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Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma is trying to keep his players grounded

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Heavily favored to win the NCAA women’s basketball tournament, the Connecticut Huskies nevertheless have been getting an earful from coach Geno Auriemma about staying in the moment.

About focusing on the present. About their first-round game, which just so happens to be set for Saturday afternoon on their home court against the upstart UTSA Roadrunners.

The coach of the 12-time NCAA champions met with the media on Friday in Storrs, Conn.

Among the first questions to Auriemma centered on how he keeps the players’ attention grounded in the moment and not on potential challenges in the later rounds.

“We were having the discussion this morning with some people about how much more difficult it is now to harness that concentration, that focus,” he said. “There’s two sides to this. The one side is, (it’s) hard to get them to concentrate on the same thing for 15 minutes, right?

“When you think about it, even me, you, anybody, we’re so — I’m guessing that them thinking about Fort Worth or beyond probably only lasts about 30 seconds, and then they’re on to something different. I’m hoping for that.”

The Huskies (34-0) have won 50 games in a row. If the defending champions and top overall seed in the field can win twice at home this weekend, they’ll move on to the regional semifinals next week in Fort Worth. The Final Four is the following weekend in Phoenix.

“All we can do is just keep reminding them that whatever they think is in the future isn’t going to happen if you don’t take care of the present,” Auriemma said. “That’s all. And you have to hope that the players that have been there already can explain to them, this is how it goes.

“And maybe the more games they watch on TV and see how close some people do get knocked out — I mean, there haven’t been any women’s games except for the first four games — but you saw some of the men’s games last night, and you see what can happen in the NCAA Tournament.”

As for the Roadrunners (18-15), UTSA players said it’s been “cool” to come to Storrs and see Gampel Pavilion for the first time.

“This is a really historical place, a place you dream of coming to play one day when you grow up and get to be in this position,” UTSA forward Idara Udo said. “It’s really exciting seeing all the banners, and it’s really cool to get to be a part of the culture and the history here.”

Asked if the first trip to historic Storrs to play the undefeated No. 1 team in the country was intimidating or exciting, UTSA forward Cheyenne Rowe said it’s a thrill to experience it.

“I would have to say it’s thrilling,” she said. “I wouldn’t say it’s intimidating at all. As a basketball player, playing UConn is just amazing. You know, it’s a chance to show us what we’ve got. Show the world what we’ve got.

“It’s definitely an exciting opportunity, so thrilling I would say is the world instead of intimidating.”

Auriemma holds a record of 1,284-165 for the most wins in NCAA history, and UConn is in the tournament for the 37th consecutive season under his watch.

The Huskies are the No. 1 seed for the 23rd time.

Connecticut has reached an NCAA-record 24 Final Fours and has won a record 12 national championships. They enter the tournament undefeated for the 10th time in program history.

Records

UTSA 18-15
Connecticut 34-0

Coming up

Saturday’s NCAA tournament games at Storrs, Conn. – (16) UTSA at (1) Connecticut, 2 p.m. (ABC); (8) Iowa State at (9) Syracuse, 4:30 p.m. Times are central.

Notable

UTSA is 0-2 all-time in the NCAA Tournament, falling in 2008 to No. 2 Seed Texas A&M, 91-52, in Baton Rouge, La. Again as the No. 15 Seed in 2009, UTSA took No. 2 Baylor to overtime before falling 87-82 at Lubbock.

Editor’s note

The JB Replay did not travel to Connecticut. The San Antonio-based website that has covered all of the UTSA women’s basketball home games on site this season has accessed transcripts of interviews in Storrs as provided by the NCAA.

UTSA women to face their biggest challenge against mighty UConn

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Karen Aston. UTSA women's basketball lost to Tulsa 53-41 in the Roadrunners' final home game of the season on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Karen Aston has become one of 15 coaches to guide three different basketball programs to the NCAA women’s tournament. She’s had one trip at Charlotte, six at Texas and now one at UTSA. – File photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

(Commentary)

The 12-time national champion Connecticut Huskies rate as an almost comical 54.5-point favorite over the UTSA Roadrunners.

Connecticut is 34-0 and UTSA 18-15.

The Huskies have walloped opponents by an average of almost 39 points per game, while the Roadrunners only a few weeks ago had lost six out of nine and languished at 13-15 on the season.

So, why would anyone think the Roadrunners would have a chance in a first-round NCAA tournament women’s basketball game set for Saturday at 2 p.m. in Storrs, Conn.?

Fact is, most people think the Roadrunners have no chance to win, and a lot of folks who like to assess the betting line, if only in a theoretical sense, will go with the Huskies to beat the massive point spread.

Right up front, I have one word of advice. Don’t read any more of this and go out and bet on the game. Please, don’t.

But for the sake of analysis, I wanted to use the line as a data point in detailing some factors to consider if you’re thinking the Huskies will cover it, and a few more if you believe a 54.5-point spread might be bloated.

First, here are a few reasons to believe that Connecticut could win by a massive margin:

* The Huskies play great defense.

They’re big and quick and they hold opponents to 50.4 points on 33.3 percent shooting. They also force 24.5 turnovers. The Roadrunners have had trouble in that area, committing an average of 25 turnovers against four Power 4 opponents.

* UConn is the No. 2 scoring team in the nation, averaging 88 a game. It’s a team also ranked No. 1 in field goal percentage (52.5) and three-point percentage (39.6). UConn has three starters hitting 42.7 percent or better from three. The Huskies’ bench averages 31.1 points.

* Forward Sarah Strong might be the nation’s best player. She’s averaging 18.5 points and 7.6 rebounds. Strong is also shooting .601 from the field, .427 from three and .863 from the free throw line. When UTSA’s Cheyenne Rowe was asked this week if Strong was better shooting from inside or outside, she said, “Whenever she has the ball.”

Next, here are some thoughts on why UTSA could keep it closer than some might think:

* The Roadrunners enter the game at UConn with a certain intangible element as one of the fastest-rising programs in the nation.

In the 2020-21 season, they had plummeted to a 2-18 record. In the past five seasons under Karen Aston, they are 82-77, including 62-35 in the past three years. They’ve won a regular-season conference title in 2025 and now a postseason title in 2026.

