HATTIESBURG, Miss. – For the second straight game, the Texas State men's basketball team overcame a double-digit first half deficit, this time by 20 points, to force overtime at Southern Miss. However, it would be the Golden Eagles that came out in the 92-88 in the Redd Green Coliseum on Saturday afternoon.
 
"It was an extremely competitive game. Clearly, we stumbled out of the gate but after halftime we regrouped and fought our way back into the game," said head coach Terrence Johnson. "They are an athletic, talented team that made it difficult for us to play with a consistent flow, but we found some success in space driving the ball. Credit them, they made enough plays down the stretch to win the game. We'll look back at this game and be better because of it."
 
With the result, the Bobcats are now 9-8 overall and 2-3 in the Sun Belt Conference while USM improved to 8-9 on the season and 3-2 in the league.
 
Mark Drone led the way with 30 points, 24 coming after halftime, on 13-of-20 shooting. He knocked down 3-of-5 three-pointers and went 3-for-5 at the free throw line. The junior also finished the contest with four rebounds, four steals, two assists and two blocks.
 
Netting 18 points with an 8-for-10 day at the charity stripe was Tylan Pope. He added six rebounds and two blocks in just 23 minutes after fouling out with six minutes remaining in the second half.
 
Kaden Gumbs contributed 16 points after going 6-of-12 from the field and went 4-for-6 on free throws. The San Marcos native also grabbed five rebounds and handed out five assists.
 
Also with a double-digit scoring game was Tyrel Morgan with 15 points. He led the team with eight boards and recorded two steals and one block.
 
Two free throws form Pope cut the deficit to 7-6 at the 14:32 mark of the opening stanza. The Golden Eagles would then go on a 27-8 run over the next six-plus minutes to extend their lead to 20.
 
Seven straight points by TXST saw the team cut the deficit to 36-23 after back-to-back buckets by Pope.
 
The Bobcats went into halftime trailing by 15 with the last point of the period coming on a free throw from Mark Drone after USM's Andre Curbelo was called for a technical foul.
 
Halftime adjustments saw Texas State score the first six points of the second half. Capping off the early scoring spurt was a layup courtesy of Joshua O'Garro. After the Eagles went back up by 13, Pope hit a jumper and Coleton Benson drove between two defenders for a fastbreak layup to being the team to within 50-41 with 15:24 showing on the clock.
 
In a 1:43 span, both Drone and Morgan had two layups apiece to bring the Bobcats to within six. USM countered with nine consecutive points to extend its lead to 64-49 nearly halfway through the period.
 
The Bobcats continued to fight and scored 27 of the last 37 points of regulation. That included a 12-0 run over a 3:15 minute span that saw Drone knock down two free throws to give TXST its first lead of the game at 76-75 with 55 seconds left.
 
Denijay Harris was fouled on a putback attempt with 27 seconds to play but only made one of his two attempts that tied the game. A chance to win on the last possession, Curbelo stole the ball but his layup at the buzzer bounced around the rim and out to send the game to overtime.
 
After Harris made two free throws to start the scoring in the extra period, Gumbs and Drove each made a layup and Gumbs knocked down a free throw to put the Bobcats up 81-78. The Eagles retook the lead with five straight points but Drone made a layup to again tie the score.
 
Gumbs would tie the contest again with two free throws. But with 36 seconds remaining Neftali Alvarez made a layup to again put the hosts up by two. Drone responded with a trey from the left wing to give the Bobcats an 88-87 lead with 21 seconds to play.
 
Alvarez would be fouled and made both charity stripe attempts with 8.1 seconds to play. Texas State turned the ball over trying to get the ball down the court. Curbelo dribbled down near the baseline and started to celebrate early as he picked up his dribble and took two steps before O'Garro touched him. The whistle blew and a foul was called on O'Garro instead of a travel that allowed his free throws to seal the game for USM.
 
The Bobcats are back home for the first time this year when they host Georgia State on Wednesday. Tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. from Strahan Arena for the Blackout Game.
 
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