Category Archives: College basketball

UTSA romps to a 106-51 victory over Texas A&M-San Antonio

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Mia Hammonds. UTSA women's basketball beat A&M-San Antonio 106-51 in an exhibition game on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Mia Hammonds, a sophomore from Steele High School, led UTSA with 24 points. – Photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Sophomore forward Mia Hammonds scored a game-high 24 points Saturday as the new-look UTSA women’s basketball team stormed to a 106-51 exhibition victory over the NAIA Texas A&M-San Antonio Jaguars.

UTSA is opening a new era in women’s basketball, playing without Jordyn Jenkins, a two-time conference player of the year. Jenkins played out her eligibility after last season, when the Roadrunners won a conference title and constructed a 26-5 record.

“Hard to believe it’s already basketball season,” UTSA coach Karen Aston said. “It came pretty fast for us. We were really looking forward to playing in a game today … In my opinion, we’re kind of a blank canvas. I think we’ll kind of make our own path.

“It’ll be different than last year. I’m looking forward to seeing how they grow.”

Third quarter

With the UTSA defense continuing to pressure A&M-San Antonio into mistakes and missed shots, the Roadrunners rolled 25-10 in the quarter behind sophomore center Emilia Dannebauer’s seven points.

UTSA, limiting the visiting team to 25 percent shooting for the game, took an 81-41 lead into the fourth period. It was the game’s largest lead to that point. The Roadrunners were shooting 37.1 percent through three periods.

Halftime

UTSA sophomore wing Mia Hammonds came alive with 12 points in the second quarter as the Roadrunners expanded their lead to as many as 29. They went into the dressing room at intermission leading 56-31.

Jayda Holiman hit a three-pointer off the wing and Idara Udo muscled inside for a layup to cap a decisive 22-2 run late in the quarter.

First quarter

The Jaguars jumped out to a 7-1 lead in the opening two minutes, only to see the Roadrunners retaliate. By the end of the period, the Roadrunners had pushed out in front, 25-18, behind six points each from senior Cheyenne Rowe and freshman Adriana Robles.

The Roadrunners started the game with Ereauna Hardaway at point guard. Damara Allen and Mia Hammonds played on the wings, with Cheyenne Rowe and Idara Udo down low.

Pregame

The UTSA women are on the court, preparing to host the NAIA Texas A&M-San Antonio Jaguars at the Convocation Center. The game is part of the San Antonio Challenge, with the UTSA men set to host Incarnate Word later this afternoon.

Notable

UTSA had nine players dressed and warming up to play in the pre-game, including Emilia Dannebauer, Damara Allen, Mia Hammonds, Sanaa Bean, Jayda Holiman, Adriana Robles, Cheyenne Rowe, Idara Udo and Ereauna Hardaway.

Not dressed were Sema Udo, Siena Guttadauro, Saher Alizada, Nyayongah Gony, Taylor Ross and Maya Linton.

A&M-San Antonio established its athletic program in 2020. The Jaguars played their first season of men’s and women’s basketball last year. A&M-San Antonio women finished 18-12 and 14-10 in the Red River Athletic Conference. The Jags’ coach is Chris Minner.

Face in the crowd

Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox attended the game and sat in one of the courtside seats. He spent most of the intermission taking pictures with fans.

UTSA men try to reverse fortunes by following ‘the code’

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Baboucarr Njie. UTSA basketball Rowdy Jam on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, at the Convocation Center. - photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA sophomore Baboucarr Njie and his older brother, Mo, are two of UTSA’s four players returning from last year. UTSA finished 12-19 in 2024-25, in Austin Claunch’s first season as coach. – File photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Over the past few weeks, members of the UTSA men’s basketball team have talked about what has been described as their three “pillars” philosophy.

“Embrace adversity. (Strive to) be a great teammate,” they say. And, finally, “earn the right to win every day.”

It’s what one player has called “the code” to live by as the Roadrunners try to reverse the fortunes of a program that has suffered through four straight losing seasons.

