The Bobcats started timidly in the first half, lacking aggression on offense and defense. Rice dominated the glass and earned 16 second-chance points, taking a 40-28 lead into halftime. 

Texas State looked like a totally different team in the second half. The Bobcats went on a 23-4 run, taking a 51-46 lead thanks to an electric scoring spree by guard Mark Drone, who scored 11 points. But Rice weathered the storm. The Owls took a 57-55 lead after a pair of Nick Anderson free throws and refused to relinquish it for the rest of the game.

Here are some takeaways from Texas State’s loss.

Texas State’s three-game stretch against Seattle, Lehigh and Rice has caused the season to grind to a halt. It seemed as if the Bobcats had found something after five consecutive wins in Strahan Arena, but they haven’t been able to replicate that success on the road.

There were chances to win Rice and Lehigh that Texas State was unable to seize late in the game. Bobcats guard Kaden Gumbs lost his dribble with a minute and 12 seconds left against the Owls, turning the ball over down 69-65. Drone had a decent look at a game-tying three-pointer with two seconds left that missed wildly. And beyond that, Texas State would not have been in that situation in the first place had it performed better in the first half.

It’s not as if Texas State is incapable of winning close games. Against UTSA in San Marcos, it managed to keep its composure in the waning minutes and come out on top. But for whatever reason, the road has been the Bobcats’ kryptonite.

Out of the 361 Division 1 teams in college basketball, Texas State ranks 361st in three-point attempts per game, averaging 14 before attempting 13 against Rice. It’s a dramatic zag from the sports’ current trends, and it’s hampering the offense. The Bobcats are not shooting well enough from two-point range to make up for their lack of threes, with their 47.9% mark inside the arc ranking 270th, according to KenPom.

The lack of offensive punch was glaringly obvious during Texas State’s attempted comeback against Rice. The Owls shot 44% from the field, but made seven threes. Meanwhile, the Bobcats went 4-of-13 from distance and shot worse from two-point range (42.9%) than the Owls (43.6%).

Texas State played 11 deep against Rice, but the primary rotation contributors have begun to reveal themselves. Forward DJ Hall, Gumbs, Drone, Willis and guard Dimp Pernell have all solidified themselves as starters or, in Pernell’s case, a crucial bench contributor. 

Interestingly enough, guard Franck Emmou started in the first half but did not see the floor in the second. He’s one of the Bobcats’ leading shot takers this season and was on the bench without a discernible injury. In his place, Kyndall Davis played a season-high 27 minutes, recording 12 points and two three-pointers on four-of-five shooting.