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HOUSTON – Will Gates Jr. matched a career-high with 18 points while Josh Ibarra set new career bests with 17 rebounds and six assists to propel HBU to a 71-52 win over Texas State on Saturday evening inside Sharp Gym.
 
The Bobcats (4-4) held an early 10-8 lead following a three-pointer by Nijal Pearson but Ibarra tied the game at 10-10 on a pair of free throws and a jumper from Jalon Gates put the Huskies (3-5) ahead by two less than seven minutes into the half and HBU led the rest of the way. David Caraher knocked down a pair of free throws at the 6:11 mark in the first period to give HBU its largest lead of the half, 27-18. Texas State got back to within four with 1:52 on the clock but free throws by Caraher and Gates Jr. sent HBU into the locker room at the half leading 38-30.
 
After a Pearson layup at the 16:48 mark in the second stanza made it a nine-point game, Caraher hit another free throw to put the Huskies ahead 43-33 and the Bobcats wouldn't get to within single digits again. Deris Duncan connected on a three with 11:20 remaining to cut the HBU lead to 50-40 but the Huskies then went on a 17-4 run, including nine points from Gates Jr., to go up by 23 with just 3:32 left on the clock.
 
Gates Jr.'s 18 points was his highest total as a Husky and matched his career-high as he went 7-of-11 from the floor and 2-of-4 from three-point range. Ibarra finished with his fourth double-double of the year, posting 14 points to go with his 17 rebounds which topped his previous best of 15. His six assists led the Huskies and the senior also tallied three blocked shots.
 
Caraher finished the night 3-of-7 from the floor and 5-of-6 at the charity stripe to finish with 11 points to go along with six rebounds and a pair of steals. Ian DuBose and Braxton Bonds both finished the game with 10 points with DuBose adding six rebounds while Bonds had three assists. Jalon Gates added eight points off the bench for HBU on 3-of-4 shooting.
 
HBU came into the game ranked in the top-10 in the nation in offensive rebounding and finished the game with 10 offensive boards, a number the team has reached in every game this season. The Huskies out-rebounded the Bobcats 39-28 for the game and held a 46-20 advantage in scoring inside the paint. HBU shot 54.9 percent (28-of-51) from the field and enjoyed its best free throw shooting game of the season, connecting on 11-of-13 (84.6 percent).
 
Pearson led the Bobcats with 16 points on 6-of-19 shooting and was the lone Texas State player to reach double-digits. Texas State finished the game shooting 30.5 percent (18-of-59) and just 10 percent (2-of-20) from three.
 
The Huskies will next head to Jersey City, N.J. to tangle with Saint Peter's on Wednesday, Dec. 6, at 6:00 p.m. CST.