SAN MARCOS, Texas– Texas State will play for its first Sun Belt Conference regular-season championship title when they host ULM at 4 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 26, and on Saturday, Feb. 27 at Strahan Arena to conclude the 2020-21 regular season.
The Bobcats (16-6, 10-3 Sun Belt) are one win away from claiming their first regular-season conference title since winning the Southland Conference Championship in 1999. TXST has already locked up the No. 1 seed in the West Division of the Sun Belt Conference Tournament and will enter this weekend on a five-game winning streak. The Bobcats are ranked No. 17 in the latest CIT Mid-Major Top 25 Poll and have climbed the ranks due to their defensive presence that ranks No. 13 in the country in holding their opponents to 61.9 points per game. In addition to their scoring defense, the Bobcats rank inside the top 100 of the NCAA in three defensive categories, including forcing 15.4 turnovers per game (No. 53 in the NCAA and No. 3 in the Sun Belt). Offensively, TXST averages 66.7 points per game behind a 46.4 field goal percentage. They also rank No. 26 in the NCAA with a 38.1 3-point field goal percentage (No. 2 in the Sun Belt).
Junior guard Mason Harrell leads the Bobcats with 13.8 points per game, shooting 46.0 field goal percentage, including a .434 clip from the 3-point line. Harrell is also shooting 80.6 percent from the free-throw line and contributes 3.3 assists and 3.1 rebounds per game.
Junior guard Caleb Asberry follows with 13.2 points per game and is shooting 50.5 percent from the floor and 41.2 percent from behind-the-arc. In conference play, Asberry leads the team with 13.9 points per game, and is shooting 94.1 percent from the free-throw line (16-of-17).
Senior forward Isiah Small averages 10.7 points per game and leads the Bobcats with 5.9 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game. Small also ranks No. 85 in the NCAA with 28 total blocks and shoots 55.1 percent from the field and 43.8 from 3-point range.
SCOUTING ULM
The Warhawks (7-16, 5-11 Sun Belt) are on a two-game winning streak and have won three of their last four games, including a road win at Louisiana and a weekend sweep against Little Rock last weekend. ULM is 2-8 on the road this season and scores 64.9 points per game while giving up 69.3 points per game to its opponents.
Junior guard Russell Harrison leads ULM with 13.4 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. Harrison also averages 2.0 assists and 1.2 steals this season. Junior guard Koreem Ozier chips in 11.8 points per game and shoots 43.4 percent from 3-point range. Ozier also averages 2.7 assists, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game.
ALL-TIME SERIES
Although ULM leads the all-time series 30-27, the Bobcats have won eight of the last 10 meetings, including four consecutive games. The Bobcats swept the Warhawks in a two-game weekend series earlier this year.
CHALK TALK
The Texas State men's basketball staff will be hosting Chalk Talk. Chalk Talk will be a presentation by one of the coaching staff members, followed by a meet and greet. Light refreshments will be provided. Chalk Talk will be before each non-conference home game, the UT Arlington game on Feb. 13, 2021, and all Friday home games. For more information about joining the tip-in club, call 512-245-3832.
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