“At the end of the day, we want to be able to win a championship and make it to March Madness,” UTSA sophomore Baboucarr Njie said at the American Conference tip-off event a few weeks ago. “I feel like living by the code each and every day, we’ll be able to get there.”

Most players this year are new to UTSA.

On the 15-player roster that will be unveiled Saturday afternoon in a home exhibition against the University of the Incarnate Word, 11 have never suited up in a game for the Roadrunners.

Playing the second game of an exhibition doubleheader — the UTSA women will tip off against Texas A&M-San Antonio at 1 p.m., followed by the men against UIW at 3:30 p.m. — the team will take the floor at the Convocation Center.

It’ll be opening day in an effort to convince skeptics in their own fanbase that they can re-write a troubling narrative that has been dogging Roadrunners men’s basketball for more than a dozen years.

Ever since UTSA started football and departed from the Southland Conference, men’s basketball has struggled.

The Roadrunners, starting in 2012-13, have stacked 10 losing seasons out of 13 in leagues ranging from the Western Athletic Conference (for one year), Conference USA (for 10) and the American (for the last two).

Even though most players in coach Austin Claunch’s second year on campus have just arrived on campus, at least one player says that they all know the story.

“Obviously UTSA hasn’t had very great seasons in the past couple of years, and our team knows that,” former San Antonio schoolboy standout Austin Nunez said. “So, we’re trying to (come in) with a different mentality, of just trying to go at whoever is in front of us.”

The game against UIW will not count on UTSA’s record. But it’s a jumping off point to the regular season, which will open Nov. 5 at home against the College of Biblical Studies.

The first game against NCAA Division I competition will come on Nov. 7 against Southern Illinois-Edwardsville. Ever since the release of the American’s preseason poll a few weeks ago, UTSA players have been irritated with being picked 11th.

“My expectations are to win 20 games,” said Nunez, an all-state player at Wagner High School. “And, you know, you win 20 games and you’re in a great spot. That’s definitely the goal.”

The Roadrunners won 12 games last year and only 43 over the past four years, so a 20-win season would be a breakthrough.

“That’s something the school hasn’t done in a long time,” Nunez said. “Getting there is going to put us in the spot that we want to be in. And from there, we got to just take care of the rest.”

Claunch said his players, who have been together practicing since June, are eager to get their season started.

“Guys are just ready to go,” Claunch said. “Guys are ready to play. It’s kind of time of year that you’re in that scrimmage-exhibition kind of mode, and guys are excited to see somebody else (on the court).”

Mo Njie, a 6-foot-11 grad student, returns as one of the leaders of the team.

After going through Claunch’s offseason last summer, Babourcarr Njie’s older brother knows all about the pillars of success and, particularly, about the meaning of embracing of adversity.

He sat out most of last year with a foot injury.

Asked to explain the second pillar, to describe what it means to be a good teammate, center Mo Njie said it mostly boils down to just doing the right things on a day-to-day basis for the benefit of everyone in the locker room.

“Really, it goes on and off the floor,” he said. “Looking out for each other through ups and downs. Somebody dives on the floor, be the first person to sprint over and pick him up. Clapping for them, your know.

“Whether you’re playing or not, having a good mentality. Being positive. Have positive body language. Just being a good person overall. It doesn’t really take much to be a great teammate, but it’s something that is very under mind for a lot of people.”

What about earning the right to win, and doing it on a daily basis?

“You know, winning is not easy,” Mo Njie said. “You got to be able to come in every single day. You got to be disciplined. You got to be consistent and you got to be able to do whatever it takes to win. That means the little things, too.”

The little things?

“Guys got to get into the gym every day and get extra shots,” he said. “Communicate with each other on an elite level in practice. It’s going to mean a lot in the big games.

“Like, we got a lot of big games coming up in Alabama, Colorado and whatnot, so, going into those environments, we’re going to have to do the little things to put us on top in those games.”

Coming up

The San Antonio Challenge will tip off on Saturday at the Convocation Center, with Texas A&M-San Antonio playing the UTSA women at 1 p.m., followed by Incarnate Word against the UTSA men at 3:30 p.m.

