By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay
UTSA coach Karen Aston said coming into the Hoopfest Women’s Basketball Challenge that the length and athleticism of the Auburn Tigers would be a concern.
Aston was right, as the Tigers from the Southeastern Conference forced 30 turnovers and converted them into 25 points in a 59-42 victory over the Roadrunners in the opener of the three-day, multi-team event at the Comerica Center in Frisco.
The Roadrunners felt good coming into Frisco after winning back-to-back games against regional rivals Texas State and Incarnate Word. But the defending champions in the American Conference were no match for the Tigers.
The Tigers just had too much quickness for the Roadrunners, who never seemed to be able to string together a run because of ball-handling miscues. As a result, they were held to their season low in total points.
Guard Kaitlyn Duhon had four steals and two blocks to spark Auburn on the defensive end. Offensively, guard Mya Petticord scored 14 points. Guard A’riel Jackson added 12 and forward Khady Leye 10 for the Tigers, who won easily despite shooting 39.7 percent.
Guard Jayda Holiman came off the bench to lead the Roadrunners with 14 points. Forward Cheyenne Rowe added 13 points and seven rebounds. Rowe, who entered shooting 54 percent from the field, finished six of 13.
As a team, UTSA was held to 29.2 percent on 14 of 48 shooting. Outside of Rowe, UTSA’s starters were all held down below their averages. Damara Allen had six points and Ereauna Hardaway and Idara Udo two apiece. Mia Hammonds was scoreless.
First half
The Tigers forced nine turnovers in the first half and converted them into 14 points as they took a 33-24 lead.
Records
Auburn 7-0
UTSA 2-3
Coming up
UTSA vs. Grand Canyon, Ariz., Wednesday, 4 p.m., at Frisco
Notable
With the loss, UTSA extended a long losing streak against opponents from power conferences. The Roadrunners have dropped 28 in a row against the majors, including 12 in a row under Aston.
UTSA hasn’t won a game against a power conference foe since 2010 when the Roadrunners beat the Kansas State Wildcats in San Antonio.
Auburn is now 2-0 against UTSA in the all-time series. In the only other meeting between the schools, the Tigers defeated the Roadrunners 73-50 on Dec. 30, 2001 in San Diego.
Quotable
“There’s things we consistently do in practice, that, I’ve been telling them, it’s not going to translate,” UTSA coach Karen Aston told Neal Raphael on the team’s radio broadcast. “You know, it’s not going to translate against good competition, and we continue to do it. Until we can take care of the ball better and slow down a little offensively, and handle the ball and do the tough things, then I think we’re going to get the same results.”