SAN MARCOS, Texas (Interstat) — A dominant first-half performance propelled Texas State to a 77-67 victory over Texas Southern in a non-conference men’s basketball game Saturday at Strahan Coliseum.

The Bobcats erupted for 47 points before halftime, building a commanding 17-point lead that the Tigers could not overcome despite a stronger second-half effort before an announced crowd of 1,236.

Texas State’s offense was efficient throughout, scoring 77 points on just 70 possessions for an offensive rating of 109.7. The Bobcats shot 53.3% from the floor, connecting on 24 of 45 field goal attempts. They were also effective from the free-throw line, making 24 of 32 attempts.

Texas Southern, meanwhile, struggled with its efficiency, posting an offensive rating of 89.6 by scoring 67 points on 75 possessions. The Tigers shot 42.6% from the field but were hampered by poor free-throw shooting, converting only 18 of 29 attempts.

DJ Hall led a balanced Texas State attack with 16 points and seven rebounds. Mark Drone and Makai Willis provided significant support, scoring 19 and 12 points, respectively. Kyndall Davis added nine points and seven rebounds for the Bobcats.

Texas Southern was led by Troy Hupstead, who posted a strong all-around performance with 19 points and nine rebounds. Zaire Hayes provided an offensive spark off the bench, scoring 17 points for the Tigers. Alex Anderson contributed 10 points.

The game’s outcome was largely decided in the opening period. Texas State used a 13-2 run midway through the first half to seize control, with Drone and Davis hitting key three-pointers during the surge. The Bobcats maintained their offensive pressure, extending the lead to 47-30 at the break.

Texas Southern responded after halftime, outscoring Texas State 37-30 in the second half. The Tigers cut the deficit to single digits on multiple occasions, but could not sustain a decisive run to threaten the Bobcats’ lead.

Defensively, both teams were active, with Texas Southern recording 11 steals and Texas State notching 10. The Tigers committed 16 turnovers, while the Bobcats had 17.

With the win, Texas State improved its season record to 3-2. The Bobcats are scheduled to host Abilene Christian on Tuesday.

Texas Southern fell to 0-4 with the loss, continuing a difficult start to its season that included an overtime defeat to Samford earlier in the week. The Tigers will look for their first win when they visit Vanderbilt on Thursday.