UTSA forward Jordyn Jenkins is playing at a high level, averaging 23.5 points and 9.5 rebounds through four games. – File photo by Joe Alexander

Update: UTSA redshirt senior Jordyn Jenkins was named Monday as one of five athletes to receive recognition as an Ann Meyers Drysdale National Player of the Week, an award sponsored by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association.

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Jordyn Jenkins enjoyed a strong two-game road trip even by Jordyn Jenkins standards, and as UTSA’s prodigal power forward rolled along last week in victories over the New Mexico State Aggies and the UTEP Miners, the Roadrunners’ offense as a whole kept on humming, as well.

Granted, it’s early, only four games into the regular season. But the fourth edition of Karen Aston’s program looks pretty good right now and might get even better if they can clean up a few problem areas.

As the Roadrunners prepare to host the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders Wednesday night, Jenkins is playing the way she did a few years ago when she was Conference USA Player of the Year.

In fact, the 6-0 forward from Washington might be ascending into a new realm as she’s now tied for 11th in the nation in scoring at 23.5 points per game and also averaging 9.5 rebounds. You want efficiency? Jenkins is shooting 57.4 percent from the field. Consistency? How about three double doubles in four games.

“One of the most impressive things about the way she’s playing right now is her composure,” UTSA coach Karen Aston said. “That’s kind of easier to say than do sometimes when you’re the focal point of someone’s defense and you’re getting a lot of physicality played toward you, sometimes with double teams.

“I think it’s hard to keep your composure sometimes. I think where she’s growing and has grown since she started her career here, is to be able to handle adversity and handle situations where they (try to) — for lack of a better word — maybe get in her head, frustrate her.”

At New Mexico State, Jenkins produced 27 points and 11 rebounds. At UTEP, she took only one shot and scored two points in the first half, and then exploded to finish with 30 points and 12 boards. In the two games combined, she was 19 of 27 from the field and 18 of 20 from the free throw line.

“I thought she kind of took what the game gave her in both of them,” Aston said. “You know, she’s playing at a really high level. As you said, I’ve coached some pretty good ones. But she’s just so efficient with the ball in her hands. I think what’s been better about her is playing out of doubles a little bit better and take some of the physicality and figure out how to embrace it and (let) it make you a better player (rather) than get in your head.

“She’s made significant progress in that area and, yeah, she’s playing at an extremely high level right now.”

So is the UTSA offense as a whole. Last season, for instance, the Roadrunners had a good season and finished 18-15 but sometimes lacked the versatility and finesse on offense that it takes to win close games. UTSA shot 39.7 percent from the field, 29.2 percent from three and 65.2 percent at the free throw line. This year, through a loss at Texas A&M, a home win against UT Rio Grande Valley and two road wins last week, their percentages have soared.

UTSA is hitting 46 percent from the field, 38.1 percent from three and 76.3 percent at the line. As a result, scoring is also up, 64.5 to 69.5 points per game. It seems that just about everyone up and down the roster has shot the ball better. With purpose, and with confidence.

Aston traces some of it to point guard play.

“I think we’ve had a lot of players put in a significant amount of time to get their percentages up and feel more confident shooting the three and shooting in general,” the coach said. “But I also think it’s point guard play. I definitely think you’ve seen an evolution of Sidney (Love). I mean, we’ve all watched it, right in front of us.

“Starting as a freshman, and being a junior right now, and having so much confidence in herself and what her abilities are, but also in the system. I think she understands what we’re looking for and the time and place to do things. That’s a growth step for a young player.”

The coach also pointed to the addition of Nina De Leon Negron as another factor.

“It has given us two really solid choices” at the point, Aston said, “and I think Nina will keep getting better because she’s new to the system. But I think just having leaders at that position and knowing, kind of, timing of when to get the ball and where to (go with) it.

“I still think we’re turning it over too much, and we’ve talked about that. We turn it over a little bit less and our point totals would go up a little bit. But I’m definitely pleased, and I think it’s a reflection of spending time in the gym.”

