Box Score (PDF)

THE RUNDOWN
SAN MARCOS, Texas – St. Edward's University's men's basketball team fell to NCAA Division I Texas State in an exhibition matchup 76-64 Thursday night at Strahan Coliseum. The Hilltoppers kept the game competitive for much of the contest, but SEU couldn't overcome a .339 shooting percentage and the Bobcats dominated the boards 46-30.

Trailing 38-30 at half, the Bobcats extended their lead with a 9-2 run to start the second frame leading 45-32. However, over the course of the half, twice the Hilltoppers cut the lead to single-digits including back-to-back 3-pointers from freshman SEAN PHILLIPS to cut the lead to 71-63 with 1:36 remaining. After trading a free-throw apiece to keep the lead at eight, the Bobcats scored the final two field goals of the game.

Without the Hilltoppers' leading returning scorer, JAMES TAYLOR who missed with a mild injury, SEU saw a balanced scoring effort with LANDON GOESLING scoring 14, DORIAN LOPEZ added 12 and SEAN WATKINS scored 10. SEU turned the ball over five fewer times than the Bobcats 16-21 - and won the steals category 10-7.

SEU kept itself competitive with a 20-26 effort from the free-throw line with Goesling leading the charge at 8 for 10.


HIGHLIGHTS
• LANDON GOESLING led the Hilltoppers with 14 points including 8-for-10 from the free-throw line.
• DORIAN LOPEZ scored a dozen points and led the Hilltoppers with seven rebounds.
• SEAN WATKINS score 10 points and added two steals.
• Freshman SEAN PHILLIPS began the game 0 for 4 from 3-point land before hitting three of his last four to finish with nine points.

STAT OF THE GAME I
36 – Texas State showed its depth with the Bobcats' reserves outscoring the SEU bench 36-12.

THEY SAID IT
SEU Head Coach Andre Cook on progress made vs. Texas State …
"We were down 18 and it was looking bleak. And, they could have gotten that up to 25 or 26, and that would've been very difficult. But, the fact that the guys were 18 down, and we had the Paterson twins in, RYAN GARZA at the point, DORIAN LOPEZ and CORY MCKENDREE; those guys battled back and really defended and gave us a chance to win. I think we had it down to maybe seven or eight there, so the fact that it was starting to get ugly midway through the second half and we competed, we defended and gave ourselves a chance to get back in the game."

WHAT'S NEXT
SEU opens the regular season Friday vs. Colorado Mesa in Grand Junction, Colo. as a part of the eight annual Heartland / RMAC Challenge.