SAN MARCOS, Texas (Interstat) — A dominant opening salvo and a relentless defensive effort propelled Texas State to a convincing 81-64 victory over Old Dominion in a Sun Belt Conference men’s basketball game Saturday at Strahan Coliseum.

The most important part of the game was Texas State’s explosive start, which immediately put Old Dominion in a deep hole from which it never recovered. The Bobcats opened the contest with a 14-2 run, fueled by aggressive defense and efficient offense, and never relinquished control. The tone was set on the game’s first two possessions, as Texas State guard Mark Drone found forward DJ Hall for consecutive three-pointers. Old Dominion, struggling to find any offensive rhythm against Texas State’s pressure, missed its first four shots and committed two early turnovers. The Monarchs spent the remainder of the half trying to claw back, but the Bobcats consistently answered every push, maintaining a double-digit lead for most of the period and taking a 42-34 advantage into halftime.

Texas State’s victory was built on superior efficiency and capitalizing on Old Dominion’s mistakes. The Bobcats scored 20 points off 14 Monarch turnovers and outscored Old Dominion 19-5 in fastbreak opportunities. While both teams had similar shooting percentages from the floor, Texas State’s decisive advantages came from beyond the arc and at the free-throw line. The Bobcats shot 43.8% on three-pointers compared to Old Dominion’s 22.2%, and made 20 of 25 free throws. Old Dominion, despite attempting 22 free throws of its own, was hampered by a 32.8% overall field goal performance and managed only six assists against its 14 turnovers.

DJ Hall, a 6-foot-7 forward from Plano, Texas, led all scorers with 24 points, adding six rebounds and three assists. His early three-pointers ignited the Bobcats and he remained a consistent scoring threat throughout. Guard Mark Drone of Jackson, Mississippi, orchestrated the Texas State offense with 12 points, seven rebounds and eight assists. Franck Emmou contributed 12 points off the bench.

Old Dominion was led by Ketron Shaw, a 6-foot-4 guard from Charlotte, North Carolina, who posted a double-double with 20 points and 11 rebounds in 37 minutes. Guard Jordan Battle added 16 points for the Monarchs, but the team’s offensive struggles were pervasive. Center Caelum Swanton-Rodger, a 7-footer from Calgary, Canada, was limited to four points and four rebounds.

With the win, Texas State improved to 13-11 overall. Old Dominion fell to 7-16. The Bobcats outperformed their pregame projection as a slight one-point favorite, and the combined score of 145 points fell under the betting total of 141.5.

Texas State next travels to face Georgia Southern on Wednesday. Old Dominion returns home to host Louisiana-Monroe, also on Wednesday.