Defending champion UTSA women are faced with injury concerns

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The defending conference champion UTSA Roadrunners were happy Tuesday night with the turnout to their annual preseason potluck supper with fans and boosters. In Coach Karen Aston’s first year on campus, she said only about 10 people attended.

Leading into her fifth season, the event has grown, with dozens of people in the stands watching practice and later gathering at tables spread out over one of the side courts at the Convocation Center.

There, they shared laughs, pasta and other assorted home-made dishes.

Clouding an otherwise light mood, a ripple of concern centered on a growing number of injuries leading into Saturday’s home exhibition against Texas A&M-San Antonio, which will be followed by a regular-season opener on Nov. 6 in Lubbock against the Texas Tech Red Raiders.

In an afternoon practice that lasted less than an hour, only eight of 15 players on the roster were active and going through drills on halfcourt offense.

Among those sitting out were young standouts Taylor Ross and Sema Udo, who were both wearing leg braces and walking with the aid of crutches. Another concern is forward Maya Linton, one of the best defensive players in the American.

Aston didn’t want to go into the specifics on the injury situation.

“We’ll make some announcements,” the coach said. “We’ve got some season-ending injuries. So we’ll make probably a collective announcement before our first regular-season game.

“We don’t want to do it right now. We don’t want to disclose the information before we go to Lubbock. But we will do it. We’re not going to try and keep anything from anybody because they’re season ending.”

Junior center Idara Udo was the only starter from last year’s 26-win team to participate in practice on Tuesday.

Others working out were returning players Mia Hammonds, Damara Allen and Emilia Dannebauer, plus transfers Ereauna Hardaway and Jayda Holiman and freshmen Adriana Robles and Sanaa Bean.

Among the other notables sitting out the practice was Cheyenne Rowe, who was wearing a walking boot. Both Rowe and Linton were major contributors on a team that forged a 17-1 record in conference last season.

Starters from last year who have moved on in their careers are Jordyn Jenkins, Nina De Leon Negron and Sidney Love. While both Jenkins and De Leon Negron are pursuing professional careers, Love is now playing for UTSA’s opening-day opponent — Texas Tech.

UTSA men aim for success with a bigger, more physical team

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Daniel Akitoby. UTSA basketball Rowdy Jam on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, at the Convocation Center. - photo by Joe Alexander

Daniel Akitoby, a 6-foot-9, 245-pound forward, comes to UTSA from Morgan State University. – Photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

UTSA coach Austin Claunch is hardly one to dwell on old news, but evidence exists that his first season as head coach of the UTSA Roadrunners wasn’t as disheartening as the record would indicate.

The Roadrunners finished 12-19 overall, and they tied for ninth among 13 teams in the American Conference at 6-12.

But for context, consider that two of his players were lost for the season due to injury and three others left the program prior to the final game for non-injury related reasons.

For most of the last few months, the Roadrunners played with post players that were 6-feet-10 and 6-9.

In the end, they traveled to Frisco for the conference tournament as the 11th seed — with eight on scholarship — and nearly knocked off the sixth-seeded East Carolina Pirates before falling, 70-65.

It was a painful end, though almost fitting, as UTSA was 1-8 in games decided by single digits since the first week of February.

“I think any time you play through the league one time, it’s important,” Claunch said in his office Friday afternoon. “Every league is different. I think this is a physical league. It’s a strong league.

“It’s a relatively athletic league.

“So, with us (recruiting) more size and athleticism (this season), hopefully that can manufacture more wins, by way of getting to the free-throw line more, offensive rebounding better and defensive rebounding better.

“We just need to be a more physical group.”

As anyone who attended the Rowdy Jam event for fans on Thursday night can attest, UTSA is a much bigger team than last year, with taller and longer athletes at every position.

The Roadrunners are set to play their one and only closed scrimmage of the fall on Saturday and then will host Incarnate Word on Oct. 25 in an exhibition.

