Following a hot first half in their past game against UT Arlington, the Mountaineers could not maintain the same first period success, falling to Texas State 68-55.
App State (6-14, 1-8 Sun Belt) was 0-4 from the 3-point line in the first half. Just two days ago, the Mountaineers knocked down five triples in the first half.
Never relinquishing the lead, Texas State (13-8, 6-3 Sun Belt) used a hot start to set the tone, jumping out to a 13-4 advantage before head coach Jim Fox burned a timeout to stop the bleeding.
“We came out as flat as anything, and I think they had five or six layups in a row and that started it right there,” Fox said. “Just a very disappointing effort, and that falls on me not having the guys ready.”
After taking a 37-29 advantage into halftime, the Bobcats would see their lead cut down to five after a layup by sophomore forward Tyrell Johnson. Texas State, however, would then blow the game wide open, using an 18-2 run to put the Bobcats up 64-43 with just under five minutes remaining.
“We keep putting ourselves in holes early and playing behind and it seems like we’re playing behind the whole game,” junior forward Griffin Kinney said. “It is a 40 minute game and we haven’t figured it out quite yet.”
Kinney would record a double-double, pouring in 17 points and grabbing 10 boards. Sophomore guard Emarius Logan also scored 17 points, shooting a blistering 60 percent from the field.
Free throw struggles also plagued the Mountaineers, making just three of eight attempts in the first half. App State would finish under 60 percent from the line for the game, converting on only 12-of-21 attempts.
Coming off of a 33-point outing and averaging 29 points over his last three games, sophomore guard Ronshad Shabazz followed up the three games with a season low, scoring only six points. While only making 3-of-10 shots in the first half, Shabazz was held scoreless in the second half.
“They’re very physical and I thought he [Ronshad] did a good job except for once or twice in the second half for staying in the system and getting his shots,” Fox said. “Today they just didn’t fall for him.”
Dropping their fifth game game in a row, the Mountaineers will look to regroup when they travel to Arkansas State on Saturday. The Red Wolves are the only team that the Mountaineers have beaten this year in conference play.
“We look great in practice, every walk through and shoot around,” Logan said. “We just have to take it to the game.”
Story By: Tyler Hotz, Sports Reporter