guard Mason Harrell follows with 11.1 points per game and is coming off a career-high 19 points in the setback vs. UTSA. He has stepped into a new role this season well as he has scored 10 or more points in six straight games and leads the team with an efficient 58.8 field goal percentage. He also shoots 82.1 percent at the charity stripe and has a team-best 30 assists. Harrell is No. 2 in the Sun Belt with a 2.5 assists-to-turnover ratio and tied at No. 9 with 3.0 assists per game.
• Junior forward Isiah Small ranks No. 4 in the Sun Belt with 7.5 rebounds per game, including 5.2 defensive rebounds per game. Small also joins senior forward Eric Terry in the top 10 of the conference with 1.2 blocks per game (No. 7). Terry is fifth with 1.4 swats per game. Small averages 6.6 points and Terry has 5.67 on average.
 
PEARSON RECORD TRACKER / NOTABLES
• Pearson is one of 10 active NCAA players across all divisions with 1,500 career points and 600 career rebounds.
• Pearson has 1,698 career points that rank No. 3 all-time in TXST history and No. 23 among active players in the NCAA across all divisions. He is 144 points shy of passing former Bobcat Travis Cornett (1970-74, 1,841 points) for No. 2 all-time.
• The Beaumont, Texas native has 148 career steals, ranking No. 5 in school history (Ryan White No. 4, 154).
• Pearson has 618 career rebounds, tying Charles Spurlin at No. 13 all-time in the program's history. Pearson is 20 boards behind Cameron Johnson (2007-11, 638) and is on pace to finish his career in the top 10 in total rebounds for 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 league office after garnering All-Sun Belt First Team honors in the 2018-19 season.
 
SCOUTING BETHANY
• Bethany College is part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and is a member of the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC).
• The Swedes, who are historically known as the Terrible Swedes, started 5-0 this season but have lost seven straight contests. They will play at home on Saturday, Dec. 14 against Avila University before traveling to San Marcos.
•  This season, Bethany averages 78.1 points per game, shooting 42.6 percent from the floor, 32.0 percent from 3-point ranges, and 63.5 percent at the stripe.
• Senior guard Justin Jones leads the Swedes with 21.1 points per game and shoots 41.3 percent from the floor. He also has an 84.4 free-throw percentage.
• Junior forward Mookie Duncan averages 16.0 points and 5.0 rebounds per game and junior guard Isiah Saenz chips in 13.0 points per game while leading the team with 53 assists and 18 steals.
• Sophomore guard Bryce Young rounds out the top scorers for Bethany with 10.0 points per game and senior forward Baptiste Chazelas is the team leader with 8.8 rebounds per game.
 
SERIES HISTORY
• This will be the first meeting between Texas State and Bethany College.
 
UP NEXT
Sun Belt Conference play is on deck for the Bobcats. They will open their conference slate with four road games beginning with the Georgia schools. Texas State will face Georgia Southern at 6 p.m. CT on Dec. 19 in Statesboro, Ga., and then play Georgia State at 1 p.m. CT on Dec. 21 in Atlanta, Ga.    
 
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