SAN MARCOS, Texas – For the first time this season, the Texas State men's basketball team (7-6) fell in Strahan Arena after an 89-70 defeat to Arkansas State (8-4) Wednesday night in the Sun Belt Conference opener for both teams.
 
Four Bobcats scored in double figures led by DJ Hall with 15 points. The freshman also grabbed a team-high seven rebounds and recorded three steals. Mark Drone added 14 points, four assists and three rebounds.
 
Kyndall Davis contributed 13 points on 5-of-10 shooting with one made three-pointer. Dishing out six assists was Kaden Gumbs, who also scored 12 points with half coming at the free throw line.
 
The Red Wolves ended up making 12-of-22 (54.5%) three-pointers and outrebounded TXST 39-23. Despite losing the turnover battle 19-11, the visitors scored 20 points off their forced turnovers while limiting the Bobcats to just nine points off turnovers.
 
Hall got the scoring started with a layup on the opening possession of the game. Texas State would lead twice more during the game with the last coming after a 6-0 run in a span of a minute to go up 13-11 after Drone put back a missed shot.
 
Back-to-back treys by ASU put it back in front that the team would hold for the rest of the game.
 
After the Red Wolves took a 55-40 lead, TXST scored six straight points to cut the deficit to within single digits. ASU would again take a double-digit advantage but the Bobcats made another run. Consecutive fastbreak layups from Davis and Gumbs pulled the hosts to within 65-58 with 8:11 left in the game.
 
That would be as close as Texas State would get as ASU eventually stretched their advantage to 22 with just over a minute to play.
 
Next on tap for the Bobcats is a meeting on Saturday at home against South Alabama at 2:30 p.m.
 
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