SAN MARCOS, Texas – Coming off a big overtime win on Saturday, the Texas State men's basketball team (15-14, 8-8 Sun Belt) plays its penultimate game of the regular season on Tuesday against Troy (18-10, 11-5 Sun Belt). The tipoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. from inside Strahan Arena.
Fans can catch the action on ESPN+ and on the Varsity Sports Network with Clint Shields on the call. Live stats will also be available to follow.
About Texas State
Tuesday's contest is the second of three straight games against teams sitting in the top four in the Sun Belt Conference standings. The Bobcats claimed the first of the games with a dramatic 93-92 overtime victory over the co-conference leaders South Alabama that saw Mark Drone make the game-winning layup with 0.5 left on the clock. TXST is 9-3 at home this season with a 5-2 record versus Sun Belt teams.
Tylan Pope continues to creep closer to two historic marks. He is 33 points shy of reaching 1,000 in his collegiate career and needs 38 more to become the 22nd player in program history to record a 500-point season. The senior forward leads the team at 15.9 points per game and is shooting a Sun Belt best 53.3% from the field. Pope is also contributing 6.6 rebounds per game, 42 blocks and has recorded seven double-doubles.
Also with double-digit scoring averages are Mark Drone (11.6), Kaden Gumbs (11.7) and Tyrel Morgan (14.2). Gumbs has dished out 110 assists and leads the team with 39 steals. Morgan enters grabbing 6.7 rpg, the second best on the team behind Joshua O'Garro's 7.1 per contest.
Both Coleten Benson and Dylan Dawson have made over 30 three-pointers with 44 and 33, respectively. Drue Drinnon has knocked down a team best 46.0% of his long-distance shots going 29-for-63.
About Troy
The Trojans have won three of their last four games after beating Coastal Carolina on Saturday 83-66. The lone loss in that span was against Louisiana on Thursday by a three-point margin. When playing on the road, Troy is 7-6 with a 5-2 record versus Sun Belt foes.
Tayton Conerway paces the team in scoring (13.4), assists (143) and steals (81). The only other player with a double-digit scoring average is Myles Rigsby at 11.2 ppg and is shooting 45.1% from the field and 76.9% at the free throw line. Thomas Dowd is the top rebounder on the squad at 6.4 rpg and has made a team-high 42 three-pointers. Also make 40 treys has been Marcus Rigsby, Jr.
Series History
Texas State leads the all-time series 12.9 and have won the last three meetings. In the first matchup this season, the Bobcats left Troy with a 74-73 victory behind a 27-point, 10-rebound double-double by Pope and Drone scoring 17 points off the bench in his season debut.
Last time the teams met in San Marcos was Mar. 1, 2024. TXST won 82-79 in overtime. The teams would meet again in the Sun Belt Tournament quarterfinals that saw the Bobcats win 74-68.
When hosting the Trojans, Texas State is 6-3 all-time but the teams have split the last four meeting in Strahan Arena.
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