* Aston has done perhaps her best work ever this season, in her 18th as a head coach and her fifth at UTSA. The Roadrunners were without five scholarship players this season and still managed to win the tournament.

* The Roadrunners’ top three players have a certain grit and tenacity about them, in that they’ve all overcome significant personal obstacles.

Guard Ereauna Hardaway, notably, suffered a loss of hearing as a grade schooler and battled through it to become a standout athlete at both North Texas and UTSA.

Forward Cheyenne Rowe lacked confidence when she arrived as a James Madison transfer three years ago. Now, she’s the team’s leading scorer. Idara Udo was limited with injuries last summer and sat out eight games at midseason.

All three made the American’s all-tournament team last week.

* Sophomores Mia Hammonds and Damara Allen, two of the best pure athletes on the team, are playing with confidence. Hammonds, at 6-foot-3, is shooting 67 percent from the field in her last three games.

So, there you are.

Now, let’s tip it off and see how the game plays out.

UTSA’s young stars shine at crunch time to spark a late run to the NCAA tournament

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UTSA women's basketball sophomore guard Mia Hammonds at practice on Wednesday at the Convocation Center. UTSA is preparing to play UConn in the NCAA Tournament. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA sophomore guard Mia Hammonds has averaged 9.6 points on 66.7 percent shooting during the team’s last five games, including four at the American Conference tournament. She’s averaging 6.9 points for the season. – Photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Two Saturdays ago in Houston, Mia Hammonds and Damara Allen walked into Tudor Fieldhouse as a couple of sophomore role players on a struggling, middle-of-the pack women’s basketball team in the American Conference.

In the regular-season finale on March 7, Hammonds and Allen reversed the trend by playing well, sparking a 61-52 upset victory for the UTSA Roadrunners over the first-place Rice Owls.

UTSA women's basketball sophomore guard Damara Allen at practice on Wednesday at the Convocation Center. UTSA is preparing to play UConn in the NCAA Tournament. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA sophomore guard Damara Allen is averaging 8.1 rebounds over the last three games and 6.6 over the last five leading into the NCAA Tournament. – Photo by Joe Alexander

It was a win that propelled the Roadrunners on a five-game winning streak and, ultimately, lifted them to an unlikely — but oh, so sweet — conference postseason title.

As a result, UTSA will play in a first-round matchup Saturday afternoon at top-seeded Connecticut in the first round of the NCAA basketball tournament.

When the game is aired nationally on ABC, on Saturday at 2 p.m., the focus for broadcasters will center on undefeated UConn and its cast of stars, namely first-team All Americans Sarah Strong and Azzi Fudd.

Conversely, the narrative on upstart and 16th-seeded UTSA probably will center on Roadrunners veteran stalwarts Cheyenne Rowe, Idara Udo and Ereauna Hardaway.

But make no mistake, the Roadrunners likely would not have won their second consecutive conference crown without Hammonds, Allen and some other young players showing up when their teammates needed them the most.

In the five-game winning streak – at Rice, on March 7, plus four games in four days in Birmingham at the American tournament – the 6-foot-3 Hammonds paced the young players, averaging 9.6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.6 steals.

She also led the team during that stretch by shooting an eye-opening 66.7 percent from the field. Allen, for her part, has played a key role off the bench, with averages of 5.4 points and 6.6 boards during the streak.

In the wake of UTSA’s 3-6 skid through March 4, the ensuing improved play of Hammonds, Allen and others “changed the dynamic of our team,” UTSA coach Karen Aston said.

“The evolution of (Hammonds and Allen) late in the year, particularly in the (regular-season ending) Rice game and then (in the tournament), has dramatically changed our team,” Aston said Wednesday afternoon. “It didn’t just all of a sudden happen. But it sort of did.”

Reinforcing team values

The genesis of that mind-blowing 5-0 week actually evolved in the aftermath of UTSA’s agonizing March 4 home finale against Tulsa.
Against the Golden Hurricane, the Roadrunners lost 53-41 at the Convocation Center.

Riding a modest five-game winning streak, the postseason champions in the American Conference learn Sunday that they are on their way to play the top overall seed in the NCAA tournament. In the foreground, guard Damara Allen hugs one of her teammates with 6-foot-3 Mia Hammonds cheering the moment. – Photo by Joe Alexander

They shot 28.9 percent from the field en route to their fewest points in a conference game all season.

The second quarter was abysmal, with UTSA scoring only one point on a free throw, while committing seven turnovers and shooting zero for 10 from the field.

In the days after the debacle, the Roadrunners soul-searched individually and then met as a team. Players and coaches went so far as to define their values. Taking pride in their play. Experiencing growth. Having mental toughness. Staying competitive.

As a group, the Roadrunners rallied around the core principles, along with a directive from Aston to play more freely.

In other words, she wanted players who had been tentative in shooting the ball to “let it fly,” a message that Hammonds took to heart.

“Honestly, I feel like it helped everybody,” said Hammonds, who played at San Antonio-area Steele High School. “The shots I took were shots I would normally take. But I think I just stopped taking them.”

She said her hesitancy to take shots had stemmed from a fear that it would hurt the team’s chemistry.

“Like, (because) we had Cheyenne, and we had Idara, and we had E (Hardaway), I just wanted to play my role and do the small stuff,” she said. “But I learned I could step up and do a little more, as well.”

After the meeting, Hammonds had one of her best offensive games of the season in the regular-season finale against the Owls. She scored a team-high 14 points on seven of 10 shooting from the field.

Several other underclassmen looked better, as well. Freshman point guard Adriana Robles scored nine. Allen notched eight points, including a pair of three pointers, and five rebounds.

Even freshmen Sanaa Bean and Emilia Dannebauer were effective in limited minutes.

Dannebauer, a starter earlier in the season when Udo sat out with an injury, had three rebounds and two assists in 10 minutes. Bean surprised the Owls in the first five minutes of the game by sinking two straight baskets in the low post.

During a four field-goal scoring binge by Hammonds in the second quarter, UTSA took a 25-point lead.

