Monthly Archives: March 2019

UTSA wins home finale, boosts hopes for C-USA tourney bye

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So many emotions were flowing on Sunday morning within the UTSA Roadrunners basketball program.

It was Senior Day, with veterans Nick Allen and Giovanni De Nicolao both set to play perhaps their last game at home.

On top of all that, the Roadrunners were hosting the dangerous UAB Blazers, with both teams bidding for a top-four finish in the regular season and a first-round bye in the Conference USA Tournament.

Adding even more drama, both Allen and Jhivvan Jackson were less than 100 percent physically. Through it all, the Roadrunners emerged with a 76-70 victory in front of 1,259 fans.

“I thought we fought really, really hard,” UTSA coach Steve Henson said. “Our defense was terrific … In the second half, (the Blazers) did knock down some three pointers. But overall our defense was great, our fight was great.

Steve Henson. Old Dominion beat UTSA 65-64 on Thursday night in a Conference USA game at the UTSA Convocation Center. - photo by Joe Alexander

Coach Steve Henson’s UTSA Roadrunners won their home finale Sunday, improving to 16-13 on the season and 10-6 in Conference USA. – File photo by Joe Alexander

“Nick got hurt in practice yesterday and really couldn’t put his shoe on this morning.

“(He) fought like crazy and made some big plays down the stretch (with) offensive rebounds. (He’s) one of the physically toughest players I’ve ever been around. I’m so proud of him.”

Henson was equally impressed with Jackson, the leading scorer in Conference USA, who couldn’t practice the last few days with a left shoulder that he injured in Thursday night’s loss to Old Dominion.

The loss to ODU left UTSA looking at the possibility of an 0-2 record to open C-USA bonus play in the five-team Group 1, with two games yet to play on the road to complete the regular season.

After the season, Group 1 teams will be seeded into the C-USA postseason tournament, with the top four earning first-round byes. Now, after Jackson scored 27 points and Keaton Wallace added 22, the Roadrunners put themselves in good position to earn a bye.

It’s especially important for UTSA, a team that plays with a seven- or eight-man rotation.

“(A bye) is big for anybody,” Henson said. “You win the tournament and you go to the Big Dance (the NCAA Tournament). It’s a much bigger chore if you have to win four days in a row, rather than three. Any of those top four seeds have a big advantage by not having to play that first day.”

C-USA Standings
Group 1

x-Old Dominion 13-3, 23-6
Western Kentucky 11-6, 18-12
UTSA 10-6, 16-13
Southern Miss 9-7, 17-11
UAB 9-8, 17-13

x-clinched regular-season title and top seed in the tournament

Senior Day

Before the game, UTSA honored seniors Allen and Toby Van Ry. They also honored juniors De Nicolao and Mitar Stanocevic, who are graduating early. De Nicolao said afterward that it likely would be his last regular-season game at home for UTSA. He indicated he likely would play professionally next season in his native Italy. UTSA also celebrated the contributions of student manager Danny Soto.

Individuals

UAB — Lewis Sullivan 18 points and 9 rebounds. Zack Bryant, 15 points and 4 assists. Makhtar Gueye, 11 points and 8 rebounds. Jalen Perry, 11 points off the bench.

UTSA — Jhivvan Jackson, 27 points on 9 of 20 shooting. Also, 7 rebounds. Keaton Wallace 22 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists. Giovanni De Nicolao, 10 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists.

Key stat

The Roadrunners took charge of the game early, holding UAB to 35 percent shooting in the first half. They also cashed in on the other end, hitting 53.6 percent, including 6 of 12 from three.

Coming up

UTSA finishes the regular season with road games Wednesday at Western Kentucky and Saturday at Southern Miss.

Notable

UTSA is shooting for its first NCAA tournament berth since 2011. The only way to get there is to win the C-USA tournament, which is scheduled March 13-16 in Frisco.

If the Roadrunners come up short of the Big Dance, Henson said a possibility exists that they could play in the postseason in one of the other events — the NIT, the CBI or the CIT.

Jackson and Wallace buried three-point baskets in the last minute of the first half as UTSA assumed a 36-26 intermission lead against the UAB Blazers.

At a pivotal moment in the season, the Roadrunners came out with energy and took control of the game almost immediately.

They shot 53.6 percent in the first half, with Jackson and Wallace combining for 23 points.

UTSA’s Allen isn’t fazed by any late season adversity

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Nick Allen (25) was among four players honored in Senior Day ceremonies Sunday

By Jerry Briggs
For The JB Replay

UTSA has lost three in a row at a critical juncture of the season.

The UAB Blazers are in town today looking to put a fourth straight loss on the Roadrunners.

On top of that, Jhivvan Jackson, UTSA’s leading scorer, may be at less than 100 percent.

Less than 45 minutes before tipoff, Jackson, who injured his left shoulder Thursday night against Old Dominion, was not on the floor warming up.

But with about 15 minutes remaining to tipoff, Jackson took the floor and started to shoot.

I haven’t talked about any of this today with UTSA senior Nick Allen, but I can tell you emphatically that he is not fazed at all.

