Bobcats unable to bounce back, suffer first home loss to OLLU

Texas State interim head coach Terrence Johnson believes you can learn from a defeat or you can just lose.

Johnson hoped that, after getting taken down by No. 13 Texas in Austin on Wednesday, the Bobcats had learned from their questionable decision-making and lackluster play down the stretch. But after blowing multiple double-digit-point leads, unraveling in the final 10 minutes of Saturday’s game and taking a 61-58 loss against NAIA challenger Our Lady of the Lake inside Strahan Arena, it was clear to Johnson that Texas State didn’t learn anything. The team flat out lost to the Longhorns.

“And we are hopeful that we don't need any more lessons after today,” Johnson said.

The Bobcats (3-3) continued their run of strong rebounding performances, posting a plus-16 advantage over the Saints (1-1). Three different players grabbed double-digit boards. Johnson said that it’s not very often the maroon and gold get 20 offensive rebounds and lose the game. But that’s what happened on Saturday.

The hosts knew coming into the contest that OLLU’s calling card was getting into the passing lanes and scoring in transition. But Texas State didn’t make the necessary adjustments as the visitors pilfered the ball 10 times and scored 25 points off turnovers.

When the Saints didn’t get a quick stop, they dared the Bobcats to launch from deep, ducking under screens and sagging off of shooters. Texas State settled, taking a season-high 22 3-pointers but only making four of them.

“I don't think that we've been shooting the ball particularly well. And sometimes, guys are searching for the next one to go in,” Johnson said. “It's just something about that line. That line is, for us, on paper, it's just one more point. But for players, it just seems like it carries more weight. And I thought that that particular weight was a burden bearer for us tonight. I felt like we were pressing and trying to squeeze in that particular shot.”

The team still found ways to score inside, earning 36 points in the paint. But what surprised Johnson was how much the Bobcats allowed OLLU to do the same.

Texas State built up a 30-20 lead with 2:51 left in the first half. But the Saints closed out the period on an 11-0 run, with the visitors’ last six points coming at the rim.

“If you had told me that they would score 32 points in the paint, I probably would've told you it was gonna be a long night for us,” Johnson said.

The hosts built their lead back up in the second half and looked comfortable up 49-38 with 9:50 left to play. But the Bobcats shot just 3-16 from the floor to close out the game.

The Saints tied the score up at 55-55 with 3:12 on the clock and a jumpshot by senior guard Ethan White put them up 59-56 with just under a minute left. Texas State junior forward Isiah Small made a layup at the other end and the Bobcats intentionally fouled junior forward Ruben Monzon, who missed the first of a one-and-one.

Sophomore guard Caleb Asberry got the ball and put up a floater from the right side. The shot rimmed out, but Asberry got his own rebound and attempted a putback layup. The ball missed the mark again. 

OLLU missed another one-and-one free throw and Texas State called timeout with eight seconds remaining. Asberry’s inbounds pass was intercepted by White, who the Bobcats immediately fouled. White made both of his foul shots, extending the lead to 61-58 with seven seconds to go. Junior guard Mason Harrell found Asberry open on the right wing but the sophomore couldn’t get the buzzer-beater to drop as the maroon and gold suffered their first home loss of the season.

Harrell led the team with 13 points and five assists. Redshirt junior forward Alonzo Sule and Small both posted double-doubles, the former with 12 points and 11 rebounds and the latter with 11 points and 11 boards. Senior forward Quentin Scott added another nine points and 10 rebounds.

Johnson said he looked forward to getting back to practice on Sunday. The team has to learn quickly from the loss before hosting Texas A&M-Corpus Christi inside Strahan Arena on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

“I think the bounce back has to come before the next game. I do,” Johnson said. “You know, I think the bounce back needs to come tomorrow in practice. And I think that when guys live from game-to-game, I think they're missing the process. And I'm hopeful that our guys bounce back tomorrow in practice, because if they just wait until (Tuesday) to apply some of the lessons that we learned tonight, then we won't be ready come next game.”