At the end of the game, the Owls tried to pressure and force turnovers to mount a rally, but they fell short, bringing an end to their 22-game winning streak, while sending UTSA to the American tournament with renewed confidence.

Striking up a friendship

Hammonds and Allen first crossed paths on the AAU basketball trail when both were still in high school. They met for the first time in October of 2023 on a recruiting trip to UTSA.

UTSA coach Karen Aston says that the evolution of Mia Hammonds and Damara Allen as players ‘has dramatically changed our team.’ – File photo by Joe Alexander

Both found some common ground in that they had track and field backgrounds, Hammonds as a high jumper at Steele and Allen as a triple jumper at Cherokee Trail High School in Aurora, Colo.

Also, both were a little shy.

“I knew a little bit about her before,” Allen said, “because I played against her in AAU the summer before that, whenever we played in the national championship. That’s when I knew a little bit about her, but I didn’t really know her.

“So, we were just on the same (recruiting) visit. We just hung out with the team. We were just, like, meeting each other for the first time. And that was cool. I’m a really shy person. Like, I’m not an extrovert.

“So, I was kind of quiet, and I guess she was, too. She knew a little bit more about the coaches than me.”

Both of them, along with forward Taylor Ross, ended up inking a letter of intent a month later in the early signing period. In the following spring and summer, the Roadrunners signed transfers Nina De Leon Negron and Nyayongah Gony and another freshman, Emilia Dannebauer, from Germany.

In essence, it’s a class that has helped boost UTSA to two straight titles. First, De Leon Negron teamed with veteran Jordyn Jenkins to lead the Roadrunners to the 2025 regular-season title in the American.
This season, Hammonds, Allen and Dannebauer have all played a role in this year’s success.

Ross and Gony are on the team’s inactive list.

Told that the recruiting class for the 2024-25 season is still paying dividends, Allen smiled and said, “Sophomores, (we) stick together.”

Winning back to back titles

UTSA first won back-to-back championships in women’s basketball in 2008 and 2009 in the Southland Conference. Both years, the Roadrunners claimed postseason titles and automatic bids into the NCAA tournament.

The team has done it again now, in 2025 and 2026, with a twist.

Last season, the Roadrunners went 26-5 and set a program record for victories. In conference, they won a regular-season title at 17-1 but lost in the quarterfinals of the American tournament.

Subsequently, they did not reach the NCAA, opting to play in the Women’s Basketball Invitational Tournament (WBIT).

This year, the Roadrunners struggled early but turned it on late.

Taking a 13-15 record into the regular-season finale, they beat Owls in Houston on Senior Day, and then swept through Birmingham, claiming victories over Temple, South Florida, East Carolina and Rice again for the postseason crown and the NCAA automatic bid.

They’ll take a modest 18-15 record into Gampel Pavilion on Saturday against the 34-0 Huskies.

Hammonds and Allen are two-for-two in their careers. Two seasons on campus. Two conference titles.

“Obviously it feels good to come back out here and win an even bigger championship (this year) than last year,” Hammonds said. “Last year was like a growing year (for me). It was my first year and I just got to watch a very experienced team.

“We won 17 games and lost one in conference, and I just got to watch, basically, what I needed to come and do for the next year,” she said. “I just think I worked hard, and I’m so glad we achieved our goals.”

Last season, while Hammonds and Dannebauer played sparingly, Allen had a fast start to her career and played in 30 games.

This year, Hammonds is averaging 6.9 points and 5.0 rebounds in 33 games, including 20 starts. Allen also has played in all 33 games while starting 26. She’s averaging 8.2 points and 4.8 boards.

“In my two years here, I feel like I’ve learned a lot,” Allen said. “Playing with everyone who has been here, playing with top players like Maya and Nina and Jordy, I learned a lot from them, and it helped me grow my game in the transition … to this year.

“We went through some hardships, but I feel like I’ve matured and (grown) a lot.

“Coach Aston, she was hard on me. But I learned and grew from playing a lot. I played a lot more this year than I did last year, so definitely being in the game and getting the experience in the games … definitely has helped me.”

Listening and learning

Aston likes to tell a story about former University of Texas great Tai Dillard, a former San Antonio prep star.

It’s a story about how Dillard transformed herself from a confused freshman, into a Final Four contributor and, later, to a player who cashed paychecks in the Women’s National Basketball Association.

Prairie View A&M head coach Tai Dillard (left) visits with UTSA assistant Amber Gregg at the Convocation Center last December. Dillard worked on the coaching staff and Gregg played for UTSA teams that reached the NCAA tournament in 2008 and 2009. As a teenager, Dillard came out of San Antonio’s Sam Houston High School to play for Jody Conradt and assistant Karen Aston at Texas. – Photo by Jerry Briggs

“I’ll never forget that when I was at Texas, as an assistant, Tai was a freshman on our team,” Aston said. “You know, just couldn’t figure anything out. At all. Just constantly, all you heard was, Tai getting hollered at.

“Then we were going into the conference tournament and the light just came on for her, and she took off in the conference tournament. You know, she was an eventual pro and played here for the (San Antonio) Silver Stars, and (at Texas) was on (a) Final Four team.”

Today, Dillard is the head women’s basketball coach at Prairie View A&M. The point being, Aston believes that the light will come on for young players when, well, when it’s time.

“They’re not here on your time,” Aston said. “You (as a coach) wish they were. But, I’ll say that about young people, and I’ll say that about recruiting. I tell our coaches, a recruit’s going to decide on their time. They’re not on mine.

“And the evolution of young players, (it’s) the same thing. Like, it doesn’t happen on your watch. Sometimes, it just happens.”

UTSA women will play top-seeded Connecticut in the NCAA tournament

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The UTSA Roadrunners shout out their approval after learning they will play the 12-time national champion Connecticut Huskies Saturday in Storrs, Conn. – Photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The UTSA women’s basketball team will play the top-overall seeded Connecticut Huskies on Saturday in Storrs, Conn., in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

Coach Karen Aston captures the moment with a selfie after UTSA learns it has been matched in the NCAA first round with 34-0 Connecticut. – Photo by Joe Alexander

A crowd of supporters watching the televised bracket reveal Sunday night at UTSA Park West Fieldhouse erupted in cheers as the Roadrunners and the defending national champions came up as the first game announced on ESPN.