UTSA’s season opener is Nov. 5 at home against the College of Biblical Studies, a third-year program based in Houston coached by former University of Houston star Michael Young.

Claunch seems pleased with his team’s progress since he welcomed most of the new players to campus in June.

“We’re building our identity on both sides of the ball, what we want to do, how we want to play,” Claunch said. “I think we’re starting to see it a little more. Just getting the shots we want to get offensively, the pace that we want to play, you know, how we want to execute.”

A focus for the Roadrunners during summer workouts centered around defense after last year’s squad finished 12th in the American in points allowed and field goal shooting and 11th in three-point percentage.

“Defensively we’re looking at, obviously, improving from where we were last year, (working on) how we’re going to guard the ball screen,” the coach said. “I just think we got to use our collective length better than we did last year.”

Guard Vasean Allette, a junior transfer from TCU, appears to be the player to watch this season.

“I still really don’t know who’s going to start,” Claunch said. “We’ll look at some different things tomorrow (in the scrimmage). I think we have a really deep team. I think we have to lean into that.

“I think we got to embrace the fact that we’re really deep and understand that that’s going to be a big part of our success.”

UTSA roster

Dorian Hayes 6-5 freshman guard
Kaidon Rayfield 6-8 freshman forward
Austin Nunez 6-2 senior guard
Vasean Allette 6-2 junior point guard
Brent Moss 6-6 junior guard/forward
Pierce Spencer 6-3 graduate guard
Macaleab Rich 6-7 junior guard/forward
Jamir Simpson 6-5 graduate guard
x-LJ Brown 6-2 redshirt senior guard
x-Mo Njie 6-11 graduate center
Daniel Akitoby 6-9 graduate forward
Stanley Borden 7-0 graduate center
Matheo Coffi 6-8 freshman forward
x-Baboucarr Njie 6-6 sophomore forward/guard
x-Jackson Fazande 6-3 redshirt sophomore forward

Dunking and dancing: Roadrunners revel in Rowdy Jam festivities

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Macaleab Rich

UTSA junior Macaleab Rich soars over Coach Austin Claunch in the dunk contest Thursday night at Rowdy Jam. – Photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The night started with the UTSA band rocking the Convocation Center. It continued with introductions of the men’s and women’s basketball teams, a three-point shooting exhibition and a dunk contest.

It ended with a concert by soulful R&B singer Cupid, The Linedance King, who had hundreds of students, athletes and even a few administrators dancing all together on one end of the court.

After it was over, a few of the UTSA athletes applauded the show, which served not only to bring everyone together in a party atmosphere on the floor, but also to break up the routine of preseason practices.

Asked how she thought the fans did in the dance portion of the show, UTSA women’s team center Emilia Dannebauer smiled and said she thought “everyone was amazing.”

Men’s team center Mo Njie said he thinks it was a fun event for everyone, and he hopes the fans continue to come out when the season starts.

Njie has high hopes for the Roadrunners men, especially on the defensive end of the floor.

“We want to be the best defensive team in the nation,” he said.

Adriana Robles. UTSA basketball Rowdy Jam on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, at the Convocation Center. - photo by Joe Alexander

Freshman Adriana Robles, enjoying a moment at Rowdy Jam, is competing for playing time at point guard for the defending American Conference regular-season champion UTSA women. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Matheo Coffi. UTSA basketball Rowdy Jam on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, at the Convocation Center. - photo by Joe Alexander

Freshman Matheo Coffi. from Strasbourg, France, shows off his hops during the dunk show. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Saher Alizada. UTSA basketball Rowdy Jam on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, at the Convocation Center. - photo by Joe Alexander

Saher Alizada is a junior from Montreal, Canada. She’s a transfer from South Plains College. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Mo Njie. UTSA basketball Rowdy Jam on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025, at the Convocation Center. - photo by Joe Alexander

Six-foot-11 center Mo Njie, a grad student, is one of four returning players for the UTSA men.- Photo by Joe Alexander

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UTSA women are picked second in the American

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Idara Udo. Top-seeded UTSA lost to ninth-seeded Rice 62-58 in the quarterfinals of the American Athletic Conference women's basketball tournament at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth on Monday, March 10, 2025. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA junior Idara Udo is projected as a first-team all-conference player this season, according to the coaches. – File photo by Joe Alexander

The South Florida Bulls are picked to win, and the defending champion UTSA Roadrunners have been pegged for a second-place finish in the American women’s basketball race, according to the conference’s preseason coaches’ poll.

