SAN MARCOS, Texas - The Texas State men's basketball team won its seventh straight game in an unusual fashion Wednesday night when the Bobcats defeated Lamar, 67-47, at Strahan Arena.
 
Texas State won the game despite its top three scoring leaders combining for just 22 points. The Bobcats outscored the Cardinals 21-3 while shooting 28 percent (7-25) behind the three-point line.
 
The Bobcats compensated using a balanced offensive attack with four players scoring in double figures and a solid defensive effort that held Lamar without a three-point basket or a free throw in the first half.
 
HOW IT HAPPENED
Mason Harrell scored the first three points in the game with a trey. Then, Lamar scored the next eight points and took an early 8-3 lead with 15:39 left in the first half.
 
That's when Tyrel Morgan and Nighael Ceaser came off the bench to ignite a 13-0 run that gave the Bobcats a 16-8 lead. Morgan and Ceaser combined for nine of the 13 points, and Shelby Adams and Caleb Asberry each made a layup to give the Bobcats to lead, and they never looked back.
 
Texas State outscored the Cardinal 12-10 before Isiah Small netted seven consecutive points to give the Bobcats a 35-19 lead with 17:57 left to play.
 
Lamar tried to get back in the game, but the Cardinals couldn't get any closer than 13, 39-26, as the Bobcats used three-point shots from Dylan Dawson and Shelby Adams to ignite a 13-4 run. Morgan and Ceaser combined for five more points, and Davion Coleman came off the bench to add another jumper to give the Bobcats a 54-30 lead with 8:25 left to play.
 
The teams exchanged baskets the rest of the way until Davion Buster nailed Lamar's lone three-point field goal in the game to make the final score 67-47.
 
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
Shelby Adams led Texas State with a career-high 14 points, while Tyrel Morgan came off the bench to score a career-best 12 points. Nighael Ceaser and Caleb Asberry netted 10 points each.
 
The Bobcats had four players scoring in double figures for the fifth time this season.  The other four games were against Dixie College, Eastern Washington, LeTourneau, and Rice.
 
Texas State outscored Lamar 21-3 beyond the three-point arc. The Cardinals made just one three-point shot in the final 57 seconds to finish shooting 1-13 beyond the three-point line.
 
Neither team attempted a free throw in the first half. Lamar shot its first two free throws with 19:21 left to play.  Texas State did not shoot a free throw until 13:28 remained to play.
 
Texas State outscored the Cardinals 18-7 in second-chance points and held a 27-14 advantage in bench points.
 
 NEXT GAME
Texas State closes out its four-game homestand this Saturday when the Bobcats host Paul Quinn in Strahan Arena beginning at 4 p.m. The Bobcats will play their final non-conference regular-season game on Dec. 22 at Houston. Texas State opens its Sun Belt Conference schedule against Troy in Strahan Arena on Dec. 30 at 7 p.m.