SAN MARCOS, Texas – The Texas State men's basketball team (18-5, 7-3 Sun Belt) wraps up its three-game homestand against Coastal Carolina (12-10, 6-4 Sun Belt) at 4 p.m. Saturday in Strahan Arena.
Texas State is having a
Danny Kaspar Jacket Night and fans are encouraged to wear a suit jacket like Coach Kaspar. One of the highlights for fans this season is tracking when Coach Kaspar removes his jacket during a game and fans will be asked to remove their jackets when he takes off his during the game. Some of the first fans to arrive at Strahan Arena Saturday will receive a mustache sticker to help complete their
Danny Kaspar outfit.
GAME INFORMATION – COASTAL CAROLINA
4 p.m. CST | Strahan Arena
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Brant Freeman (PxP), Cordell Patrick (Analyst)
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Bill Culhane (PxP), Reily Chestnut (Analyst)
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GAME NOTES:
Texas State
ABOUT TEXAS STATE
Texas State enters Saturday's game tied with UT Arlington and Georgia State for first place in the Sun Belt Conference standings following a 74-71 victory over Appalachian State last Thursday.
The Bobcats also have played in two of the top five crowds in Strahan Arena history during their past two home games. Texas State set an attendance record last Saturday with 6,581 fans watching the UT Arlington contest last Saturday. It also was the highest attended Sun Belt Conference game in the last six seasons. On Thursday night, the Bobcats played in front of the fifth-largest crowd against Appalachian State with 4,517 fans attending the game.
The Bobcats are ranked No. 20 in the latest
CollegeInsider.com Mid-Major Top 25 Poll, marking the eighth consecutive week the team has been ranked in the poll. The club is No. 1 in the Sun Belt Conference in scoring defense (64.0 ppg), scoring margin (11.2), rebound margin (5.6), assists average (16.0), and assists-to-turnover ratio (1.2).
Junior guard
Nijal Pearson moved into sixth place on the school's all-time career scoring list (1,398 points) after netting 19 points against Appalachian State. Pearson also knocked down two three-point field goals in the game and needs to make 10 more treys to pass
Kavin Gilder-Tilbury for third place on Texas State's career list.
The Beaumont, Texas native averages 18.2 points per game (No. 9 in the Sun Belt), and is shooting 41.9 percent from 3-point range (No. 2 in the Sun Belt). Pearson also averages 1.4 steals (No. 8 in the conference) and 5.2 rebounds per game (No. 18 in the league).
Senior guard
Tre'Larenz Nottingham scores 14.0 points per game (No. 18 in the Sun Belt) and shoots 33.0 percent from downtown (No. 3 in the Sun Belt). He also averages 1.3 steals (tied for ninth in Sun Belt) Senior forward
Alex Peacock averages 8.3 points and 6.4 rebounds per game (No. 12 in the Sun Belt), while junior guard
Jaylen Shead sits atop the Sun Belt Conference with a 2.9 assists-to-turnover ratio and averages 5.0 assists per game, which ranks second among league leaders. He is tied for ninth in steals with Nottingham and Tooke Brown of Georgia Southern with 1.3 steals per game.
ABOUT COASTAL CAROLINA
Coastal Carolina (12-10, 6-4 in Sun Belt) enters Saturday's game tied with Georgia Southern for fourth place in the Sun Belt standings. The Chanticleers enter the contest having won five of its last six games after dropping a 74-54 decision at UTA on Thursday night. Coastal Carolina five wins came against ULM (92-81 on Jan. 31) and Louisiana (96-79 on Feb. 2) in Conway, S.C., at Arkansas State (77-64 on Jan. 26), at Little Rock (72-71 on Jan. 24) and against Appalachian State (89-72 on Jan. 19) in Conway.
Senior Zac Cuthbertson leads the team in scoring with 18.6 points per game (No. 7 in conference), rebounding with 8.2 rebounds per game (tied No. 4 in conference) and 20 steals.
The Chanticleers are No. 7 in the Sun Belt with a scoring average of 76.5 points per game behind a league-leading .405 (187-462) three-point percentage. On the other end of the court, Coastal Carolina is the third-best defensive team after relinquishing 70.6 points per game this year.
THE SERIES
Texas State enters Saturday's game leading the all-time series against Coastal Carolina with a 5-2 record after winning a 65-61 decision in Conway on Jan. 10. Peacock led the team with 13 points both the floor (4-for-8) and behind-the-arc (3-for-6). Pearson followed with 12 points and six rebounds.