Preseason Coaches’ Poll
1. South Florida (11) 143
2. UTSA (1) 119
3. Rice (1) 113
4. Temple 107
5. Tulane 104
6. North Texas 95
7. East Carolina 82
8. Tulsa 72
9. Memphis 52
10. Charlotte 50
11. UAB 38
12. Wichita State 23
13. Florida Atlantic 16

Preseason projections/individuals
Player of the Year – Carla Brito, Sr., F, South Florida

All-Conference First Team – Dominique Ennis, Sr., G, Rice; Carla Brito, Sr., F, South Florida*; L’or Mputu, Gr., F, South Florida; Kaylah Turner, Jr., G, Temple; Idara Udo, Jr., F, UTSA.

All-Conference Second Team – Aniah Alexis, So., G, Rice; Victoria Flores, Jr., G, Rice; Amira Mabry, Sr., F, Tulane; Kendall Sneed, So., G, Tulane.

UTSA men are pegged for an 11th-place finish in the American

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The UTSA Roadrunners will have something to prove this season in the American Conference men’s basketball race. UTSA was picked 11th out of 13 teams in the American preseason coaches’ poll. Roadrunners guard Vasean Allette, a newcomer at UTSA and a transfer from TCU, is a second-team choice in projections for individual honors.

Memphis, South Florida, Tulane and UAB are the favorites, in that order, according to the poll released Thursday morning.

American preseason coaches’ poll

1. Memphis (11) 143
2. South Florida (2) 128
3. Tulane 122
4. UAB 98
5. Wichita State 93
6. Florida Atlantic 80
7. North Texas 77
8. Tulsa 74
9. Temple 65
10. East Carolina 53
11. UTSA 32
12. Rice 27
13. Charlotte 22

Individual honors/projections

Player of the Year – Rowan Brumbaugh, G, Tulane
Freshman of the Year – Josiah Parker, G, Florida Atlantic

First team – Jordan Riley, Sr., G, East Carolina; Aaron Bradshaw, Jr., F, Memphis; Dug McDaniel, Sr., G, Memphis; Rowan Brumbaugh, R-Jr., G, Tulane*; Kenyon Giles, Sr., G, Wichita State.

Second team – Daimion Collins, R-Sr., F, South Florida; Izaiyah Nelson, Sr., F, South Florida; Vasean Allette, Jr., G, UTSA; Asher Woods, Sr., G, Tulane; David Green, Gr., F, Tulsa.

New-look UTSA women reload after a championship season

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UTSA's Ereauna Hardaway is a senior point guard from Jonesboro, Ark., and North Texas. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA newcomer Ereauna Hardaway is a senior point guard from Jonesboro, Ark. She played three seasons at North Texas, averaging 10 points and 3.5 assists last year as a junior. – Photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

With Jordyn Jenkins and Nina De Leon Negron pursuing professional basketball careers, and with Sidney Love now suiting up for the Texas Tech Red Raiders, the UTSA women are forging ahead without the leadership core that led the team to a school-record 26 wins and a regular-season conference championship last season.

Karen Aston. UTSA beat Florida Atlantic 60-52 on Senior Day to clinch the American Athletic Conference regular-season title on Saturday, March 1, 2025, at the Convocation Center.

Fifth-year UTSA coach Karen Aston signed a contract extension through 2030 after leading the Roadrunners to the American Conference regular-season title. – File photo by Joe Alexander

“We’ll be different,” fifth-year UTSA coach Karen Aston said Wednesday. “We have a different team.” But, that’s not to say the Roadrunners won’t be good again. Far from it.

