With Southland Conference play coming to an end, the Texas State Bobcats needed a swift upset victory over the Lumberjacks of Stephen F. Austin. The Bobcats entered the game 5-7 in conference and in dead last in the West, while Stephen F. Austin came in with a 17-7 overall record and sole possession of first place in the East with a 9-3 conference record.
Needless to say, the Lumberjacks used a variety of excellent free throw shooting as well as superb shooting from the field to put the Bobcats away before the game had a chance to get interesting. Matt Kingsley of the Jacks led both teams with 23 points, as they cruised to a 68-52 victory and improved their lead in the east to two games.
The game started off well for the bobcats, as they led 12-7 after the first five minutes of the game, but the tide turned quicker than the Cats could even blink. Matt Kingsley and Josh Alexander of the Lumberjacks hit a few open jumpers and dominated the paint for the rest of the half, as the Cats faced a 19 point deficit at halftime (40-21). Stephen F. Austin used the home court to their advantage as they shot 58 percent from the field in the opening half, while Texas State shot 37 percent and got dominated on the boards.
The Bobcats did not panic going into the second half, as they narrowed the gap to single digits at one point. The Cats treated every possession as if it were their last and stayed disciplined on defense, but the gap created by the Jacks in the first half proved to be too overwhelming as the Bobcats were merely playing catch-up and just ran out of time and fouls to give.
Brandon Bush seemed to be the only player that got it going for Texas State, and led the team with 22 points. Josh Alexander added 15 for the Lumberjacks, and Nick Shaw posted a sufficient double-double scoring 11 points to go along with 10 rebounds. Stephen F. Austin made their free throws down the stretch, and controlled the tempo of the game for the most part as they cruised to another double digit victory at home where they have yet to beaten in Southland Conference play this year.
The loss takes the Bobcats record down to 5-8 in conference and in a last place tie with Lamar University in the West. The road game marked unofficially as a “must win” for the men got away from them with about twelve minutes to go in the first half, and although Davalos and the Bobcats did not panic, the halftime deficit once again was just too much. Turnovers, lack of individual defense, and the lack of rebounding cost the Cats a much needed win and a chance to represent themselves as a threat in the Southland Conference tournament coming up in March.
The men have three more conference games in which they can try to climb up to .500 in conference, including two home games in a row and a road game against western conference leading Sam Houston State to conclude the season. The Bobcats are back in action this Saturday Feb. 28, at Strahan Coliseum against a struggling Northwestern State; game time set for 4:00 p.m.
Weston Warner- KTSW Sports Staff Writer
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