Connecticut enters the tournament at 34-0 and as the top seed in Regional 1 – Fort Worth, while UTSA will take an 18-15 record and a No. 16 seeding into one of the legendary venues in college basketball.

“This will be a fantastic experience for our players,” UTSA coach Karen Aston said. “When you play at Connecticut, you’re around really educated, fanatic fans, that I think every young person that plays college basketball should experience.”

A check of the records indicates that Harvard in 1998 is the only 16th-seeded team in NCAA women’s tournament history to beat a top seed. The Crimson did it in 1998 against Stanford.

Despite the long odds, UTSA standout Cheyenne Rowe said the Roadrunners just plan to have some fun with it.

“We’ll put everything out on the floor,” said Rowe, the most outstanding player at the American Conference tournament. “One team has to lose, so we’re just going to play as hard as we can.”

The Huskies are led by Coach Geno Auriemma on the bench and, on the floor, by all-Big East standouts Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong. Strong is the Big East Player of the Year.

Riding a modest five-game winning streak, the postseason champions in the American Conference learn they are on their way to play the top overall seed in the NCAA tournament. – Photo by Joe Alexander

“We all know how good they are,” Aston said. “They’re the best team in the country, probably. For us, it’s, ‘How can we keep growing? What can we get out of this experience?

“How competitive can we be? How do we measure ourselves against the best?”

UTSA won four games in four days at the American Conference tournament in Birmingham, Ala., to clinch a spot in the 68-team field.

The Roadrunners, seeded sixth in the American, beat the conference’s regular-season champion and top-seeded Rice Owls on Saturday night to claim an NCAA automatic bid.

UTSA has won a five games in a row overall, starting the streak on March 7 on the last day of the regular season at Rice.

Even though the streak is modest compared to some others in the national tournament, it’s been a meteoric and somewhat shocking rise into the NCAA bracket for those who follow UTSA.

This was a team that on March 4 scored only one point in the second quarter at home against Tulsa.

After that game, a dispiriting 53-41 loss in the team’s home finale, UTSA had lost six of their last nine. The Roadrunners sank to two games below .500 on the season.

In the wake of that moment, the Roadrunners held a meeting to reinforce some team values.

The UTSA Roadrunners are on their way to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 17 years. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Coming out of the meeting, UTSA traveled to Rice, defeated the Owls on the last day of the regular season, and then journeyed to Alabama, where the team ripped off victories over Temple, South Florida, East Carolina and Rice again.

Asked what comes to mind first when she reflects on the winning streak, Aston said, succinctly, ownership.

“I think that (players) just made a decision that they wanted this season to end differently than what it looked like against Tulsa,” the coach said. “There were some things that they had to do different. A mindset had to change.

“Sometimes a coach can talk and talk and talk, but until they’re ready to change their own mindset and collectively as a group, there’s not a lot we can do about it. I don’t think we coached any different.”

Aston acknowledged that she did talk to the group after Tulsa about “playing a little more free.”

“Just kind of, let it go, let it fly,” she said. “We’ll deal with the shots that don’t go in.

“I think that was important for me to get across to them, because when we played Tulsa, it looked like we were afraid to shoot the ball. Afraid to make mistakes.”

Aston said that she in effect allowed players to take ownership of the situation, and that they took over from there.

As a result, they’re on the road to Connecticut this weekend to play in their first NCAA tournament game in 17 years. It will be carried live on ABC on Saturday at 2 p.m.

With the America Conference postseason championship trophy front and center, the UTSA Roadrunners gathered Sunday at Park West Fieldhouse for the NCAA bracket reveal. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Time to start an NCAA dance party as the UTSA women win the American postseason title

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The UTSA women celebrate Saturday night after claiming the American Conference postseason championship. – Photo courtesy of UTSA Athletics

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The UTSA women’s basketball team will play in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 17 years.

Sixth-seeded UTSA played suffocating defense and routed the No. 1 Rice Owls 54-40 Saturday night in Birmingham, Ala., to claim the American Conference postseason title.

With the championship came an automatic bid into the NCAA field of 68.

Riding a five-game winning streak, including four in four days in Alabama, UTSA (18-15) will find out its destination and opponent Sunday night.

In the wake of the loss, Rice (28-5) has been left in limbo, wondering if its full body of work this season will be good enough for an NCAA at-large bid.

UTSA guard Ereauna Hardaway delivered in the championship game with 13 points, five rebounds and four assists. In 30 minutes of playing time, she had zero turnovers. – Photo courtesy of UTSA athletics

Led by Cheyenne Rowe, Idara Udo and unflappable senior guard Ereauna Hardaway, the Roadrunners opened a seven-point lead after a grind-it-out first half, fended off a brief flurry from the Owls in the third period and then dominated the rest of the way.

“I’ve always thought this team could be a championship contender,” said Rowe, who was named most outstanding player in the tournament. “Never a doubt in my mind. But, to me, this moment is surreal. I never thought I specifically would be here.

“But my teammates always believed in me. My coaches believed in me. The athletic trainers, the academic advisors. Everyone believed in me. Without them, I don’t know if I would be where I am now.”

The Roadrunners’ performance in the American tournament is unmatched in the program’s 45 years.

In both 2008 and 2009, led by Coach Rae Rippetoe-Blair and star guard Monica Gibbs, they won Southland postseason titles and advanced to play in the NCAA tournament both seasons.

Each time, the Roadrunners won three games in the SLC’s postseason event in Katy to hoist the trophy. This time, for the first time in program history, UTSA won a conference tournament by winning four games in four days.

In addition, it is also the second-straight season that the Roadrunners have claimed a championship in the American.

Last year, with Player of the Year Jordyn Jenkins setting the pace, the Roadrunners rolled to a 26-5 record and won the American’s regular season at 17-1.

But as last year’s squad entered the postseason as the No. 1 seed, it stumbled in its first game in the quarterfinals at Frisco and lost to the Owls.

This season, they entered the tournament under the radar, but not lacking in confidence.