Coming up

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at UTSA, 6:30 p.m.

Notable

Jenkins is the first UTSA women’s basketball player to be named on one of the weekly Ann Meyers Drysdale lists since the award’s inception in 2009. Other honorees who joined Jenkins this week included Connecticut’s Paige Bueckers, Miami’s Haley Cavinder, Harvard’s Harmoni Turner and Tennessee’s Talaysia Cooper. Jenkins was also named the American Athletic Conference Player of the Week.

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

I tried to have some fun with first-year UTSA basketball coach Austin Claunch this morning. So, I opened my questioning on a zoom call by wishing him a belated happy birthday.

He turned 35 on Sunday. Yes, 35.

UTSA coach Austin Claunch will lead his team into Alabama next week for games against Troy and Merrimack. – File photo by Joe Alexander

“Would have been a little more fun if the ‘Runners had played better Saturday,” Claunch said.

The Roadrunners lost at home to the Little Rock Trojans, 81-64, on Saturday night. More on that later. What about the birthday?

Did he do anything exciting?

Claunch, one of the youngest head coaches in NCAA Division I, indicated that he didn’t do a whole lot and took part of the day just to reflect.

His birthday, he said, “always allows me to have great perspective, about how lucky I am to coach. Every year, it’s my sixth year now as (an NCAA Division I) head coach, and I’m blessed.

“(Yesterday) my fiancee’ was giving me a hard time (saying) ‘It’s like the first time we’ve ever had a free day on your birthday,’ ” the coach said.

Claunch said the two of them didn’t do much except to kick back and try to enjoy it.

“I watched a little football,” he said. “She made lunch and dinner. Got me a nice new watch. We were just relaxing, man.”

For Claunch, the past seven months been hectic, at times frenetic and, yes, sometimes exasperating. Moving from Tuscaloosa, Ala., to San Antonio last spring and then stepping into the whirlwind of a new job was only the start of it.

Moving into the new season has brought additional challenges. Having the day away from the office and the Convocation Center was much needed.

“We’ve been ripping and running since we got to San Antonio,” he said. “Moving. Building a team. Practice, and everything. You know, it was nice to have a day around the house. Ended up doing a little Christmas shopping. It was a great day.”

Claunch said he didn’t even watch game film. At least not during the day.

“I did watch it last night,” he said, “and I’m excited for practice today, to get out there and improve.”

Notable

The Roadrunners (1-2) have dropped two straight since a season-opening 103-77 victory at home over Division III Trinity.

Since then, they went out on the road and lost at Bradley, 85-72, last Tuesday and then returned home to face the Trojans. Playing without two key players, the Roadrunners fell behind by 22 points in the second half before losing by the eventual 17.

Starters Raekwon Horton and Damari Monsanto didn’t play. Claunch hasn’t specified why. All he would say on Monday was that he expected the two to return to practice today. “I would expect them back and obviously move forward (to) help us win games,” he said.

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

After a seven-day layoff, the UTSA Roadrunners will play their second game of the season Tuesday night in Peoria, Ill., against the Bradley Braves, the preseason favorites to win the Missouri Valley Conference.

First-year UTSA coach Austin Claunch hopes to pick up a road victory toight in Peoria, Ill., against the Bradley Braves. – File photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA comes into the contest at 1-0 on the season to face the Braves, who are 1-1.

Bradley coach Brian Wardle’s program has had winning records in seven of its last eight seasons, including five with 20 or more victories.

Last year, the Braves went 23-12, with a 13-7 mark in the MVC. In the postseason, they entered as the No. 3 seed and reached the semifinals of the conference tournament before getting knocked out by the Drake Bulldogs.

Left out of the NCAA tournament, they accepted a bid to the NIT and reached the second round, where their season ended with a loss to Cincinnati. The Braves ended the year at No. 57 in the NCAA’s NET rankings.

“Coach Wardle does a heck of a job,” UTSA coach Austin Claunch said Monday. “They’ve got experience. They’ve got shooting. It’s just going to be a big-time game.”

