Maroon & Gold Weekly Wrap-Up: Bobcat Men’s Basketball, Soccer, Baseball And Track & Field

Maroon & Gold Weekly Wrap-Up:
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Bobcat Men’s Basketball, Soccer, Baseball
and Track & Field

Bobcats edged by Eagles in Sun Belt Conference opener

STATESBORO, Ga. (AP) – Senior guard Ike Smith scored 18 points and had the second of consecutive 3-pointers by Georgia Southern as the Eagles (7-4, 1-0 Sun Belt) scored the last 17 points of the game to escape with a 67-64 win over Texas State (7-5, 0-1 Sun Belt) in the Sun Belt Conference opener on Thursday night at Hanner Fieldhouse.

A three-point play by senior forward Eric Terry at the 2:43 mark and senior guard Nijal Pearson’s 3-pointer at 1:57 had put the Bobcats on top 64-60. But Ga. Southern’s sophomore guard Calvin Wishart quickly answered with a 3-pointer with 1 1/2 minutes left.

Sophomore guard Mason Harrell missed the front end of a one-and-one, leading to Smith’s triple at 1:07.

Texas State had a pair of turnovers, but the Eagles made just one of four free throws before Pearson’s 3-pointer at the buzzer was off target.

Terry had 17 points for the Bobcats, junior forward Isiah Small added 16, and Pearson had 11 points and a game-high seven rebounds.

Senior guard David-Lee Jones Jr. had 15 points for Georgia Southern which earned its fifth consecutive home victory.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Texas State opened the game on an 11-0 run and led 16-1 at the 15:36 mark. They made their first seven shots of the game and turned the Eagles over five times in the opening five minutes.
• Texas State held scoreless for nearly five minutes as Ga. Southern used a 9-0 run to cut into the deficit 16-10. The Eagles ultimately ended the half on a 13-4 run highlighted by another 9-0 burst to take a 29-28 lead by halftime.
• Texas State used an 11-2 run that included a 6-0 run to build its lead back to 45-36. The Bobcats led by nine points on two other occasions which were the largest leads of the second half.
• Georgia Southern’s 8-0 run tied the game at 54 and they took the lead at 57-56 from a made free-throw by sophomore guard Calvin Wishart. It was the Eagles’ first lead since the 18:53 mark in the second half (31-30).
• The Eagles ended the game on a 7-0 run to secure the win and improve to 5-0 at home this season.
• The second half featured eight lead changes and five ties.

TEAM NOTES

• Texas State shot better than Georgia Southern in every aspect. They shot 51 percent (25-of-49) from the floor, had a .330 percentage from 3-point range (5-of-15) and 64 percent at the free-throw line (9-of-14).
• The Bobcats were outrebounded 37-22 and 14-3 on the offensive glass. The Eagles outscored the Bobcats in second-chance points 15-0.
• TXST is 3-1 this season when shooting over 50 percent from the field.
• Texas State is 1-5 this season when outrebounded by its opponent. They are 6-0 when the Bobcats outrebound the opposition.
• Texas State was outscored by the Georgia Southern bench 22-6. It is the first time this season the Bobcats’ bench was outscored.
• The Bobcats are 4-3 in conference openers and 1-2 in road conference openers in the Danny Kaspar era. They are also 2-1 vs. Georgia Southern in conference openers.
• It is the Bobcats’ second consecutive road loss this season.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

• Terry scored in double-digits in consecutive games for the first time since Feb. 21-23, 2019 vs. ULM (19) and Louisiana (13), respectively.
• Terry scored 10 or more points for the 20th time in his career with the Bobcats and led the Bobcats in scoring for the second time in his career.
• Small logged a season-high seven made field goals (7-of-12).
• Pearson sets a personal career-high with 12 consecutive games scoring 10 or more points.
• Pearson led the team in rebounding for the third time this season (36th time in his career).
• Sophomore guard Mason Harrell had nine points and matched Pearson and junior guard Marlin Davis with a team-high three assists, and sophomore guard Caleb Asberry with two steals.
• GS’s Smith finished with four rebounds, one block, and one steal, while Jones Jr. also had four rebounds and a game-high three steals.
• Senior forward Simeon Carter and sophomore guard Elijah McCadden had seven and six rebounds, respectively, to lead the Eagles. Both players had six points and fouled out.