Cheyenne Rowe. UTSA women's basketball lost to Tulsa 53-41 in the Roadrunners' final home game of the season on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA forward Cheyenne Rowe produced 13 points, eight rebounds and two blocks. She was named most outstanding player in the tournament. – File photo by Joe Alexander

Buoyed by a 61-52 win over Rice in the regular-season finale at Houston, UTSA traveled to Birmingham with renewed confidence, which led to consecutive victories over Temple, third-seeded South Florida and No. 2 East Carolina.

Finally, UTSA capped the run with its second emphatic victory over Rice in seven days. This one, for all the marbles, so to speak.

“Obviously, I couldn’t be any happier for our school, to have the opportunity to go play in the NCAA tournament,” UTSA coach Karen Aston said.

“And, most importantly,” the coach continued, “our players, our staff, you know, I told them before the game that, I just appreciated how they’ve approached this tournament.

“Really, just how they’ve stayed in the trenches no matter what’s happened all year long. They’ve been resilient, staff included.

“Like everybody, really stayed on one page, and that’s difficult when you have a group of 25 or 30 people to keep ’em all headed in the right direction.

“This group has done that, and I think they deserved what they got today. I think that they played with purpose all week long, and, in particular today, I thought we played fantastic.

“Kudos to Rice for the run to the tournament,” Aston continued. “Terrific team. But I did think that our team played really, really well today, and I’m super proud of ’em.”

One year after claiming the conference’s regular-season title, Aston’s legend continues to grow.

In her 18 seasons as a head coach, she has now led three programs to a combined eight NCAA tournaments.

The first one came in 2009 at Charlotte, followed by six more at the University of Texas in consecutive years from 2014 to 2019, and now one in her fifth season at UTSA.

This one might have been her best work in the whole bunch, everything considered.

Idara Udo. East Carolina beat UTSA 65-58 in American Conference women's basketball on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA forward Idara Udo notched 11 points, six rebounds and two blocked shots against the Owls. Udo and Ereauna Hardaway were named to the all tournament team. – File photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA had five scholarship players sit out the entire season with injuries.

Included in the group that did not play was Maya Linton, one of the best on-the-ball defenders in the conference last season, plus promising sophomore Taylor Ross and freshman Sema Udo.

Sema Udo is Idara Udo’s younger sister.

To make matters worse for UTSA, Idara Udo sat out eight games, including one at Columbia on Dec. 20 and the next seven to start play in the American’s schedule.

Through it all, Aston never lost faith in the group even during a 2-5 slump from Jan. 31 to Feb. 24.

Not even after it fell behind by 38 points on Feb. 24 at North Texas before losing by 24.

Aston was visibly shaken on March 4 when UTSA lost 53-41 to Tulsa at home, a game in which UTSA scored only one point in the second quarter.

But after a team meeting, the Roadrunners started to click. They journeyed on to the road and beat the Owls on March 7 in Houston to close the regular season.

Flanked in a postgame press conference Saturday by Rowe, Udo and Hardaway, the coach said it started with those players.

“They’re strong leaders,” she said. “They’re very, very competitive.

“They play with purpose. They practice with purpose … I think a piece of it was Idara getting healthy, healthy enough to help us down the stretch.

“It took time, because of the injuries and because of Ereauna getting to know our team and our system. Sometime, when you have system in place that people do believe in, then you can turn the tide at any point.”

She said the turning point came over the last week when young players such as Hammonds and Damara Allen started to “grow up a little bit” and make major contributions.

Karen Aston. UTSA women's basketball lost to Tulsa 53-41 in the Roadrunners' final home game of the season on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Karen Aston has now guided three different college basketball programs to eight NCAA tournaments in her 18 years as a head coach — including one at Charlotte, six at Texas and now one at UTSA. – File photo by Joe Alexander

“I thought that was the biggest difference for us,” she said.

Against Rice, Rowe had 13 points and eight rebounds. Hardaway, a standout Friday night against East Carolina, also scored 13, to go along with four assists and five rebounds.

Idara Udo, whose defense in the paint led a group that held the Owls to their lowest point total of the season, also produced on offense with 11 points. She had six rebounds, two blocks and two steals.

On the defensive end, the Roadrunners were superb. They locked down the Owls to a season-low in points on only 27.1 percent shooting from the field.

Victoria Flores, the player of the year in the American, and fellow first-team all-conference selection Dominique Ennis were held to a combined 14 points on five of 19 shooting.

Another perimeter threat, Aniah Alexis, scored two points on one of 11 shooting.

Inside scoring threat Shelby Hayes, thwarted by Udo, Rowe and others, was held to five points.

San Antonio’s Hailey Adams, a Rice redshirt junior from Clark High School, led the Owls in scoring with 12 points on six of 11 shooting. The rest of the team shot 10 for 48.

Notable

Rice coach Lindsay Edmonds said she thinks her team deserves an at-large NCAA tournament bid.

“I do believe we’re a team that deserves to be in the NCAA,” she said. “I hope the committee will look at that, and we’ll be a two-bid league this year.”

Both Edmonds and Aston are in their fifth seasons at their respective schools. The Rice job is Edmonds’ first as a head coach. She is 101-59 with a trip to the WNIT in 2023 and to the NCAA in 2024.

Rice coach Lindsay Edmonds. UTSA women's basketball beat Rice 67-58 in American Athletic Conference action at the Convocation Center on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Rice coach Lindsay Edmonds said she thinks her team, at 28-5, deserves a bid to the NCAA tournament. – File photo by Joe Alexander

In five years at UTSA, Aston took over a program that had won two games the previous season and has compiled a record of 82-77, with trips to the WNIT in 2023-24, the WBIT in 2025 and now the NCAA this season.

Last season, Aston’s Roadrunners entered the American tournament as the No 1 seed and were beaten in the quarterfinals by Edmonds’ Owls. This season, Rice beat UTSA 65-55 in San Antonio on Jan. 31. UTSA returned the favor, winning 61-52 in Houston, on March 7.

Aston’s Roadrunners are now 7-4 against Edmonds’ Owls over the past five seasons.

First half

UTSA entered the finals of the tournament coming off three wins in three days.