He will play his heart out, no matter what.

How do I know?

Well, for one thing, it could very well be the last time he plays a game at the Convocation Center.

He’s a senior scheduled to graduate in May.

Unless the Roadrunners play a postseason home game, this will be it for Allen.

Maybe more importantly, I know he will play with an edge today because he has seen much greater adversity than this.

Four years ago, in his first year on campus, the 6-foot-7 native of Arizona toiled through a season that ended with a record of 5-27.

It was a humbling experience marked by some ugly losses and long stretches of utter futility.

By February of that year, it became apparent to those close to the program that head coach Brooks Thompson likely would be dismissed.

Sure enough, UTSA fired Thompson after the 2016 Conference USA tournament and struck out on a search for a new leader.

The situation involving the future of the basketball program was unsettling enough for Allen, who would no longer get to play for the coach who recruited him to campus.

But when he found out that Thompson was critically ill, it was a shock.

After Steve Henson and the new staff arrived at UTSA, the emotions for Allen continued to churn.

They crashed down on him completely when Thompson died at age 45.

A week or so later, Allen was among the UTSA players who gathered at a memorial service in the Hill Country to pay respects to a man who had led the Roadrunners for a decade.

Allen acknowledged in an interview Friday that the passing of his former coach was a difficult time in his life.

“Once he did pass, it was the strangest part of my basketball life ever,” Allen said.
“He was a super-duper human being … It was almost like, you lost a big piece of your why. Why you do stuff. Why you do this. Why you do that.”

Allen paused for a moment and continued, with his thoughts drifting off into a decidedly spiritual realm.

“It was just super-duper tough,” Allen said. “But, it is what it is. I thank him. I’m super thankful for him. I know he’s listening in. He knows how I feel about him.”

Allen has been a key element in UTSAs turnaround as a program.

He has played in 126 games and started 96 in his career, ranking fourth in starts and first in games played.

Allen expressed a wide range of emotions in discussing what senior day will mean to him.

“It’s a blessing,” Allen said. “I’m so appreciative of the city of San Antonio, of all the people that supported us.

“So appreciative of the college, of UTSA, and so thankful for the coaches and what they’ve done for me.

“I really can’t express how grateful I am. Honestly, it’s a lot to invest in some kid like me.

“I just owe them everything. This is a huge step in my life, and I’m so thankful everyone who’s been a part of it.”

UTSA’s Jackson works to get healthy for the UAB Blazers

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UTSA guard Jhivvan Jackson spent most of Friday afternoon’s workout either going through skill drills and shooting, or toiling with strengthening exercises to rehabilitate a sore left shoulder.

Jhivvan Jackson. Old Dominion beat UTSA 65-64 on Thursday night in a Conference USA game at the UTSA Convocation Center. - photo by Joe Alexander

Jhivvan Jackson drives to the bucket against Old Dominion. – Photo by Joe Alexander

When the Roadrunners competed in sets involving scrimmaging and contact, Jackson did not participate.

It’s not a particularly good sign for the Roadrunners, who nevertheless are keeping a good thought that the right-handed Jackson can play against the UAB Blazers Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Convocation Center.

Asked about the status of Conference USA’s leading scorer for the UAB game, UTSA coach Steve Henson said he didn’t know for sure.

“You know, when we left last night, we felt pretty good about it. He woke up pretty sore today. Then we were concerned about it. But he did get some good treatment with (trainer) Josh (Modica),” the coach said.

Jackson hurt the shoulder mid-way through the second half of a Thursday night loss to Old Dominion.

After coming out of the game for a few minutes to stretch it out, he re-entered and played most of the last 10 minutes.

On Friday afternoon, Modica worked with Jackson off to the side for much of the 90-minute drill.

“Josh does a terrific job,” Henson said. “Twenty four hours from now, (Jhivvan)’ll feel a lot better and then Sunday at 2, he’ll feel close to normal. I liked the way he walked out of here today, so that was good.”

Forward Nick Allen isn’t worried about the matter.

“He’s good,” Allen said. “He’s just resting up that little shoulder. I think he bumped it or something last nght. He’s good to go. He’s ready. He’s always ready.”

Notable

Because the UAB game is the last one on UTSA’s home schedule this spring, the Roadrunners will honor seniors Allen and Toby Van Ry and both juniors Giovanni De Nicolao and Mitar Stanocevic, who are both graduating.

Even though Old Dominion has clinched the regular-season title, UTSA needs a victory to bolster its chances of gaining a first-round bye in the C-USA tournament.

UAB (17-12, 9-7) defeated UTSA (15-13, 9-6) on Jan. 19 in Birmingham.

The Blazers won by a score of 83-73 with a balanced attack that featured 53 percent shooting from the field and six players in double figures.

After playing the Blazers, the Roadrunners will take on Western Kentucky and Southern Miss on the road to complete the regular season.

C-USA Standings
Group 1

Old Dominion 23-6, 13-3
Western Kentucky 17-12, 10-6
Southern Miss 17-10, 9-6
UTSA 15-13, 9-6
UAB 17-12, 9-7