SAN MARCOS- Here in Texas, and in most of the South, football is king. Yet quietly, in the shadow of the gridiron, the Texas State men’s basketball team is emerging as a legitimate contender, a sleeping giant perched on the brink of statewide and perhaps national recognition.
Monday night only furthered that narrative, as the Bobcats dismantled Texas Lutheran by an eye-opening 52 points. With that victory, Texas State improved to 6–2, riding a wave of early-season momentum. The Bobcats remain undefeated at home, even as they continue searching for their first true road win.
Critics, of course, will point to the strength of schedule—or the lack thereof—to explain the hot start. Yes, the slate has been friendly, and yes, playing five straight in the friendly confines of San Marcos has helped. But to diminish the Bobcats’ early progress would be shortsighted.
Winning at any level requires cohesion and consistency, both of which this group is beginning to display. The road losses came in hostile environments, and while those exposed areas that need refinement, they also provided valuable lessons for a young team still establishing its identity.
Early in the season, piling up reps—and wins—is essential. It builds confidence and lays the groundwork for conference play, which arrives in mid-December. It’s also notable that the five-game win streak began with a victory over UTSA, adding weight to the strength-of-schedule argument.
In the metrics world, the Bobcats currently sit at No. 201 in KenPom following Monday’s win. The offense ranks 288th, while the defense—long a point of emphasis for head coach Terrence Johnson—checks in at a much sturdier 110th.
Pundits have begun to take notice of Texas State’s defensive leap from a year ago. Should the offense begin to mirror that same efficiency and flow, the Bobcats could become a genuine force in Sun Belt play.
Freshman forward DJ Hall, a Plano product, has already emerged as one of the most impactful first-year players the program has seen in years. He leads the Bobcats at 11 points per game and stuffed the stat sheet against Texas Lutheran with a season-high 19 points, seven rebounds, and five steals—an all-around performance that underscores his growing importance.
The engine of the team, however, is hometown talent Kaden Gumbs. The San Marcos native leads the Bobcats in assists (4.1) and steals (2.1), setting the tone on both ends of the floor.
Complementing them is sharpshooter Dimp Pernell, who leads the team with 11 made threes, while he and Mark Drone both average double figures and force opposing defenses to stretch and scramble.
Next up is a significant road test on Friday, November 28, when Texas State travels to Las Vegas to face Seattle—ranked No. 110 in KenPom. The game is a part of the Resorts World Classic. A win out west would provide a genuine statement and shift the team’s overall trajectory heading into December.
After that, the schedule softens again until conference play officially begins at home on December 17 against Arkansas State. It’s a primetime tipoff befitting a team that seems ready for the spotlight. And yes—the die-hard Texas State “sickos” haven’t forgotten the one-point football heartbreak in Jonesboro. But that’s another season, another sport.
Right now, the air is getting colder, the semester is winding down, and basketball season is taking center stage. So, make your plans, fill Strahan Arena, and come see a Bobcat team riding a five-game win streak and looking every bit like a group capable of making real noise—both in the Sun Belt and beyond.