UP NEXT

The Bobcats end the conference-opening weekend vs. Georgia State at noon CT on Saturday, Dec. 21 at the GSU Sports Arena. The Panthers are 1-0 in conference play after defeating UT Arlington, 83-77.  

QUOTABLE

Head coach Danny Kaspar

On the team’s rebounding…

“We lost a heartbreaker primarily because of our rebounding. That [rebounding] has hurt us in losses to Houston, UTSA, and now Georgia Southern. We have to be tougher and more tenacious in that aspect of the game.”

Bobcats fall at Georgia State

ATLANTA  – A massive 14-0 run plagued Texas State (7-6, 0-2 Sun Belt) as they fell at Georgia State (8-3, 2-0 Sun Belt) 81-69 Saturday afternoon at the GSU Sports Arena.

For the second consecutive game, the Bobcats jumped out to a fast start and led for the majority of the second half until the Panthers ripped off 14 unanswered points with half of them coming at the free-throw line. Junior guard Corey Allen and sophomore guard Justin Roberts both scored 17 points for the Panthers and combined for eight of the team’s 12 3-pointers.

Senior forward Eric Terry led the Bobcats with 19 points (7-of-10) and was a perfect 5-of-5 at the free-throw line. Senior guard Nijal Pearson followed with 14 points and sophomore guard Caleb Asberry had 12 points in the setback. Terry and Pearson both led the team with seven rebounds.

In addition to Allen and Roberts’ 17 points, the Panthers had three other players score in double figures including Phillips (12), Williams (12), and Wilson (11)

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Texas State went on a 13-3 run sparked by a 9-0 burst, giving the visiting team a 19-6 advantage with 12:10 on the clock.
• The Panthers battled back and cut the first half lead down to one point with a late triple by junior guard Corey Allen, making the score 31-30 with 2:54 remaining in the first stanza. Moments later GSU grabbed the lead at 35-34 after another made 3-pointer and a layup.
• The Bobcats’ free-throw shooting kept the team in the game, as they went into the break with a 38-35 lead after closing the half 4-of-4 at the stripe. TXST shot 19-of-20 at the free-throw line in the first half.
• Texas State opened the second half by scoring the first six points, however, the Panthers fought back and tied the game at 63 with 6:10 on the clock.
• The Bobcats regained the lead at 65-64 before the Panthers exploded on a 14-0 run with half of those points coming at the free-throw line.

TEAM NOTES

• The Bobcats logged a season-high .900 free-throw percentage (27-of-30).
• As a team, Texas State shot 37 percent from the floor (19-of-52) and 22 percent from 3-point range (4-of-18).
• Texas State’s largest lead of the game was 14 points (17-3, 13:00 in the first half).
• Georgia State shot 44 percent from the field and turned in opponent season-highs for the Bobcats with 81 points, a 48 percent 3-point field goal percentage (12-of-25), and 89 percent free-throw percentage (17-of-19).
• The Panthers hit seven three-pointers in the second half. They are the fourth team this season to make 10 or more 3-pointers vs. Texas State this season (Rice-12, UTSA-11, Bethany-13).
• Texas State is 5-2 when leading at the half and 1-5 in road games this season, including three consecutive road losses.
• Although GSU outrebounded TXST 35-28, the Bobcats won the battle in second-chance points, 13-11.
• The Bobcat bench was outscored for the second straight contest (24-12) and both teams scored 20 points in the paint.

INDIVIDUAL NOTES

• Terry continues his strong play and has put together three consecutive games with 10 or more points for the first time since last season when he scored 12 at Little Rock (Feb. 16), 19 vs. ULM (Feb. 21), and 13 vs. Louisiana (Feb. 23).
• Terry finished the game with seven rebounds, matched a season-best three assists, and had two blocks. He was also a perfect 5-of-5 at the stripe.
• Pearson extends his double-digit scoring streak to 13 games and matched Terry for a team-best seven rebounds in addition to three assists. He was also 7-of-8 at the line.
• Pearson is tied at No. 12 all-time in career rebounding with Cameron Johnson at 638.
• Asberry scored in double figures for the fourth time this season. The last time was when he registered a season-high 18 points vs. UTSA (Dev. 7).
• Asberry also turned in four rebounds, two steals, and was 4-of-4 at the free-throw line.
• Junior guard Marlin Davis had nine points and recorded five assists in the game. It was his second game this season with five or more dimes.
• Davis also matched a season-best three rebounds and had two steals.