The Roadrunners are coming off a string of a dozen seasons in which they have had nine losing records. After three straight 20-loss seasons under the previous coaching staff, they brought in Claunch to turn things around.

Claunch and his coaches have been pleased with the progress thus far. In a couple of preseason games, they played well in long stretches against both Southern Cal and McNeese.

On Nov. 4, they opened the season with a 103-77 victory over Division III Trinity but haven’t played since.

A home game scheduled for last Saturday against North Dakota was postponed because of weather- and travel-related delays for the visitors.

Now they’re faced with testing their resolve on the road against a traditionally-good, mid-major program. To win, they’ll need to earn it on the defensive end, an area that Claunch sees as the “bread and butter” of his team eventually.

“I do think that’s going to be part of our bread and butter, making people miss, and trying to force turnovers within that as well, and doing that as best we can without fouling,” Claunch said on his weekly zoom call.

Claunch said fouling will be a byproduct “a little bit when you’re playing hard and flying around,” but he said that is why depth on the roster is emphasized.

“You know, I don’t want our guys thinking about that too much,” he said. “We’ll let guys play with foul trouble at times. I want us thinking about making it not fun to play UTSA. I want it to be physical. I want our guys to blow up actions and kind of make our name on that side of the ball.”

Bradley opened its season with an 88-60 victory over Southeast Missouri and then lost on Saturday night, on the road, to the Washington State Cougars, 91-74. Trailing by three at the half, the Braves were blitzed 46-32 after intermission.

Fouls plagued the Braves with three starters fouling out of the game. Forwards Christian Davis and Darius Hannah each scored 14 points for Bradley, while guard Zek Montgomery scored 13.

Coming up

UTSA at Bradley, Tuesday, 7 p.m.
Little Rock at UTSA, Saturday, 3 p.m.

Guard Sidney Love produced 21 points and 11 assists in 37 minutes. Love had career highs in assists and steals (five). She became the first UTSA player since Monica Gibbs in 2009 to score at least 20 points with double figures in assists. – Photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

After watching the UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros knock down three pointers from just about every spot behind the arc through three quarters, the UTSA women had to face facts. Down by five entering the fourth period, the Roadrunners could either start guarding the shooters, or they could fall to 0-2 on the season.

They took the challenge, hit some threes of their own and emerged with a 74-69 victory at the Convocation Center. As a result, they will take a 1-1 record into next week when they play a couple of road games at New Mexico State and UTEP.

Guard Sidney Love led the way against the Vaqueros, playing one of the best games of her career. The 5-foot-8 junior from Steele produced a double double with 21 points and 11 assists. She also five steals and five rebounds.

Freshman Damara Allen scored nine points and grabbed five rebounds in 27 minutes, in her first collegiate start. – Photo by Joe Alexander

With Nina De Leon Negron injured and not playing, Love logged 37 minutes and hit eight of 13 shots from the field. She had five points, three assists and zero turnovers in the fourth quarter when UTSA made its move to overtake UTRGV, an improved team that beat Houston in its season opener.

“Just playing care free and letting the game come to me,” Love said. “Put in a lot of work, and it’s just fun to be able to play.”

For Love, it was her fifth game as a Roadrunner with 20 or more points. UTSA is 5-0 in those games. Despite her understated brilliance, UTSA very easily could have lost. UTRGV proved to be extremely tough to defend. Seven of their players made three-pointers, and guard/forward Kade Hackerott was nearly impossible to stop.

Hackerott led the Vaqueros with 24 points, knocking down four of her team’s 11 threes. She hit one from the top of the circle at the end of the third quarter, which pushed UTRGV into a 58-53 lead and ignited passion in a group of fans cheering on the visiting team.

“I’m a defense-minded coach,” UTSA coach Karen Aston said. “At some point, you got to step up. We talked about that at the end of the third quarter when Hackerott hit the three.

“One thing I talked about on that possession was, that was about the best we had defended her.

“For a long span in the third quarter, we didn’t do much to make her uncomfortable. I thought that was our best defensive possession against her, and she hits a three at the buzzer.”

