Texas State Men’s Basketball’s Last Dance in the Sun Belt

By Isaac Melchor 

KTSW Sports Reporter 

SAN MARCOS. Texas– Texas State’s move of conferences from the Sun Belt to the PAC-12 put an extra eye on Bobcat athletics this season. Women’s soccer finished the season as Sun Belt champs, giving the program momentum into 2026, GJ Kinne brought a period of highs and lows with Football. As that season concluded, all eyes were on Texas State Men’s Basketball. 

The Bobcats came into training camp with only three returners, Franck Emmou, Mark Drone, and hometown hero Kaden Gumbs. The rest of the team consisted of transfers with veteran experience, seniors included Kyndall Davis from Louisiana, Jalen Bolden from ULM, and Tay Knox from Western Illinois. This season also ushered in a new class of freshmen, Deke Thompson, Robert Fields, and DJ Hall. 

The uncertainty of how such a brand new team can close things out in the Sun Belt loomed around San Marcos. Will chemistry be an issue? What kind of record will they finish with? These were the questions that were answered this 2025-2026 season.  

Terrance Johnson, head coach, entered into his sixth season at Texas State with an 88-68 record, with two Sun Belt season titles in 2021 and 2022. The aspirations from most was for coach TJ to help lead this team back into that success, and in many ways he did. 

The season opening loss of 83- 48 to Bowling Green, was undoubtedly a sour start, but what led after that was a five game home stretch, where the Bobcats won every single game, defeating opponents such as UTSA and Texas Southern. 

From there, the Cats traveled to Las Vegas for the Resorts World Classic, where they lost highly competitive games against teams such as Rice and Lehigh. 

Despite the losses on the road, at this point of the season DJ Hall had emerged himself as a freshman who can score the ball at will. Averaging 12.5 points and 7.4 rebounds per game. 

The team then returned to San Marcos to begin conference play, where they fared most success, finishing 16-1 at home. It was the opposite for the squad on the road, with a record of 3 and 9. 

January 28th, the Bobcats won 72 to 68 against Marshall, giving Terrance Johnson his 100th win as a head coach. 

This win was a pivotal point of the season, a late game winning shot by Kaden Gumbs electrified the 1500 fans in Strahan Arena, the highest attended game at this point. Black out night was a factor in attendance, as well as it being the first game post football season, all of a sudden all eyes were on Texas State Men’s Basketball, and it couldn’t happen on a better night. 

The Bobcats would finish the season winning 8 out of their last 9, continuing their success as one of the best division 1 basketball teams at home. Some highlights of this stretch were defeating Troy 74 to 62, the highest attended game this season with 2,741. Along with Senior Night, where the team defeated App State 60 to 57, thanks to 23 points from Mark Drone and game winning effort from Kyndall Davis.  

The Bobcats closed things out with a six way tie for second seed in the conference, after tie breakers and other statistical differentials, Texas State finished fifth in the Sunbelt. 

That meaning, that Texas State heading into the Sun Belt tournament would have to win four games in 4 days, in order to win the conference and get an automatic bid to March Madness. 

If any team was familiar with win streaks, it was this 2025-26 team, the Bobcats headed into Pensacola Florida with good energy and momentum.  

Unfortunately after a tough gritty game against Southern Miss, the Texas State team was taken out of the first round of the Sun Belt tournament, falling 81 to 77. 

A bitter sweet end to the season, the potential to go farther will always be thought about, but the growth and unity of this team will never be forgotten.  

A team full of new additions, slowly found their stride in an exciting way, it gave San Marcos something to talk about this spring. 

DJ Hall finished the season winning the Sun Belt Freshmen of the Year award, as well as making all conference second team. 

He averaged 15.6 points per game and 7.7 rebounds, cementing himself as the true future of San Marcos.  

2nd team leading scorer, Mark Drone averaged 14.2, as we say goodbye to the senior whose ball handling and layup packages will be missed. 

It’s safe to say that with a 16 and 1 home record, this Bobcats team felt unity at Strahan arena. Assistant coaches, athletic training staff, social media, equipment managers, all played their part in helping this team find success, Nathan Reeves, head equipment manager, also saw his final season as a Bobcat, giving four years to the program. 

Of course at the helm of all this, helping shape the culture in San Marcos, is head coach Terrance Johnson, whose future as a Bobcat was put under question after Texas State’s early elimination.  

On March 9th, Athletic Director of Texas State, Don Coryell, told ESPN that Terrance Johnson will remain with the team next season, to begin PAC-12 basketball. 

A move that undoubtedly will help Texas State Men’s Basketball keep that same winning mentality and grit they had all season. 

This time around coach will have the new additions of 4 star recruits RJ Livingston and Josaiah Sanders, heading into one of the best conferences for basketball in college.  

DJ Hall, Ky/Dimp Pernell, Franck Emmou, Robert Fields, Mark Drone, Jalen Bolden, Cameron Simpson, Kyndall Davis, Jaelyn Lee, Kaden Gumbs, Deke Thompson, Makai Willis, Isaiah Barganier, and Tay Knox were your 2025-2026 Bobcats. 

A team that will be remembered for their high energy, fun play style, and hope for the future.