By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay
The Florida Atlantic University Owls registered their third 100-point game of the season Wednesday, opening play in the American Conference men’s basketball season with a resounding 110-70 victory over the UTSA Roadrunners.
For the Roadrunners, playing on the road in Boca Raton, Fla., it was a humbling experience as they lost their sixth straight overall, this one by the widest margin since a 42-point setback to nationally-ranked Alabama on Dec. 7.
Based on point differential, it was UTSA’s worst loss in a conference game since last season, when the team fell by 29 to Tulane in New Orleans on Jan. 4, 2025.
Moreover, the Roadrunners (4-9) yielded the most points in Austin Claunch’s two seasons as coach and the most for the program since the 2023-24 season under the previous coaching staff.
In that season, the Roadrunners gave up 100-plus points four times, though two of the games went to overtime.
UTSA was in the game against FAU for only a few minutes. The Roadrunners held a 5-2 lead before the Owls responded with a 21-0 run. During that stretch, the Owls (9-5) applied defensive pressure on one end, and 6-foot-4 guard Devin Vanterpool scored 10 points on the other.
By halftime, FAU had built a comfortable 60-28 lead. The Owls led by as many as 41 in the final minutes.
In the end, Vanterpool hit five of FAU’s 18 three-point baskets on the day and led the Owls with 21. Isaiah Elohim and Kanaan Carlyle scored 16 points each for the Owls, while Max Langenfeld and Niccolo Moretti added 12 apiece.
Josiah Parker scored 10 for the Owls.
UTSA’s offense failed to get untracked until the second half, when the game was already out of reach. Redshirt junior guard Austin Nunez had his moments in scoring a season-high 22 points, including a tomahawk dunk. Brent Moss hit four three pointers and scored 14.
Jamir Simpson, who entered the day as one of the American’s leading scorers, averaging 18.8, was held to nine points. The 6-foot-5 senior transfer went scoreless on 0 for 5 shooting in the second half.
Records
UTSA 4-9, 0-1
FAU 9-5, 1-0
Coming up
UTSA at Temple, in Philadelphia, Saturday, 11 a.m.
Notable
UTSA hasn’t fared well lately against FAU. In 2023, the Owls beat the Roadrunners by 40 in a 106-66 victory at Boca Raton. That season, both the Owls and the Roadrunners were opponents in Conference USA, and the Owls went on to play in the Final Four. In 2024, the teams played in San Antonio and FAU won 112-103 in overtime at the Convocation Center. FAU downed UTSA 94-74 in Florida last season.
First half
Coming off an injury, Vanterpool knocked down four of his team’s 10 three pointers in the first half as the Owls manhandled the Roadrunners.
Opening play in the American Conference on their home court in Boca Raton, Fla., the Owls built leads as large as 35 points and took a 60-28 advantage into the dressing room at intermission.
Defensively, the Owls were excellent, holding the Roadrunners to 25.8 percent shooting from the field and 23.5 percent from three-point distance.