The Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns led by as much as 16, but still had to play comeback as they closed the game on a 14-1 run to pick up a 72-63 and win over Texas State on Saturday evening at Strahan Coliseum.

Freshman Johnathan Stove paced the Cajuns (12-10, 6-5 SBC) with 19 points, 15 coming in the first half, while Jay Wright dished out 10 assists with just a single turnover from his point guard spot. Meanwhile, Shawn Long picked up his second double-double of the weekend with 17 points and 13 rebounds while playing the final 9:31 with four fouls.

"We played so well in the first half, but to Texas State's credit they whittled it down by the end of the half," Louisiana head coach Bob Marlin said. "We got off to a good start in the second half with some threes from Hayward (Register), but then we got in early foul trouble again. But we made free throw after free throw to stay in it and then made the plays in the final minutes to pull this out."

Bryce Washington got his second straight start and responded with nine rebounds and a pair of blocks, and the Cajuns made plenty of hay at the foul line where they hit 20-of-23.

They needed every one of them to hold off a Bobcats (10-10, 4-7 SBC) team that was attempting to avoid dropping its fifth consecutive game. Texas State got 20 points from Kavin Tilbury, including three triples during a 19-4 run that gave the Bobcats a lead midway through the second period.

Stove carried the load in the first half, hitting all six of his shots from the field and surpassing his career high in the game's first 15 minutes with 15 points to go with a pair of blocks.

But after the Cajuns built up a 16-point lead, the Bobcats held the Cajuns without a field goal for the final 6:52 of the period and closed the half on a 12-3 run to hit the locker room down just 34-27.

Hayward Register sparked a quick Cajun run in the second half that saw them build the lead back up to 16 with threes on consecutive possessions. But the Bobcats responded with a 19-4 run of their own, getting three triples from Kavin Gilder-Tilbury, the third giving Texas State its first lead since the second minute of the game at 50-48.

The teams then traded punches and Louisiana found itself down 62-58 with just five minutes remaining in the game, before going on a 10-0 run to take control late. Walker tied it up with a two-handed slam before a three-point play from Stove and a three from Shepherd on two straight possessions put the Cajuns in front 68-62. Long added a three-point play of his own on UL's next trip down the floor and that was more than enough to close it out for the Louisiana.

The Cajuns now return home for a pair of home games next week, beginning Thursday against Appalachian State at the Cajundome.

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