Nine players return, mixing with six newcomers, on the 15-player roster. The Roadrunners will have some experience to lean on with four seniors, four juniors and four sophomores, including promising returning wing players Mia Hammonds and Damara Allen.

They’ll also have athleticism and length, with four players listed at either 6-foot-4 or 6-3.

Returning starters include center Idara Udo and forward Maya Linton. Forwards Cheyenne Rowe and Nyayongah Gony also figure to be in the rotation, though the multi-skilled, 6-4 Gony is working her way back from a knee injury that limited her to 12 games last season.

Newcomers to watch are senior transfer Ereauna Hardaway and freshman Adriana Robles, who split time at Wednesday’s workout running the team at point guard.

Freshman forward Sema Udo, Idara’s younger sister, is also an athlete that appears to have skills and athleticism to make an immediate contribution.

“I love all the newcomers,” Aston said. “But it is really a meshing process. It’s going to take some time.”

The Roadrunners will face a challenging early schedule. They’ll play four power conference programs, including Texas Tech, Houston, Auburn and Baylor. They’ll also play three teams — Grand Canyon, Baylor and Columbia — that reached the NCAA tournament last year.

UTSA finished 26-5 last season, including 17-1 in the American Conference. The Roadrunners registered a 13-0 record at home. Jenkins was the Player of the Year in the American, while De Leon Negron and Love supplied steady leadership as the starting backcourt.

Taking a 26-3 record into the postseason, the Roadrunners lost to Rice in the American tournament opener and then fell on the road at Gonzaga in the first round of the Women’s Basketball Invitation Tournament.

UTSA's Sema Udo is a freshman forward from Plano East High School. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA’s Sema Udo, the younger sister of junior center Idara Udo, is a freshman forward from Plano East High School. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Aston has put her players through three extended practices as they ramp up preparations for the Nov. 6 opener at Texas Tech.

A few injuries and illnesses have held the Roadrunners back recently, the most notable being a lower left leg injury to promising sophomore forward Taylor Ross. Aston said Ross’ availability is expected to be clarified in a few weeks.

Guard Siena Guttadauro is new mother, having given birth to a son, Dante, on July 24. She played in just five games last season before learning that she was pregnant, according to a story by Sean Cartell on the UTSA athletics website.

Aston said it’s good to have the native Californian back on the team but cautioned that “it’ll be awhile” before she is ready to play.

UTSA roster

x-Sema Udo, 6-0 freshman forward
Siena Guttadauro, 5-6 redshirt junior guard
x-Ereauna Hardaway, 5-8 senior point guard
x-Saher Alizada, 5-10 junior point guard
Damara Allen, 5-10 sophomore guard
Mia Hammonds, 6-3 sophomore guard
Nyayongah Gony, 6-4 redshirt senior forward
x-Sanaa Bean, 6-3 freshman forward
x-Jayda Holiman, 5-6 junior point guard
Taylor Ross, 6-1 sophomore forward
x-Adriana Robles, 5-5 freshman point guard
Maya Linton, 5-11 senior guard
Cheyenne Rowe, 6-2 senior forward
Idara Udo, 6-1 junior forward
Emilia Dannebaurer, 6-4 sophomore forward/center

x-newcomers

Notable

The UTSA women will participate in Rowdy Jam on Oct. 16 at the Convocation Center. It’ll be the fans’ first opportunity to see the UTSA women and men on the court.

The event starts at 7 p.m. and is free and open to the public. Cupid, the Linedance King is scheduled to perform.

On Oct. 25, the women will host Texas A&M-San Antonio in an exhibition, followed on the same day by the men against Incarnate Word. The women’s game is set for 1 p.m., followed by the men at 3:30.

The season opener for the women is set for Nov. 6 at Texas Tech. Love, a three-year UTSA starter, transferred to play for the Big 12 Red Raiders last summer.

UTSA had four guards transfer out of the program, including Love, Aysia Proctor (to North Texas), Alexis Parker (to Lamar) and Emma Lucio (Southeastern Louisiana).