UP NEXT

The Bobcats’ road trip continues in conference play. Texas State will face Little Rock at 6:30 p.m. on Jan. 2, 2020 in Little Rock, Ark. followed by a 2 p.m. tip-off on Jan. 4, 2020 at Arkansas State in Jonesboro, Ark.

Kondikoff Selected to United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-America Third Team

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Texas State senior midfielder Jordan Kondikoff was selected to the United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-America Third Team that was announced on Wednesday. She joins Kaylee Davis, who earned third team accolades last year, as the only players in program history to make one of the Scholar All-America teams.

Kondikoff is an exercise and sport science major with a concentration in pre-physical therapy. She has made the Dean’s List each semester at Texas State while holding a 4.00 GPA.

This season on the pitch, she found the back of the net two times and assisted on one goal from her defensive midfield position. Both of Kondikoff’s tallies came in the first half of a 5-0 win at ULM, while her lone assist was on Senior Day at the Bobcat Soccer Complex during a 3-0 victory over Georgia Southern.

Her performance this season on the field earned her United Soccer Coaches All-Southeast First Team and All-Sun Belt Conference First Team honors. Along with her strong academic work, she was one of a record three TXST players to be selected to the CoSIDA Academic All-District 7 First Team.

The Mesquite, Texas native concluded her Bobcat career having played 5,522 minutes on the pitch, which ranks eighth in program history, and 51 consecutive starts. Kondikoff totaled six goals, half of them being match-winners, and 11 assists for 23 points in her collegiate career.

United Soccer Coaches NCAA D1 Women’s Soccer Scholar All-America Teams: https://unitedsoccercoaches.org/2019-ncaa-division-i-womens-scholar-all-america-team/.

Tickets on Sale for 12th Annual Leadoff Dinner

SAN MARCOS, Texas – Tickets are now on sale for the Texas State baseball team’s 12th Annual Leadoff Diner, which will be the showcase event of Alumni Weekend.

The Leadoff Dinner will be held Jan. 25 at the LBJ Student Center Ballroom on the campus of Texas State University. The cocktail social mixer begins at 6:15 p.m. with the dinner portion of the event starting at 7 p.m.

The dinner brings together baseball alumni, Bobcat supporters, family, friends and the current team to raise money for Texas State Baseball and to help create excitement for the upcoming season.

Individual seats are $100, while a full table of eight guests is $800.

At the dinner, the 2010 Southland Conference championship team will be recognized. More details on the event’s speaker will be announced at a later date.

Patrons will have the opportunity to support the team during its first official practice of the season (Jan. 24) and watch SWT/TXST alumni take the field in the annual alumni game (Jan. 25) during the weekend as well.

The 2020 season and the first under head coach Steven Trout begins Feb. 14 with a four-game series at Bobcat Ballpark against Stony Brook.

Leadoff Dinner Tickets: https://ev3.evenue.net/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/SEGetEventInfo?ticketCode=GS%3ATXST%3ABCE19%3ABSLD%3A&linkID=txstate&shopperContext=&pc=&caller=&appCode=&groupCode=BS&cgc=

2020 Season Tickets: https://ev3.evenue.net/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/SEGetEventInfo?ticketCode=GS%3ATXST%3ABS20%3ABS%3A&linkID=txstate&shopperContext=&pc=&caller=&appCode=&groupCode=BS&cgc=

Pearson honored as Sun Belt Player of the Week

NEW ORLEANS – Senior guard Nijal Pearson was voted as this week’s Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week announced Monday afternoon by the league office. It is Pearson’s fourth career weekly honor and first for the 2019-20 season.

In the only game for the Bobcats this week, Pearson dropped a season-high 30 points vs. Bethany College. He shot 11-of-15 from the floor, including 4-of-5 from 3-point range. It was his second career outing with 30 or more points. Pearson also finished with six rebounds, three steals, two assists, and a block.

Pearson is No. 3 in the school’s record book and No. 27 in the Sun Belt Conference record book with 1,728 career points. As a Bobcat, he also ranks fifth all-time with 151 steals, and No. 13 with 624 rebounds.

