TXST MEN’S BASKETBALL
Head Coach Terrence Johnson won his 100th game as head coach while junior guard Kaden Gumbs hit a critical late-game threepointer to put the Bobcats over the Marshall Thundering Herd 72--68.
Texas State improves to 12-11 overall and 5-6 in conference play, while Marshall falls to 13-8 and 5-4 in conference play.
“We take for granted what goes into winning,” Johnson said. “It’s really hard to win and they tell me we reached a milestone today, so it feels like we just started. It felt like [win] No. 1 because the goal is to go 1-0.
“Extremely proud of this team for the way we responded coming off of two tough losses, one close and one not even close. I’m very happy with them and I appreciate them for keeping it together, keeping me together and going to war for one another.”
The Bobcats trailed at 8-4 before going on a 70 run to take the lead at 11-3, capped off by a basket by sophomore Franck Emmou to lead 11-8.
Texas State pushed their lead up to 10 as the Bobcats failed to lose the lead in the first half. After a layup by senior Mark Drone with just seven seconds left, a preview to what was yet to come, Texas State entered halftime up 39-29.
The Bobcats pushed their lead up to 14 following a three-pointer by senior Kyndall Davis to make it a 45-31 game before Marshall made their comeback.
The Thundering Herd went to work and erased the 14-point deficit as Marshall took back the lead at 64-63 following a three-pointer.
Following a layup with less than three minutes remaining in the game, Marshall pushed their lead up to 68-65 before the Bobcats made one last attempt to complete a comeback win.
Freshman Robert Fields was fouled and sent to the line with just two minutes remaining in the game before knocking down a pair of free throws to cut the deficit down to 68-67.
However both teams hit a cold spell scoring as neither were able to score in the next two minutes.
The scoring finally broke with less than 25 seconds remaining in the game, when Drone made the pass to Gumbs in the corner, who knocked down the threepointer to put the Bobcats up 70-68.
Marshall was unable to make their own threepointer before being forced to foul Drone, who then knocked down two free throws to seal the win at 72-68 to complete the dramatic comeback.
Drone led the team in scoring with 17 points followed by Davis with 15 points. Gumbs and senior guard Jalen Bolden finished the game with 10 points each.
The Bobcats return to play Saturday as Texas State hosts Old Dominion. The Monarchs are coming off a stunning 75-71 win over the Arkansas State Red Wolves which improved their record to 4-6 in conference play and 11-11 overall.
Tipoff is set for 1 p.m. Saturday at Strahan Arena.
