November 23rd, 2009
Bobcat basketball teams falls at New Orleans, 67-55

SUBMITTED REPORT

Despite a career-best 16 points and six rebounds by junior forward Tony Bishop, the Texas State men’s basketball team could not overcome an ice-cold shooting touch as the Bobcats suffered a 67-55 loss at New Orleans Saturday afternoon.

The Bobcats opened the game hitting just one of their nine three-point attempts in the first half and finished the game making just three of 16 three-point shots overall.

New Orleans jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead with Charles Carmouche hit a lay-up and Billy Humphrey made a pair of free throws after being fouled by John Rybak. But, Bishop scored Texas State’s first seven points on a pair of jumpers and a lay-up. His second jumper was a three-point shot that tied the score at 7-7 with 14:17 left to play in the opening period. After Humphrey missed his second lay-up attempt, J.B. Conley made a lay-up that put Texas State ahead 9-7 with 13:30 left in the first half.

After the two teams each made a free throw, Texas State’s Roshun Jackson fouled Humphrey going up for a shot. Humphrey made both free throws to tie the score at 12-12.

On Texas State’s next possession, Cameron Johnson made one of his two free throws to put the Bobcats back ahead. But, Carmouche and Humphrey nailed back to back three-pointers for the Privateers and New Orleans suddenly held an 18-13 advantage with just under nine minutes left in the first half.

After Ryan White, who played in his first game of the season for Texas State, missed a free throw, Devin McDonald hit a three-point shot to extend the lead to eight points, 21-13.

After New Orleans built its largest lead to 10 points, Rybak scored four consecutive points for Texas State when he made a pair of free throws and a lay-up to cut UNO’s lead to 29-23 with 2:40 remaining in the half. The half closed with Ejike Hart making a layup off a fast break for UNO and Emmanuel Bidias A’ Moute making a pair of free throws to make the halftime score 31-25.

The second half began much like the first period as the Privateers extended their lead to 11 in the first three minutes as Jaroslav Tyrna made a free throw, Carmouche nailed a jumper on a fast break and Humphrey hit a lay-up to give UNO a 36-25 lead.

Rybak scored five points on a three-pointer and jumper in the lane around another three-pointer by Humphrey to pull Texas State to within 39-30. Conley and Bishop also made a lay-up each around another jumper by Humphrey to make the score 41-34 with 12:53 left to play.

Conley added another trey; Johnson made a pair of free throws and White scored two more points on a lay-up to pull the Bobcats to within 44-41.

However, that was as close as Texas State would get as New Orleans answered with a pair of three-point shots and slam dunk by Jaroslav Tyrna. The second trey by Devin McDonald pushed UNO’s lead to 54-45 with 7:16 left to play.

The Privateers outscored Texas State 13-10 the rest of the way and won the game to make the final score 67-55. Humphrey ended the game leading all scorers with 23 points, while McDonald finished with 11 for New Orleans. In addition to Bishop and Johnson combining for 28 points, John Rybak added nine points and Conley finished with seven. Emmanuel Bidias A’ Moute and White scored four points each.

The Bobcats dropped to 1-3 overall this season and will travel to Fort Worth, Texas, and play the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in the consolation bracket of the Dick’s Sporting Goods NIT Tipoff tournament. That game tips off at 5:30 on Monday, Nov. 23. Texas State also plays at TCU on Nov. 24.

— FROM TEXAS STATE SPORTS INFORMATION/RICK POULTER