Jordyn Jenkins scored eight of her 19 points in the last five minutes of the game, including four of six free throws to seal the win in the final seconds.- Photo by Joe Alexander

In the fourth quarter, the Roadrunners guarded everyone a little better. The Vaqueros were held to three of 10 from the field and one of three from three.

Hackerott finished one for four from the field down the stretch. She hoisted one three and missed it.

“I thought we were a lot better down the stretch and a lot more connected,” Aston said.

UTSA, a team that hit only three of 16 from distance in Thursday’s season-opening loss at Texas A&M, made three of six in the last period against UTRGV.

Love hit one at the outset of the quarter, followed in succession by long balls from freshman Damara Allen and sophomore Emma Lucio. The shots by Allen and Lucio came at critical junctures, with both lifting UTSA out of a deficit and into a lead.

Forward Jordyn Jenkins scored eight of her 19 points in the final five minutes to put the game away.

Third period

The Vaqueros hit 10 of 16 shots and six of eight from three to take a 58-53 lead. Hackerott led the charge with 11 points, including a three at the buzzer, to cap a 10-0 run in the final two minutes.

Halftime

Putting together a run midway through the first quarter and again at the end of the second, the Roadrunners forged a 38-31 lead at halftime.

Jordyn Jenkins pumped in 10 points in the half and Alexis Parker six for UTSA, while Gianna Angiolet scored nine and Kade Hackerott had eight for UTRGV.

During warmups, it became apparent that the Roadrunners would be changing its starting lineup. Nina De Leon Negron, who didn’t play in the fourth quarter at Texas A&M, was on the floor wearing a walking boot.

As a result, Sidney Love moved over to point guard and Allen started at the shooting guard. In another move, Alexis Parker got the start at small forward, with Jenkins playing the power forward and Idara Udo at center.

Records

UTRGV 1-1
UTSA 1-1

Coming up

UTSA at New Mexico State, Thursday, 6 p.m.
UTSA at UTEP, Saturday, Nov. 16, noon

Notable

Before the game, UTSA unveiled a new banner in the Convo to commemorate the Roadrunners’ trip to the WNIT postseason tournament last year. It was UTSA’s first appearance in a national postseason event in 15 years.

The Roadrunners beat Northern Colorado in the WNIT opener and then lost in the second round, falling to Wyoming on the road to finish 18-15.

In a pre-game ceremony, UTSA unveiled a banner commemorating the team’s trip to the WNIT last season. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Damara Allen, a freshman guard from Aurora, Colo., made her first collegiate start a good one with nine points and five rebounds in 11 minutes. Allen also had a blocked shot and a steal. Sophomore Emma Lucio had six points, two rebounds and an assist.

Aston said she isn’t sure whether De Leon Negron, suffering from a heel injury, can play next Thursday at New Mexico State. The transfer from Incarnate Word was in a walking boot on Saturday. She is believed to have suffered the injury in the third quarter at Texas A&M.

UTRGV ran great offense and hit 26 of 52 shots for 50 percent. Kade Hackerott was eight of 15. Gianna Angiolet was four for four. Jayda Holiman, the sister of former UTSA men’s player Adante’ Holiman, hit three of five and scored seven points.

UTSA’s offense was pretty good, too. After shooting only 34 percent at Texas A&M, they hit 51 percent (24 of 57) against UTRGV.

Elyssa Coleman applauds as a banner commemorating last season’s WNIT trip is unfurled. Coleman, the school’s all-time leader in blocked shots, retired after last season in the wake of knee surgery. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Love scored or assisted on 19 of UTSA’s 24 field goals.

The junior from San Antonio-area Steele High School also had officials sorting through the school record books later as she became the first with at least 20 points and double figures in assists since Monica Gibbs in 2009. Gibbs, recently inducted into the school’s athletics Hall of Fame, had 20 points and 10 assists against Lamar on Feb. 28, 2009. In addition, she became the first player with double figures assists since Karrington Donald on Jan. 2, 2021 against Rice.