Rice, with a triple bye into the semifinals, knocked off No. 5 North Texas to earn its third straight trip to the American finals.

From the outset, however, it was UTSA that seemed to have all the energy.

The Roadrunners played stifling defense and did just enough on offense to take a 20-13 lead.

Trailing by two going into the second quarter, UTSA started to move the ball around, getting multiple players involved.

Adriana Robles, Damara Allen and Mia Hammonds all hit field goals midway through the period for UTSA.

Robles drove to her right and flipped the ball high off the glass for a layup. Allen spun and tossed in a 10 footer with her left hand.

Hammonds used her quickness and length to drive right and sink a six-foot runner.

Rowe, who led the Roadrunners with eight points at the half, sank the last bucket on a fancy dribble move in the paint, followed by a left-handed finish from 10 feet.

Rice, meanwhile, went scoreless in the last 4:43 of the half.

For the half, the Owls hit only five of 31 from the field for 16.1 percent. Rice stars Victoria Flores and Dominique Ennis were held largely in check.

Mia Hammonds. East Carolina beat UTSA 65-58 in American Conference women's basketball on Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Sophomore forward Mia Hammonds had nine points, six rebounds and a steal against the Owls. During the team’s five-game winning streak, she has scored 48 points on 22 of 35 shooting from the field. – File photo by Joe Alexander

Flores had three points at the half, while Ennis was scoreless. Combined, the two first-team, all-conference performers were one for 12 from the floor.

Records

UTSA 18-15
Rice 28-5

Coming up

UTSA will learn on Sunday night its destination and opponent in the NCAA Tournament.

The tournament opens with NCAA First Four games on Wednesday and Thursday, with the Round of 64 openers set for Friday and Saturday.

American Conference
Women’s basketball tournament
At Birmingham, Ala.

Tuesday

Game 1 — (9) FAU defeats (8) Charlotte, 74-70, overtime
Game 2 — (7) Temple defeats (10) Tulane, 86-77, overtime

Wednesday

Game 3 — (5) North Texas defeats (9) FAU, 80-57
Game 4 — (6) UTSA defeats (7) Temple, 59-51

Thursday

Game 5 — (5) North Texas defeats (4) Tulsa, 76-73
Game 6 — (6) UTSA defeats (3) South Florida, 62-51

Friday

Game 7 — (1) Rice defeats (5) North Texas 71-67
Game 8 — (6) UTSA defeats (2) East Carolina, 54-44

Saturday

Game 9 (championship) — (6) UTSA defeats (1) Rice, 54-40.

Records

y-(1) Rice 28-5, 17-1
y-(2) East Carolina 22-10, 14-4
y-(3) South Florida 20-12, 13-5
y-(4) Tulsa 19-12, 11-7
y-(5) North Texas 19-14, 11-7
x-(6) UTSA 18-15, 9-9
y-(7) Temple 15-17, 8-10
y-(8) Charlotte 14-18, 8-10
y-(9) FAU 14-18, 7-11
y-(10) Tulane 11-20, 6-12

x-tournament champion
y-eliminated

UTSA women to close out regular season at Rice today

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

After losing four of their last five games, the UTSA women face an American Conference juggernaut today in Houston as a tune-up for postseason play next week.

The Roadrunners will play the conference’s regular-season champion Rice Owls at 2 p.m. at Tudor Fieldhouse. Rice has won 22 games in a row in a 27-3 season.

They have swept to victories in all 17 of their games in conference leading into the second match of the season against the Roadrunners, last year’s champs in the American.

The Roadrunners won the conference’s regular-season title last year at 17-1, but they have struggled lately just to maintain a level of consistency over four quarters.

On Wednesday night, UTSA barely broke the 40-point level, losing its home finale 53-41 to the Tulsa Golden Hurricane.

As a result, the Roadrunners will travel into Houston at 13-15 overall and 8-9 in the American.

The bracket for next week’s conference tournament in Birmingham is expected to be announced tonight. The American’s postseason showcase opens next Tuesday and runs through next Saturday.

From all indications, UTSA is locked into a No. 6 seed and thus will get a first-round bye, which means the Roadrunners are expected to open tournament play on Wednesday.

The Roadrunners will draw the winner of a first-round game between the seventh and tenth seeds. If they win, they’d play on Thursday against the No. 3 seed.

Records

UTSA 13-15, 8-9
Rice 27-3, 17-0

Coming up

UTSA at Rice, today, 2 p.m.

Notable

The Roadrunners and the Owls played on Jan. 31 in San Antonio. In that meeting, Rice led by three at halftime and then broke the game open in the third period on the way to a 65-55 victory.

Rice guard Victoria Flores scored 33 points on eight of 10 shooting from the field. Flores knocked down four of six from three and 13 of 14 from the free-throw line.

On the defensive end, the Owls held the Roadrunners to 29.7 percent shooting from the field. UTSA could hit only seven of 36 shots in the second half.

Rice was the more opportunistic team in the first meeting. For the game, the Owls scored 21 points off 15 Roadrunners turnovers. The Roadrunners scored 13 points off 20 turnovers for the Owls.

Kelley throws six scoreless as UTSA beats New Mexico State, 10-2, improving to 12-1

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Connor Kelley pitched six scoreless innings, and freshman Nathan Johnson hit the first home run of his college career Friday night as the 25th-ranked UTSA Roadrunners rolled past the New Mexico State Aggies, 10-2.

UTSA pitching had a shutout working in the bottom of the ninth inning when the stadium lights at New Mexico State went out.

After a delay, the Aggies scored their only two runs before UTSA reliever Christian Okerholm put a stop to the rally and secured the team’s fifth straight victory.

In his best outing of the season, Kelley allowed only two hits and walked three while striking out six in the first of a three-game series at Las Cruces, N.M.

After issuing a leadoff walk in the third, the 6-foot-5 righthander retired the last 12 hitters he faced. Kelley was on his game after a shaky start, throwing 88 pitches, including 49 for strikes.

Johnson hammered a solo home run to lead off the fourth inning and added a sacrifice fly in a two-run seventh for the 25th-ranked Roadrunners, who improved to 12-1 on the season.

