Dixie State could not overcome a season-high 22 turnovers as the Trailblazers dropped the opening game of the CSUN-hosted Good Sam Empire Classic, benefiting The Wounded Warrior Project and presented by Continental Tire, on Friday afternoon at The Matadome.

The Trailblazers (1-2) were done in by a nine-plus minute stretch through middle part of the first half that saw a 12-8 DSU lead turn into a commanding 29-16 Bobcat (2-2) advantage with 4:34 to play until intermission.

Dixie State committed eight of its 15 first-half turnovers during that stretch and was held to just 2-of-11 shooting, as Texas State went on a 21-4 run to race to the double-digit lead. TSU wound up outscoring the Blazers 37-17 over the final 13-plus minutes of the period to take a 47-29 lead into the locker room.
 
The Bobcats did not see their cushion dip below 15 points in the second half, and would manage to push the lead to as many as 28 points, on their way to the first round victory.

Dixie State's captain duo of Cameron Gooden and Hunter Schofield accounted for 34 of the Blazers' 65 points on the day. Gooden led the way with 18 points on 4-of-7 shooting and 8-of-11 at the foul line, to go with four rebound and four assists. Meanwhile Schofield added 16 points on 7-of-12 from the floor with two rebounds and one blocked shot.
 
Despite the turnover woes, Dixie State shot the ball well as the Blazers connected on 47.6 percent (20-of-42) on their attempts, including a 52.6 percent clip (10-of-19) in the second half. DSU hit on 6-of-15 (.400) from the perimeter and went 19-for-26 (.731) at the foul line.  
 
Caleb Asberry led four Bobcats in double figures with a game-high 24 points. Texas State shot 53.0 percent (35-of-66) from the floor, 45.5 percent from beyond the arc, and outrebounded DSU by a slim 31-27 count.

Dixie State will move on to face the tournament host CSUN in Saturday's tournament third place game at 12 noon (PT). CSUN lost in overtime to Eastern Washington, 67-64 in game two on Friday afternoon.