· Box score
· First-half photo gallery
· Second-half photo gallery
| Keith Spencer had a game-high 18 points and added nine rebounds on Saturday night. |
SAN MARCOS — Juniors Andrew Francis, Keith Spencer and Melvin Smith combined for 46 points, but Brandon Bush scored 22 as Texas State held on for a 67-63 win over UTSA Saturday night in Southland Conference action at Strahan Coliseum.
Spencer led all Roadrunners (4-13, 0-4 SLC) with 18 points and added nine rebounds, while Smith poured in 16, his 12th double-digit outing of the season. Francis posted his second consecutive double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds and junior Isaiah Allen added nine points.
Bush scored 17 of his 22 points in the first half to stake the Bobcats (8-11, 3-3 SLC) to a 36-34 halftime lead. UTSA made just 16-of-34 free throws in the first half and shot only 33.3 percent (9-27) from the floor.
Texas State used a 9-4 run to build a 45-38 lead to start the second half. An Antwon Williams jumper and an Antwoine Blanchard lay-up extended the lead to 49-40 with 14:15 to play.
UTSA scored the next six to pull within 49-46 and eventually made it a one-point game on a Smith jumper at the 8:51 mark.
The Bobcats answered with seven straight points, the last on a fall-away 3-pointer from the top of the key by Brent Holder.
Texas State held a 64-59 lead with 1:22 to play until Francis followed a missed trey with a monster slam to make it a one-possession game with just under one minute to play. Another basket from Francis pulled the Roadrunners to within 64-63 with nine seconds remaining.
Following two free throws from Blanchard, who finished with 11, UTSA missed its final attempt to tie on a 3-pointer from the right wing with one second left. Bush was fouled and made 1-of-2 freebies to seal the win for the Bobcats.
The Roadrunners host Texas-Arlington on Monday, Jan. 22, at 7 p.m. at the Convocation Center.