Another UTSA freshman, Aidan Eshelman, made his mark with two hits and two RBI.

The Roadrunners will play the Aggies again Saturday and Sunday in Las Cruces before traveling for two more on the road Tuesday and Wednesday in Lubbock at Texas Tech.

UTSA scored first in the second inning, opening the rally with a walk and later delivering a one-out single by Garrett Gruell.

The Roadrunners scored twice on the next play, a ground ball by Blaine Bishop that evolved into a throwing error by New Mexico State shortstop Boston Vest.

In the fourth, UTSA broke away.

Johnson smashed a leadoff homer off New Mexico State starting pitcher Bradyn Barnes to make it 3-0. It was the first homer of the season for Johnson, a freshman from Katy Seven Lakes.

Jake Carvajal entered the game at that point to replace Barnes on the mound. The Roadrunners greeted him with three straight hits, the last one an RBI double by Diego Diaz.

After Eshelman and Drew Detlefsen delivered consecutive RBI sacrifice flies, UTSA had crossed four runs in the inning to build a 6-0 lead.

The Roadrunners added two runs in the seventh, one in the eighth and one more in the ninth for their ninth game with double figures in scoring.

Records

UTSA 12-1
New Mexico State 6-7

Coming up

UTSA at New Mexico State, Saturday, 7 p.m.
UTSA at New Mexico State, Sunday, noon

Notable

Coach Pat Hallmark can get his 200th victory at UTSA on Saturday in Las Cruces. Hallmark is now 199-112 as he begins his seventh season with the Roadrunners.

He is 265-160 in his ninth season as a Division I coach, including two at Incarnate Word.

UTSA women prepare to host the conference-leading Rice Owls

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Idara Udo. UTSA beat North Texas 66-64 in American Conference women's basketball on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA forward Idara Udo came off the bench for eight points and four rebounds Wednesday in a two-point victory over North Texas. Udo had been out since Dec. 15 with a lower-leg injury. – File photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Boosted by the return of forward Idara Udo, the UTSA Roadrunners women will host the Rice Owls on Saturday afternoon, hoping to take down the leaders in the American Conference title race.

On Wednesday, Udo played for the first time since Dec. 15 and provided a steadying influence on the team in holding off the North Texas Mean Green, 66-64.

The 6-foot-1 junior from Plano, who had been sidelined with a lower leg injury, scored eight points and pulled down four rebounds in nine minutes.

“The biggest thing is, she has experience,” UTSA coach Karen Aston said. “Even in those last timeouts, she’s a voice that’s been there and done it before. So I think (it’s) just the confidence that we have in her, because she’s experienced and she understands those moments.”

Another factor is that Udo’s return to active status gives the team 10 scholarship players and the strategic flexibility that another post player provides.

Rice coach Lindsay Edmonds. UTSA women's basketball beat Rice 67-58 in American Athletic Conference action at the Convocation Center on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Rice is 18-3 and 8-0 in conference play under Coach Lindsay Edmonds. – File photo by Joe Alexander

Also, it might take some pressure off Cheyenne Rowe, who has led the team all season in scoring and rebounding but has probably had to play more minutes than coaches would like.

“It’s been a challenge rotationally for us,” Aston said. “Having her back allows everybody to sort of stay in their position. It allows Cheyenne to get some breaths.

“But, I also think that in the midst of that, our two young players (Emilia Dannebauer and Sanaa Bean) have gotten better.

“That’s exciting, because if we can get everybody in a rotation and stay healthy, then we have a chance to have an inside game that can be effective. I mean, (Cheyenne) was huge tonight but we just can’t depend on her every night.”

For the Roadrunners, defeating the Owls won’t be easy, even with Udo back in the lineup. Rice has won 13 games in a row and has forged a 16-1 record in its last 17 games.

But in the UTSA camp, players who have been in the program over the past few seasons may have a little more motivation than usual.

In 2024, the Owls entered the American’s postseason event in Frisco as an underdog. The Roadrunners, with forward Jordyn Jenkins returning from injury, were hopeful of winning it after beating the Owls in San Antonio on the last day of the regular season.

As it turned out, fourth-seeded UTSA was ousted in the semifinals by East Carolina, while 10th-seeded Rice was on its way to four straight wins, the conference postseason title and a berth in the NCAA tournament.

Last season, UTSA swept Rice in two games in the regular season en route to a 17-1 record and the American’s regular season championship.

In the tournament, however, the ninth-seeded Owls ended the No. 1 Roadrunners’ NCAA dreams with a 62-58 victory in the quarterfinals.

Even though Rice reached the finals and lost to the South Florida Bulls, the team’s re-formation over the spring and summer proved to be successful.

Rice brought back veterans Dominique Ennis, San Antonio’s Hailey Adams, Aniah Alexis, Victoria Flores and Shelby Hayes.

Ennis, Alexis, Flores and Hayes average double figures in scoring. Adams, a junior from Clark, ranks as one of the nation’s best rebounders. She also leads the Owls in assists.

Adams is coming off a 10-point, 15-rebound effort in a 65-56 win over Temple. She averages 8.3 points, 10.9 rebounds and 3.5 assists in 34 minutes.

Records

Rice 18-3, 8-0
UTSA 10-9, 5-3

Coming up

Rice at UTSA, Saturday, 1 p.m.
UTSA at UAB, Tuesday, 6 p.m.

Notable

UTSA had won five straight in the series against its in-state rival before falling to the Owls in last season’s American quarterfinals. In the tournament game at Frisco, Alexis had 15 points and nine rebounds, and Ennis had 13 points and six boards. Flores hit two 3-pointers in the fourth quarter to help Rice hold on to win. The all-time series is tied 16-16.

Track coach James Blackwood produced two All-Americans in nine years at UTSA

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Former UTSA track and field coach James Blackwood passed away Thursday at the age of 84, according to a news story on the athletic department website.

Blackwood was a member of the UTSA track and field coaching staff for nine seasons from 1999-2000 to 2007-08. He spent the last seven seasons as head coach of the women’s program.

