MOBILE, Ala. (Interstat) — In a game defined by a furious South Alabama comeback and a decisive Texas State response in overtime, the visiting Bobcats outlasted the Jaguars 90-82 in a Sun Belt Conference men’s basketball thriller Thursday night at the Mitchell Center.

The contest, a rematch of a two-point Texas State victory in December, saw the Bobcats squander a 13-point second-half lead before dominating the extra period to secure their third consecutive win and improve to 18-11 overall. South Alabama, which had won three of its last four, fell to 19-9.

The narrative of the game split sharply into three acts. Texas State, leveraging efficient early shooting and defensive activity, built a 40-33 halftime lead. That advantage swelled to 58-45 after a 10-0 run midway through the second half, fueled by back-to-back three-pointers from Franck Emmou and a transition three from Jalen Bolden.

South Alabama’s response, spearheaded by the dynamic duo of Chaze Harris and Adam Olsen, constituted the game’s most critical phase. The Jaguars chipped away relentlessly, with Harris orchestrating the offense and attacking the rim. A 24-7 surge over a nine-minute span completely flipped the script, giving South Alabama a 69-65 lead with just over four minutes remaining in regulation. Harris, who finished with 28 points and eight assists, was the catalyst, while Olsen’s floor-spacing provided 22 points, including five three-pointers.

Facing the collapse, Texas State showed resilience. DJ Hall, who led all Bobcats with 24 points, hit a crucial jumper, and Robert Fields, who added 15 points off the bench, converted key free throws. With the score tied at 75, South Alabama had a chance to win in the final seconds of regulation, but a steal by Adam Olsen led to no shot, sending the game to overtime.

The overtime period belonged entirely to Texas State. The Bobcats scored the first eight points, holding South Alabama scoreless for nearly four minutes. Emmou, who scored 17 points, hit a pivotal three-pointer to start the extra session, and Hall added a tough jumper. Texas State’s defense tightened considerably, limiting the Jaguars to just seven points on 2-of-7 shooting in overtime while forcing two turnovers. South Alabama’s star, Harris, was held to two points in the final five minutes.

Texas State’s victory was rooted in maximizing possessions and capitalizing at the free-throw line. Despite being outshot from the field (54.5% to 48.3% for South Alabama), the Bobcats attempted 14 more free throws, making 24. They also won the battle on the offensive glass, grabbing 11 rebounds to South Alabama’s six, which led to 12 second-chance points. Mark Drone facilitated the offense with eight assists to go with 11 points for Texas State.

For South Alabama, Jayden Cooper supported Harris and Olsen with 19 points, but the team’s late-game execution faltered. After committing only four turnovers in the second half, they had two in overtime and missed critical free throws down the stretch.

According to pregame analytics from Interstat, South Alabama was projected with a 79.4% probability to win and was installed as a 2.5-point favorite. The total score of 172 points sailed over the over/under line of 139.

Texas State looks to continue its momentum on the road against Louisiana-Lafayette on Saturday. South Alabama aims to rebound at home against Troy, also on Saturday.