LAFAYETTE, La. — Tylan Pope was instrumental in leading Texas State to a 89-74 victory over Louisiana with a stellar performance that saw him score 25 points on Thursday evening.

In addition to his scoring, Pope contributed significantly on both ends of the court, garnering five rebounds and blocking three shots. The Bobcats, now holding a record of 12-8 and 5-3 within the Sun Belt Conference, also saw notable contributions from Josh O’Garro, who added 17 points. O’Garro shot effectively, hitting 4 out of 7 attempts from the field, including a 1 for 3 mark from beyond the arc, and was impressive at the charity stripe, making 8 of his 10 free-throw attempts. He also managed to secure nine rebounds in the game. Dylan Dawson provided further support, finishing with 13 points on a shooting line of 4 for 6, including 3 for 5 from three-point range.

On the other side, the Ragin’ Cajuns struggled despite some strong individual performances, with Brandon Hardy leading them in scoring by netting 15 points. Mostapha El Moutaouakkil was also a key player for Louisiana, contributing 12 points.

Both teams are scheduled to continue their competition on Saturday, with Texas State set to visit Arkansas State, while Louisiana will take on Southern Miss at home.