Texas State concluded its nonconference schedule with a 7-4 record, including a 6-1 mark at home. The Bobcats will open their Sun Belt Conference slate with four road games, beginning with a trip to Georgia. At 6 p.m. CT on Thursday, Dec. 19, Texas State will face Georgia Southern in Jonesboro, Ga. and end the week with a 1 p.m. CT tip on Saturday, Dec. 21 at Georgia State in Atlanta, Ga.

United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-West Honors for Davis and Kondikoff

SAN MARCOS, Texas – Make it three consecutive years that Texas State has been represented by multiple student-athletes on the United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-Regions teams, that were announced on Tuesday. Jordan Kondikoff and Kaylee Davis were selected to the Scholar All-West first and second teams, respectively.

For Kondikoff, it is the first scholar all-region honor in her career. She has a perfect 4.00 GPA and is majoring in exercise science with a concentration in pre-physical therapy.

This year has seen the Mesquite, Texas native also received first team accolades for CoSIDA Academic All-District and All-Sun Belt Conference. On the pitch, she scored two goals and was credited with an assist from her defensive midfield position.

Davis became the first Bobcat to earn multiple United Soccer Coaches Scholar All-Region honors after being a first team selection last season. She holds a 3.77 GPA while majoring in food and nutrition.

For the second straight year, Davis led Texas State offensively with eight goals, five match-winning goals, 77 shots and 32 shots on goal. The senior forward also recorded a career-high three assists.

The Allen, Texas native was a first team all-conference selection for the third consecutive season while also being named to the Senior CLASS Award Candidate List and MAC Hermann Trophy Watch List.

United Soccer Coaches NCAA D1 Women’s Soccer Scholar All-Region Teams: https://txstatebobcats.com/documents/2019/12/16/2019_NCAA_DI_Womens_Scholar_All_Region_Teams.pdf

Track and Field Team Signs Eight for 2020 Signing Class

SAN MARCOS, Texas – Texas State director of cross country/track and field Jody Stewart announced the signing of eight student-athletes as part of the 2020 class on Monday afternoon. The group includes a NJCAA All-American, a national champion, an All-Region distance runner, a former state high school champion, two state finalists and two regional finalists.

Victoria Wright
Sprints
Shadow Creek High School, Pearland, Texas
Personal Bests:

• 60m- 7.76
• 100m- 11.80
• 200m- 24.83

• 2019 Texas #4 in the 100m
• 2019 5A State Finalist in the 100m

Kiana Rollins
Sprints
Aldine Eisenhower High School, Houston, Texas
Personal Bests:

• 60m- 7.83
• 100m- 12.02
• 200m- 24.21

• 2019 Texas #6 in the 200m
• 2019 6A Regional Finalist in the 200m

Jordan Perry
Sprints
Cypress Woods High School, Cypress, Texas
Personal Bests:

• 60m- 7.79
• 100m- 12.01

• 2019 Texas #9 in the 60m
• 2019 6A 100m Regional Finalist

Christine Irving
Sprints
Holmwood HS, Montego Bay, Jamaica
Iowa Western Community College, Council Bluffs, IA
Personal Best:

• 200m- 24.13
• 400m- 55.90

• 2019 NJCAA Indoor Nationals – Finished 6th place in the 400m

Alexandra Headley
Throws
Plano Senior High School, Plano, Texas
University Minnesota, Duluth

Personal bests:

• Shot-Put: 44’ 9”
• Weight: 47’ 3”
• Hammer: 154’

• 2017 6A Texas State Champion in the Shot Put

Noah Chokri
Jumps
Thorbecke High School, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Personal Best:

• Long Jump- 24’ 3”

• Ranked Nationally No. 2 long jump U20 in 2018 and 2019
• National Champion in the long jump 2017

Daniela Wisniewski
Distance
Kingwood High School, Kingwood, Texas
Personal Bests:

• 1500m- 4:45.29
• 3000m- 10:25.59
• 5k (XC)- 18:43.06

• 2019 Texas State XC Championship Qualifier

Esmeralda Fuentes
Distance
Hays High School, Buda, Texas
Tarleton State University, Stephenville, Texas

Personal Bests:

• 1500m- 4:46.01
• 5k (XC)- 17:44.8
• 6k (XC)- 22:03.7

• 2017 Lone Star Conference Cross Country Championships Runner-Up
• 2017 NCAA All-South-Central Region Cross Country Team