Bobcats drop heart breaker on South Alabama buzzer beater

Texas State was unable to find their much needed victory as the Bobcats fell to a South Alabama Jaguar buzzer beater losing 65-64.

The loss was a frustrating one for the Bobcats and Head Coach Zenarae Antoine who dropped their third straight game and handed the Jaguars their first conference win of the season.

“It was a battle,” Antoine said. “When you’re hungry and you’re starving, you’re going to do everything you can to win. And that wasn’t us, that was South Alabama. There was no doubt about that. It was on me that they outplayed us, they came to play, and we didn’t necessarily have an answer. We fought towards the end, we got what we wanted as far as misses and we didn’t complete the game. They out-hustled us. Hats off to South Alabama, that’s what happens when you’re hungry.”

The game was the very definition of a battle as in the first period neither team held a lead larger than three points.

Despite the Jaguars hitting a fast-break layup with 24 seconds left in the period to go up 13-10, Texas State answered back as senior forward Morgan Hill hit a buzzer-beating layup to make it a 13-12 game.

The Bobcats tied the game up in the second period with a Gara Beth Self jumper to make it 18-18.

The game remained tied at 20-20 before junior forward Jaylin Foster hit the jumper to give the Bobcats their first lead of the game at 22-20.

It was part of a 7-0 run by the Bobcats capped off by a made jumper by Sierra Dickson to extend the lead at 25-20.

But South Alabama finished the second period on a 8-2 run as the Jaguars were back in front at 2827.

Texas State tried to regain the lead in the third period but were unsuccessful as they trailed 50-46 in the fourth period.

Trailing 63-58 with 1:48 remaining in the game, the Bobcats broke through going on a 6-0 run as Kennedy Claybrooks hit both free throws to give Texas State a 64-63 lead with 11 seconds left.

The Bobcats fouled on South Alabama’s next possession to send the Jaguars to the free throw line with four seconds left.

Despite South Alabama missing both free throws, Texas State was unable to get the rebound as Jaguars nabbed the ball and put up a desperation shot.

The layup was missed, but the Bobcats were unable to get the rebound allowing the Jaguars to once again get the rebound and put up a shot.

This time the Jaguars’ shot went through the basketball with .4 seconds remaining in the game as Texas State called timeout for the last attempt at a game winner.

The Bobcats were unable to pull off the shot as South Alabama came home with the win 65-63.

The loss drops Texas State’s conference record to 2-9 and moves the Bobcats to 12th place in the conference standings Texas State will be back on the road this Wednesday as the Bobcats take on the Coastal Chanticleers. cmcwilliams @sanmarcosrecord.com Twitter: @ColtonBMc