UTSA's Adriana Robles is a freshman point guard from Arecibob, Puerto Rico, and Fossil Ridge High School. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Freshman Adriana Robles has played internationally for her native Puerto Rico and emerged as a standout at Fort Worth’s Fossil Ridge High School. – Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA men’s basketball looking forward to a new season

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Baboucarr Njie. UTSA beat Rice 84-56 in American Athletic Conference men's basketball on Sunday, March 2, 2025, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Forward Baboucarr Njie emerged as a pleasant surprise last year for the Roadrunners, playing in 24 games and starting two as a freshman. – File photo by Joe Alexander

With 11 newcomers on the roster, UTSA men’s basketball is working toward a new season under second-year coach Austin Claunch.

The Roadrunners, hoping to bounce back from a 12-19 season a year ago, hosted the media Thursday for an afternoon workout at the Convocation Center.

Coach Austin Claunch at UTSA men's basketball practice at the Convocation Center on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025. - photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA coach Austin Claunch. – photo by Joe Alexander

Among the new faces this season, four played last year for Power Four programs, including guards Vasean Allette from TCU and Austin Nunez from Arizona State, along with guard-forward Macaleab Rich from Kansas State and Stanley Borden from Duke.

Allette averaged 11.4 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.3 steals with the Horned Frogs. Nunez, who played at Wagner High School in San Antonio, has spent time at Arizona State, Ole Miss and Arizona State again in his college career.

Returning players include brothers Mo and Baboucarr Njie. Also returning are LJ Brown and Jackson Fazande.

UTSA will host Rowdy Jam at the Convo on Oct. 16 to introduce both the men’s and women’s teams to the fans.

The event starts at 7 p.m. and is free and open to the public. Cupid, the Linedance King is scheduled to perform.

Moving forward, UTSA women and men’s teams will play exhibitions at the Convo on Oct. 25. The women will take on Texas A&M-San Antonio at 1 p.m., followed by the men against Incarnate Word at 3:30 p.m.

NCAA Division I teams open the regular season on Nov. 3, but the early portion of the UTSA men’s schedule hasn’t been announced.

Claunch’s program has announced road dates against three Power Four conference teams, including games at Alabama on Dec. 7, at Colorado on Dec. 13 and at USC on Dec. 17.

The American Conference opener is set for Dec. 31 at Florida Atlantic, with the trip continuing at Temple on Jan. 3.

UTSA will tip off the conference slate at home on Jan. 7 against Charlotte and on Jan. 10 against Tulane.

The conference tournament will be played in Birmingham, Ala., with games set for March 11-15.

UTSA men’s team roster:

Dorian Hayes 6-5 freshman guard
Kaidon Rayfield 6-8 freshman forward
Austin Nunez 6-2 senior guard
Vasean Allette 6-2 junior point guard
Brent Moss 6-6 junior guard/forward
Pierce Spencer 6-3 graduate guard
Macaleab Rich 6-7 junior guard/forward
Jamir Simpson 6-5 graduate guard
x-LJ Brown 6-2 redshirt senior guard
x-Mo Njie 6-11 graduate center
Daniel Akitoby 6-9 graduate forward
Stanley Borden 7-0 graduate center
Matheo Coffi 6-8 freshman forward
x-Baboucarr Njie 6-6 sophomore forward/guard
x-Jackson Fazande 6-3 redshirt sophomore forward

x-returning players

UTSA’s Aston receives contract extension through 2029-30

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UTSA women’s basketball coach Karen Aston has received a five-year contract extension through the 2029-30 season.

Aston’s extension will start at $375,000 in 2025-26. From there, it will increase to $385,000 in ’26-27 and to $415,000 for the final three seasons through ’29-30. The contract runs through March 31, 2030, according to UTSA.

After starting at UTSA in 2021-22, Aston inherited a team that had won only two games at 2-18. In her tenure, she has improved the program gradually, building to last year’s run to the American Athletic Conference regular-season title.

The Roadrunners, led by forward Jordyn Jenkins, reached the WBIT national postseason tournament and finished 26-5.