McGowens Ignites Austin Spurs' Stunning Second-Half Comeback

Austin Spurs overcome early deficit to defeat Memphis Hustle in G League matchup

Feb. 23, 2026 at 9:49pm

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The Austin Spurs overcame an early nine-point deficit at halftime to mount a comeback victory over the Memphis Hustle in a G League matchup on Sunday. The turnaround was fueled by a strong second-half performance from reserve guard Trey McGowens, who scored all 15 of his points in the final 24 minutes and provided a defensive spark with three steals and two blocks. Guard Kyle Mangas then hit the game-winning three-pointer in the closing minutes to seal the win for Austin.

Why it matters

The Austin Spurs' comeback victory showcases the team's resilience and ability to overcome adversity, even after a short turnaround from their previous game. McGowens' impact off the bench highlights the importance of role players stepping up, while Mangas' clutch shot demonstrates the team's poise in crunch time situations.

The details

The Spurs found themselves trailing the Hustle by nine points at halftime, as they struggled to find their rhythm early on. However, McGowens ignited the team's second-half surge, scoring all 15 of his points after the break and leading the defensive effort with three steals and two blocks. Coach Jacob Chance credited McGowens' spark for shifting the momentum in Austin's favor. In the closing minutes, Mangas hit the game-winning three-pointer to give the Spurs the narrow victory.

  • The Austin Spurs faced the Memphis Hustle in a 3:00 p.m. game at the H-E-B Center in Cedar Park on Sunday.
  • The Spurs were coming off a trip from San Diego, having just one day of rest before the matchup.

The players

Trey McGowens

A reserve guard for the Austin Spurs who scored all 15 of his points in the second half and provided a defensive spark with three steals and two blocks.

Kyle Mangas

The Austin Spurs guard who hit the game-winning three-pointer in the closing minutes to secure the victory over the Memphis Hustle.

Jacob Chance

The head coach of the Austin Spurs, who attributed the team's turnaround to their defensive intensity and McGowens' impact off the bench.

Harrison Ingram

The Austin Spurs forward who made the pass to Mangas for the game-winning shot.

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What they’re saying

“I was really talking to myself on the sideline, 'stay with it, stay with it,'”

— Trey McGowens

“Talking to myself, so just trying to stay with it. It's a long game.”

— Trey McGowens

“We found a way there in the third just to get a little bit of momentum. And as always with us, it usually comes in (the) defensive end. Trey McGowens set a fuse for us and found some offense on the back of that.”

— Jacob Chance, Head Coach, Austin Spurs

“Sometimes he goes too far, and he puts himself in tricky positions. I'd take those guys every day of the week, that's the guys we want to coach.”

— Jacob Chance, Head Coach, Austin Spurs

“That's a play that we've had up our back pocket for a long time. Credit to (Mangas) and (Ingram), they were able to execute it, and the way Memphis guarded us, they were able to punish them.”

— Jacob Chance, Head Coach, Austin Spurs

What’s next

The victory sets the Austin Spurs up for their upcoming game against the Oklahoma City Blue, the G League affiliate of the Thunder, scheduled for 11 a.m. on Tuesday at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. The Spurs will look to maintain their competitive momentum as they continue their campaign in the NBA G League.

The takeaway

The Austin Spurs' comeback victory showcases the team's resilience and ability to overcome adversity, even after a short turnaround from their previous game. McGowens' impact off the bench and Mangas' clutch shot demonstrate the depth and poise of the Spurs, who will look to build on this momentum as they face the Oklahoma City Blue in their next G League matchup.