MOBILE, Ala. – Javon Franklin posted a game-high 16 points and grabbed eight rebounds but the University of South Alabama men's basketball team lost to Texas State 55-52 on Wednesday night at the Mitchell Center.
 
Kayo Goncalves hit a three-pointer with 54.6 seconds left to tie the game at 50-50. Texas State's Caleb Asberry answered with the go-ahead triple with just over 26 seconds left as the Bobcats held on for the win.
 
Lance Thomas and Charles Manning each finished with nine points to lead the Jaguar offense.
 
Nighael Ceaser and Mason Harrell both added 11 points, while Asberry and Drue Dinnon both chipped in nine points for the Bobcats.
 
Date: 2/23
Place: Mitchell Center
Final Score: South Alabama 52, Texas State 55
Records: South Alabama (18-10) (8-7), Texas State Bobcats (20-6) (11-3)
 
GAME FACTS
- Texas State jumped out to an early 12-7 lead, sparked by six points each from Harrell and Asberry.
- USA went on an 8-2 run and Thomas' second triple of the game put the Jags out in front, 17-16, with 7:07 left in the half.
- Ceaser hit a layup with just under a minute left to tie the game at 25-25 at the break for the Bobcats.
- Diante Smith and Thomas opened the second half with back-to-back treys to put USA up, 31-27.
- Harrell knocked down a three-pointer at the top of the key and Texas State took a 34-33 lead with 14:30 remaining.
- Goncalves hit his first three of the game and the Jags retook the lead, 38-36, with just under 12 minutes to go.
- South Alabama held Texas State to just two field goals over the next seven minutes and extended the lead to four, 45-41.
- The Bobcats answered with a 9-2 run to retake the lead, 50-47, with 2:44 left in the game.
- Goncalves tied the game at 50-50 with his second three-pointer of the game with 54.6 seconds left.
- Asberry responded with a triple as the shot clock nearly expired to put Texas State back in front, 53-50, with 26.1 seconds to go in the game.
- Harrell connected on a pair of free throws to put the Bobcats up three, 55-52, with 6.2 seconds left.  
- South turned the ball over with less than one second left and Texas State held on for the 55-52 victory.
 
NOTES
- The Jags fall to 4-9 all-time against Texas State.
- South has held the Bobcats under 55 points in the past two meetings.
- USA is currently fifth in the Sun Belt standings, the top four seeds ahead of the Jags have clinched a bye for next week's Sun Belt Tournament.
- South Alabama drops to 12-2 at the Mitchell Center this season.
- Smith has hit at least one three-pointer in nine straight games.
- Thomas finished with three three-pointers, one shy of tying his career-high.
- Jay Jay Chandler dished out a game-best five assists.
 
THEY SAID IT
Head Coach Richie Riley
- Opening statement:
"This is the second game in a row where we struggled. It's just mental lapses, not boxing out, our execution was poor and we missed a bunch of shots around the rim. When you give up 18 offensive rebounds, it is hard to win the game. I thought we guarded well enough to win, especially first shots. But they rebounded whatever they wanted to. It was just a lack of toughness and a lack of detail. It was like that on the glass on both ends, offensively and defensively. It's really frustrating. If we don't change who we are, we aren't going to be able to beat anybody in this league the way we are playing. If we can't play harder than that and pay more attention to detail in a league like this, you aren't going to win games."
 
UP NEXT
- USA will take on UTA on Friday at 7 p.m. (CST) at the Mitchell Center in the regular-season finale.
 
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com, and follow the Jaguars at www.twitter.com/WeAreSouth_JAGS. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).

Join the South Circle, the unrestricted giving option of the University of South Alabama Athletics. Contributions to South Circle directly support all 17 sports in addition to various support programming. For more information on how you can join visit: http://jaguarathleticfund.com/give
 
—USA—