Appalachian State vs Texas State Prediction 2/27/2026 Today’s College Basketball Picks

The Appalachian State Mountaineers and the Texas State Bobcats will meet on Friday night in a Sun Belt Conference matchup at Strahan Arena in San Marcos, Texas.

Texas State Bobcats Betting Preview

The Texas State Bobcats enter Friday evening’s contest with a 18–12 win‑loss record, including a 10–7 mark in conference play and a rather impressive 15-1 record at home. The Bobcats have compiled wins over UTSA, Texas Southern, Abilene Christian, Little Rock and Texas Lutheran, while losing games to Bowling Green, Tulane, Rice and Seattle.

In the Texas State Bobcats 65–56 victory over the Little Rock Trojans earlier this season, Texas State forward DJ Hall amassed 12 points, 5 rebounds and 2 assists illustrating his ability to lead the Bobcats frontcourt.

The Texas State Bobcats average 72.2 points on 45.9 percent shooting from the field and 32.2 percent shooting from three‑point range per game. Shifting our attention to the defensive side of the basketball, the Bobcats are allowing opponents 72.8 points per game.

Freshman forward DJ Hall leads the Texas State Bobcats averaging 15.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.4 steals per game. Senior guard Mark Drone adds 13.9 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game, while junior guard Dimp Pernell contributes 8.8 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.9 assists per contest.

Appalachian State Mountaineers Betting Preview

The Appalachian State Mountaineers enter Friday’s game with a 19–11 overall record, including a 11–6 mark in conference play and a 7–6 record on the road, making Boone one of the toughest environments in the conference. The Mountaineers have earned wins over Georgia Southern, Eastern Michigan, South Alabama and Troy, while dropping a recent game to James Madison.

The Appalachian State Mountaineers are averaging 69.6 points on 43.3 percent shooting from the field and 31.1 percent shooting from beyond the arc per contest. Defensively, the Mountaineers are allowing opponents just 67 points per contest which ranks 21st in the country.

Guard Kasen Jennings leads the Appalachian State Mountaineers averaging 15.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game, while center Luke Wilson averages 10.7 points and 7.9 rebounds per contest anchoring the Mountaineers frontcourt. Guard Alonzo Dodd adds 13.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game providing further backcourt stability.

Why the Texas State Bobcats Will Win

• Frontcourt play. Freshman forward DJ Hall leads the Texas State Bobcats averaging 15.4 points, 7.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.4 steals per game.

• Home court edge. The Texas State Bobcats have amassed a robust 15-1 record at home this season.

• Recent momentum. The Texas State Bobcats have won seven of the team’s last eight games played this season, including a 90-82 overtime victory over South Alabama Jaguars ten days ago.

Why the Appalachian State Mountaineers Will Win

• Defensive edge. The Appalachian State Mountaineers are allowing opponents just 67 points per game which ranks 21st in the nation.

• Backcourt play. Guard Kasen Jennings leads the Appalachian State Mountaineers averaging 15.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.1 steals per game,

• Momentum. The Appalachian State Mountaineers have won seven of the team’s last eight games played this season.

Appalachian State Mountaineers vs. Texas State Bobcats Prediction

This matchup features Appalachian State’s elite defense, balanced scoring and strong recent form against a Texas State team that has been nearly unbeatable at home (15-1) this season. Appalachian State’s defense gives them a path to stay competitive, but Texas State’s 15–1 home record, scoring efficiency and interior advantage present a difficult challenge for the Mountaineers. For the reasons just noted, I am backing the Texas State Bobcats plus the 1.5 in this game.

Hans Geevers's Pick: Texas State +1.5