With the Roadrunners, he coached a pair of All-Americans in East Central High School graduate Ryanne Dupree — a four-time honoree and the 2006 Southland Conference Athlete of the Year — and Rhonda Ray.

He also had more than 60 all-conference performers and more than 25 conference champions.

A long-time former high school coach in the state, Blackwood worked for 12 years in the 1970s and ’80s as an assistant track coach at the University of Texas.

He was married to Susan Blackwood, a former executive director at San Antonio Sports, a key figure who helped the city host amateur sports competitions.

UTSA women win another close one, 69-63, over the Charlotte 49ers

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Ereauna Hardaway. UTSA beat Charlotte 69-63 in American Conference women's basketball on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA guard Ereauna Hardaway produced a season-high 19 points for her seventh straight game in double figures Saturday against Charlotte. – Photo by Joe Alexander


By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Senior guard Ereauna Hardaway scored five of her season-high 19 points and forced two turnovers in the final 1:25 of the game Saturday as the UTSA women stayed undefeated in the American Conference with a 69-63 victory over the Charlotte 49ers.

With the win, the Roadrunners (8-6, 3-0) claimed their third straight conference victory by single digits to open defense of their regular-season title.

Guard Princess Anderson scored 20 points as Charlotte (8-9, 2-2) dropped its second straight on a road trip to Texas.

The fourth quarter was a battle. For the entire 10 minutes, both teams stayed within one or two possessions of one another.

Led by Hardaway, a transfer from North Texas, UTSA pulled it out at the end.

Mia Hammonds. UTSA beat Charlotte 69-63 in American Conference women's basketball on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Mia Hammonds produced 17 points and six rebounds and finished a plus 15 on the plus-minus metrics. – Photo by Joe Alexander

First, she hit a 17 footer off the wing to break a tie, putting her team in the lead by two with 1:25 remaining.

Two possessions later, she drew a charge, stepping in front of a driving Tanajah Hayes. The play stirred her teammates to jump up and scream along with the rest of the crowd.

In retaliation, the 49ers forced the Roadrunners into a turnover, when Asianae Nicholson stole an inbounds pass and raced the other way.

Drawing a foul, she made the first of two free throws, leaving Charlotte down by one at 64-63 with 22 seconds left.

Fouling on the inbounds, Charlotte put UTSA’s Damara Allen on the free throw line. Allen hit both for a three point lead. The exchange prompted the 49ers to call time again.

Their play nearly worked, as the 49ers hit a three off the wing, only to have the tying basket waved off on an offensive foul under the basket. The Niners asked for a review, and the call was upheld.

In the last 15 seconds, Hardaway hit three of four free throws and stole a pass to seal UTSA’s 12 straight victory in conference play dating back to last season.

UTSA pulled out the win after falling behind 9-0 to start the game and then after losing point guard Adriana Robles to an apparent ankle sprain late in the first half.

Robles, a starter, played only one minute after intermission following her injury at the end of the first half.

Cheyenne Rowe. UTSA beat Charlotte 69-63 in American Conference women's basketball on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Forward Cheyenne Rowe had another big day with 16 points, six rebounds and two blocked shots. – Photo by Joe Alexander

“Again, I continue to be super proud of this team, just the resiliency that they’ve shown,” UTSA coach Karen Aston said. “It’s just one of those things where it seems there’s always something, as far as having kids out.

“This one (Hardaway) was out most of the week. Had a couple more kids out, and then Adriana goes down. It’s just a testament, first of all, to our leadership. Cheyenne (Rowe) and (Hardaway) are really leading the way.

“And the young guys are just doing what we’re asking them to do.”

One of the “young guys,” sophomore guard/forward Mia Hammonds, had one of her better games with her defensive effort and with 17 points on six of 10 shooting. Rowe hit eight of 13 from the floor and finished with 16.

For Charlotte, Anderson and Zoe Best did the most offensively. Anderson scored her 20 on nine of 19 shooting. Best knocked down eight of 12 and scored 19. Guard Asianae Nicholson produced seven points and 18 rebounds, including eight on the offensive end.

Janavia Gage also pulled down 12 as the 49ers won the rebounding battle, 47-34.

Records

Charlotte 8-9, 2-2
UTSA 8-6, 3-0

Coming up

UTSA at South Florida, Tuesday, 6 p.m.
UTSA at Florida Atlantic, Friday, 6 p.m.

Notable

Injured UTSA forward Idara Udo did not play, but in a positive sign, she arrived at the arena without a walking boot that she had been wearing.

Charlotte coach Tomekia Reed. UTSA beat Charlotte 69-63 in American Conference women's basketball on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

The Charlotte 49ers, under coach Tomekia Reed, came ready to play. They scored the first nine points of the game, took a 14-10 lead into the second quarter and held a one-point advantage with 3:39 to play. – Photo by Joe Alexander

The 6-1 junior from Plano sat out her fourth straight game against Charlotte. Also not playing and listed as out for the game were Maya Linton and Saher Alizada. Players listed out for the season were Taylor Ross, Sema Udo and Nyayongah Gony.

Of those six players, only Udo has played this season, which makes it all the more remarkable that the Roadrunners are 3-0 in conference. Last week, UTSA started league play with a 65-63 victory at home against Tulane and followed it with a 50-47 win on the road against Temple.

First half

Rowe turned and fired a 15-footer that swished at the halftime buzzer, lifting the UTSA Roadrunners into a 22-21 lead on the Charlotte 49ers.

The 49ers started fast, racing to a 9-0 lead on the Roadrunners, with guard Zoe Best scoring five of the points.

Charlotte went on to take a 14-10 advantage after one quarter as it held the home team to four of 17 shooting from the field.

UTSA retaliated in the second quarter with a defensive stand of its own. The Roadrunners held the 49ers to seven points on five of 18 shooting.

Mia Hammonds scored seven and Ereauna Hardaway six in the first half for the Roadrunners. Cheyenne Rowe, who didn’t have a shot attempt in the first quarter, scored four points in the second.

Rowe limped to the bench and had to come out for a minute in the first quarter.

Guard Adriana Robles, who helped fuel UTSA’s comeback, had to be helped off the floor in the last minute of the half. She was favoring an ankle.