Texas State men's basketball's hot streak of play continued Saturday, defeating Western Michigan 77-61.
The Bobcats have won four straight games for the first time since November. Texas State guard Mark Drone bounced back from a poor shooting performance against Georgia Southern to record 20 points on 9-of-14 shooting. Freshman forward DJ Hall put up 16 points and five rebounds on 5-of-10 shooting.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementTexas State will return to Sun Belt play Wednesday against Troy. Here are some takeaways from the Bobcats' win.
MORE: Texas State men's basketball beats Ole Miss, Rutgers to land 3-star PF Josiah Sanders
Keeping composed
Although Texas State led for most of the game, Western Michigan closed the gap to 61-57 with 5 minutes and 8 seconds left. But the Bobcats closed the game with a 16-4 run, going 6-for-6 from the field to finish.
The Bobcats have won two of their last four games by single digits. Against Marshall, Texas State remained close enough for guard Kaden Gumbs to hit the game-winning 3-pointer. When Georgia Southern cut its deficit to four with 1:02 left, Texas State held its nerve to earn the win. In this game, the Bobcats maintained their lead for the entire second half and found an extra gear whenever the Broncos found an ounce of momentum.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"Just staying composed on defense and getting the best available shot on offense every time," Drone said after the game.
Texas State Bobcats forward DJ Hall (0) catches an in-bounds pass under the hoop during the first half as the Bobcats play the Texas A&M San Antonio Jaguars at Strahan Arena in San Marcos, Nov. 5, 2025. (Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman)Will DJ Hall continue to shoot 3-pointers?
The Bobcats' 3-point shooting is finally coming around after a dismal start to the season. Texas State went 8-of-18 from beyond the arc against Western Michigan and is shooting 39.1% from three over its past four games.
Hall, in particular, has recently become a willing 3-point shooter. He had attempted only nine until he went 2-for-2 from beyond the arc against Old Dominion, and he repeated that performance against Western Michigan. While he primarily works in the post, Hall's increasing willingness to space the floor opens up interesting avenues for Texas State's offense.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"You'll see some more in the future," Hall said after beating Old Dominion.
Testing Troy
Troy is the best team in the Sun Belt, with a 9-3 record and an explosive offense that scores 82.5 points per game on the road, one of the best marks in the NCAA. The Trojans won 100-80 the first time these teams played, but they'll be visitors this time around. The Bobcats are allowing 66.5 points per game in Strahan Arena and have a 13-1 record at home this season.
Texas State is on a roll, but its best win of the season, according to KenPom, was against 172nd-ranked Marshall. Troy is ranked 124th, but its far from invulnerable. Recent losses to James Madison and Appalachian State have proven that.
AdvertisementAdvertisement
