Spotting a team like Texas State a 15-point advantage turned out to be too much for South Alabama to overcome on Saturday.

The Jaguars lost 64-58 at the Mitchell Center, though they managed to cut the Bobcats’ lead to one with 1:14 remaining. Texas State (9-8, 2-2 Sun Belt) made 5 of 6 free throws in the last 23 seconds, however, to close out their second straight win on South Alabama’s home floor.

The loss dropped South Alabama to 7-9 overall and 1-3 in conference play, continuing a nearly year-long Sun Belt slump for the Jaguars. Since starting 5-2 in the league last season, USA has lost nine of its last 14 vs. Sun Belt opposition.

“We came out really flat and uninspired,” Riley said. “We didn’t play nearly hard enough, nearly competitive enough, and it’s hard to win like that. We were able to fight back, but even when you do that, it’s really disappointing.

“It falls on me, it’s my team. I put this team together, I coach them every day. And we have a bad habit of coming out, for no reason, just being incredibly flat. We were slow to loose balls. We turned it over 10 times in the first half; we were only averaging nine a game coming in. … It’s on me to figure it out.”

Utilizing its patented methodical offensive attack that bleeds the shot clock nearly dry on every possession, Texas State built a double-digit lead in the game’s first eight minutes and was up 36-21 at halftime. The Bobcats led by 13 at 57-44 before South Alabama began to rally.

The Jaguars scored the game’s next 12 points, with freshman Jamar Franklin hitting a pair of 3-pointers and the Bobcats turning the ball over twice on shot clock-violations. Back-to-back baskets by Isaiah Moore and Tyrell Jones made it 57-56 with 1:16 to play.

Texas State remained patient, however, with Tyrel Morgan banking the ball in for two with 1:16 to play and the shot clock under 10. South Alabama’s Jones and Moore both missed 3-point attempts on the ensuing possession, and the Jaguars were forced to foul.

Nate Martin and Mason Harrell combined to go 5-for-6 from the free-throw line to close out the game. South Alabama’s Owen White made a driving lay-up, but the Jaguars never got closer than four after Martin made his first two free throws.

South Alabama center Kevin Samuel led all players with 16 points, 13 rebounds and four blocks, but didn’t have much help offensively. Jones added 10, as did Moore, well off his season-average of 17.8 coming in.

“They didn’t do anything special schematically on (Moore),” Riley said. “He just missed some shots he normally makes, including some 2-foot floaters. He just couldn’t get one to go tonight.”

A key sequence took place with 3:07 left and South Alabama down five. The Jaguars got a defensive stop, but Jones fall hard on his shoulder after being fouled by Texas State’s Jordan Mason on the far side of the court from the USA bench.

Jones lay on the floor for nearly a minute, as Riley and South Alabama trainer Vinnie DeCarlo hovered near midcourt. Officials forced Jones to leave the game after an injury timeout, and by rule, Texas State was allowed to select the Jaguars’ free throw shooter.

They chose Samuel, one of the worst free-throw shooters in the country at 27% for the year (Jones, by contrast, shoots 88% from the line). Samuel predictably missed the front end of a 1-and-1, with South Alabama essentially losing a possession due to a technicality.

“The thing I was frustrated with is, we didn’t go out there on purpose,” Riley said. “I thought he was OK, No. 1. If we felt like it was a bad injury, we would have run out there immediately. I walked a couple of steps out there, and Vinnie … was behind me. Their explanation, they said Vinnie was out there. And obviously he wasn’t. The rule is, they (Texas State) get to pick the free-throw shooter, and they picked Kev. It is what it is.

“That was a crucial play, I thought. (Jones) is a good free-throw shooter, our best free-throw shooter. That was a big swing right there.”

Martin led Texas State with 13 points, while Harrell had 12 and Morgan added eight points and 10 rebounds. The Bobcats were 12-for-16 from the free-throw line and snagged 11 offensive rebounds.

South Alabama shot just 33 percent from the field in the first half and turned the ball over 14 times. Franklin had eight points off the bench, but starters White and Greg Parham combined for just nine in 50 total minutes.

Samuel agreed with his coach that the Jaguars were flat early in the game, for whatever reason.

“We didn’t come out with the intensity we did the last game,” Samuel said. “That set us back and we dug ourselves a hole. That led to us fighting and scrapping to try and get out of it in the second half. It’s definitely a learning experience for us.”

South Alabama remains at home Thursday, hosting James Madison at 7 p.m.