SAN MARCOS, Texas (Interstat) — Texas State opened its men’s NCAA Division I basketball season with a 67-55 victory over Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Monday at Strahan Coliseum. Attendance was 1,553. The Bobcats improved to 1-0. The Islanders dropped to 0-1.

Texas State set the tone at the start by scoring the first 12 points. Paul Djobet made a layup 40 seconds into the game, Robert Fields followed with a tip-in dunk, a dunk and a layup, and Dimp Pernell added a pullup jumper and a layup before Damarion Winston hit a 3-pointer for Texas A&M-Corpus Christi with 15:37 left in the first half. The Islanders gradually settled in, getting a layup and a tip-in dunk from CJ Worsham, a jump shot from Dan Mukuna and a layup from Desmond Kent. Texas State maintained control through the first half and took a nine-point lead into halftime.

In the second half, Texas State extended its advantage when Djobet opened with a 3-pointer and DJ Hall converted a turnover into a jump shot. The Islanders made several pushes. Mekhi Wallace made a hook shot, and Kent converted a three-point play to trim the margin. Later, Daniel Michelini-Jackson made two free throws and a 3-pointer to pull Texas A&M-Corpus Christi within 56-49 with 5:03 remaining.

Texas State answered immediately. Fields made a free throw, Wallace made a layup, Djobet made a layup, Hall made a hook shot and Wallace added another layup. After Kent made a layup for the Islanders, Fields sealed the result with a dunk and two free throws in the final minute. That closing response after Texas A&M-Corpus Christi had cut the lead to seven proved to be the most important stretch of the game.

Texas State shot 24 of 49 from the floor, 4 of 13 from 3-point range and 15 of 21 from the free-throw line. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi shot 21 of 51 from the floor, 3 of 17 from beyond the arc and 10 of 14 from the line. Texas State had seven offensive rebounds, seven assists, three blocks, 11 turnovers and 18 fouls. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi had eight offensive rebounds, five assists, three blocks, 13 turnovers and 21 fouls. The Islanders scored 55 points from 63 possessions for an offensive rating of 87.8. The Bobcats scored 67 points from 63 possessions for an offensive rating of 106.4.

Robert Fields led Texas State with 16 points, three rebounds, one assist and one block in 30 minutes. The 6-foot-9, 220-pound center from Baltimore, Maryland, who previously attended McDonogh School, made several early plays that helped set the tone. DJ Hall, a 6-foot-7, 220-pound forward who previously attended Plano East Senior High School, had 18 points, five rebounds and three assists in 32 minutes. Paul Djobet added eight points, four rebounds and two assists in 26 minutes.

For Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, CJ Worsham, a 6-foot-7 forward formerly of Christ King Jesuit College Prep, had nine points and four rebounds in 24 minutes. Mekhi Wallace, a 6-foot-5, 215-pound forward, had eight points and four rebounds in 14 minutes. Desmond Kent, a 6-foot-7, 190-pound guard, had 13 points and one block in 26 minutes. Dan Mukuna, a 6-foot-8, 220-pound forward who previously attended the International Basketball Academy of Munich, had six points, four rebounds and one block in 22 minutes. Kaden Gumbs of Texas State, a 6-foot-2, 179-pound guard who previously attended San Marcos High School, had four points, four rebounds and three assists in 26 minutes. Quel’Ron House had eight points, two assists and one block in 20 minutes. Daniel Michelini-Jackson, a 6-foot-5, 180-pound guard who previously attended Lawndale High School, had 10 points in 22 minutes.

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi’s next 10 games are at Louisiana-Lafayette, home against Dallas Christian, at Florida State, at Rice, at Oral Roberts, at Wichita State, home against S’western Adventist, at Nicholls State, at New Orleans and at Boise State. Texas State will host Howard Payne, visit Texas-Rio Grande Valley, host Southern Mississippi, visit Texas-San Antonio, host Incarnate Word, host McNeese State, visit Alcorn State in Ruston, La., visit Louisiana Tech, host Nicholls State and host Louisiana Tech.

Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Texas State 75, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 71. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Texas State with a 75.6 percent probability to win. Texas State had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of minus 10.5. The total score of 122 went over the over/under line of 142.5.