DENVER, Colo. – Texas State picked up its third consecutive win as they defeated Northern Arizona 70-65 Monday afternoon at the Hamilton Gymnasium. The Bobcats conclude the Pioneer Challenge with a 2-0 record to win the tournament.
 

The Bobcats (6-3) shot a season-high 54.5 percent from the floor (30-of-55) and knocked down six triples to pull out the victory despite the Lumberjacks (0-5) shooting 56.8 percent from the floor (25-of-44) and connecting on seven 3-pointers. TXST turned in a season-high 18 assists in the game and forced 16 turnovers that transitioned into 20 points. 
 

"This was a well-organized event with three teams searching for an identity before conference play" said interim head coach Terrence Johnson. "Nothing was given. Everything was earned this weekend. And although we were not perfect, we were persistent, connected, and we stayed the course and executed when necessary. This weekend was a complete team effort where people like Caleb Asberry and Alonzo Sule scored the ball well for us and our frontcourt defensive contributions made it easy for our guards to apply pressure. Mason Harrell was outstanding and his leadership was apparent in the toughest times. Finally, it was good to get Marlin Davis back. He gave us valuable minutes in this game particularly. Now. I hope that our guys have a safe and happy holiday break with family and friends before conference play."
 

Junior guard Caleb Asberry turned in his second consecutive 20-point game as he led the Bobcats with 21 points (8-of-14) and four assists. He also added five rebounds and two steals. Junior guard Mason Harrell followed with 13 points (5-of-8) and knocked down three 3-pointers in the victory. He also had four rebounds, two assists, one block, and a game-high +11 efficiency. Senior forward Isiah Small and junior forward Alonzo Sule rounded out the top scorers for the Bobcats with 12 points each. Small led the team with six rebounds and two blocks and added two assists and one steal. Sule finished the game shooting 6-of-10 from the floor and had three assists and one steal.
 

Junior guard Cameron Shelton led all players with 22 points and added six assists and six rebounds to his stat totals. Freshman guard Carter Mahaney came off the bench and contributed 14 points, two assists, and one steal, and freshman forward Carson Towt finished with 11 points, shooting 5-of-5 from the floor, and added four rebounds, three assists, and one steal.

FIRST HALF
A half of runs saw Texas State use a 6-0 run to take the early 8-4 lead before Northern Arizona scored seven of the next 10 points to tie the game at 11. Both teams continued to exchange buckets, but another six unanswered points for the Bobcats gave the acting home team a 19-13 lead and forced NAU to use its first timeout of the game with 8:45 on the clock. TXST expanded its lead to nine at 24-15, but NAU responded with a 9-0 run to tie the game again at 24 with 2:59 left in the half. The maroon and gold never relinquished its lead though and went into the half with a 29-28 advantage led by Small's game-high 10 points.  

SECOND HALF
Northern Arizona took its first lead at 32-31 and led 36-35 by the first media timeout. But Asberry sparked an 8-0 run highlighted by a pair of 3-pointers from the left wing to regain a 43-36 lead. The Bobcats beefed its lead to 49-41 behind an overall 13-5 run, but the Lumberjacks continued to fight and trimmed the margin to 49-45 with 11:03 on the clock. The Lumberjacks kept their energy high over the next four minutes and tied the game at 53 behind a 6-0 run with 7:50 remaining in the half. After both teams traded baskets, the Bobcats went on a 10-2 run highlighted by a pair 3-pointer from Harrell to take a 65-57 lead down the stretch. The Bobcats held that lead for the remainder of the contest and walked away with a 70-65 victory after closed the game on an overall 15-10 run.

NOTABLES
• Texas State's three straight wins is the longest streak this season.
• The Bobcats scored 70 points in both games at The Pioneer Challenge. TXST is 5-0 this season when scoring 70 or more points.
• Texas State is 3-0 when shooting over 50.0 percent from the floor, when leading at halftime, and when four players score 10 or more points.
• The Bobcats had a season-low five free-throw attempts in the game (4-of-5).
• For the second consecutive game, Texas State shot 65.0 percent from the floor in the second half.
• Caleb Asberry has led the Bobcats in scoring for three consecutive games.
• Asberry's four assists are a new career-high.
• Mason Harrell has scored in double figures in all nine games this season and matched a career-best three made 3-pointers for the fifth time.
• Isiah Small turned in his second consecutive multi-block game, his fourth of the season, and his 11th with the Bobcats.
• Small logged his 10th career-game with Texas State scoring 10 or more points.
• Alonzo Sule logged a new career-high three assists and logged a season-high six made field goals.
• All other Bobcat scoring came from senior guard Shelby Adams and junior forward Nighael Ceaser who each was 3-of-5 from the floor, had six points, and two steals. 

UP NEXT
Texas State opens its Sun Belt Conference schedule with a two-game series at Louisiana, beginning at 6 p.m. on New Year's Day at the CajunDome in Lafayette, La. 

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