Texas State’s bid to move up in the Southland Conference men’s basketball standings took a blow Saturday, when Texas-Arlington beat them, 82-78, at Strahan Coliseum. The Bobcats are 4-3 in the Southland, tied for fourth place with their next opponent, Southeastern Louisiana.

The Texas State men’s basketball team played a game in unusual fashion Wednesday night before the biggest crowd of the season at Strahan Coliseum, leading from wire to wire in a 76-52 in against Texas-San Antonio (UTSA). The Bobcats won the game thoroughly as they improved to 4-2 in the Southland Conference and 10-10 overall.

Playing at Arizona State Monday night, the Texas State men’s basketball team lasted until about the middle of the game, then fell, 84-62, in the first round of the NIT Tipoff.

Doug Davalos enters his fourth year as the men’s basketball coach at Texas State looking for his first winning season. That quest will begin Friday night (7 p.m.), when the Bobcats open their 2009-10 season at Strahan Coliseum against Howard Payne.

The Texas State men’s basketball team continued its three-game losing streak at home Wednesday night, and the losses didn’t end with a 79-75 shortfall against Sam Houston State. The NCAA declared power forward Emmanuel Bidias A’ Moute ineligible earlier in the day.

With another road loss Saturday afternoon, the Texas State men’s basketball team is 1-2 in the Southland Conference with two home games coming up this week.

Emmanuel Bidias A’ Moute, who made minor contributions for the last month, came out with his first career double-double Saturday as the Texas State men’s basketball beat Texas-Arlington at Strahan Coliseum in the Southland Conference opener for both teams.