Jordyn Jenkins scored 21 points on 10 of 19 shooting as the UTSA Roadrunners defeated the Wichita State Shockers. – Photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

With a prominent WNBA coach in attendance, Jordyn Jenkins scored 21 points Saturday as the UTSA Roadrunners beat the Wichita State Shockers 69-51 for their seventh straight victory.

As a result, UTSA improved to a program-best 14-2 after 16 games. Dominating in the paint against the Shockers, the Roadrunners also stayed undefeated in the American Athletic Conference at 5-0.

The 5-0 mark ties for the program-best start in conference from the 1983-84 season, the third year of basketball at UTSA, when the team played in the Oil Country Athletic Conference.

UTSA started fast with a 20-8 first quarter and were never seriously challenged afterward, claiming their 10th straight win at home, dating back to last season.

Forward Idara Udo had 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Roadrunners. She pulled down four rebounds on the offensive glass. – Photo by Joe Alexander

“I thought we played really, really well out of the gates,” UTSA coach Karen Aston said. “That was something we talked about it after the Rice game. Thought it was a little unusual how we started that game, so I thought we were pretty intentional in starting better.

“Played well in the first half and then sort of maybe took a nap at half, or something. I thought Wichita State made some adjustments at halftime, too, and started attacking us a little differently. I thought we re-focused for the fourth quarter and ended up playing pretty well.”

Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon attended the game and talked to the Roadrunners afterward.

Asked if Hammon was her personal guest or whether she came to watch some players, Aston said, “Maybe a little of both. I’ve been talking to her quite a bit about just coming out. I mean, this is kind of her home base. I don’t think it’s home base very often, but definitely wanted to try and get her out.”

Hammon served as an assistant coach with the Spurs in the NBA before taking a job with the Aces in the WNBA. With the Spurs, the former WNBA point guard for the San Antonio Stars became the first female to be hired fulltime as an assistant coach in the NBA.

She took a job with the Aces as head coach and won the WNBA title in 2022 and 2023.

“It’s important for our players to see someone that’s willing to step out of their busy schedule and support women’s basketball in our community,” Aston said. “She has a unique place in San Antonio history as far as basketball is concerned. So I’ve been coaxing her for some time to come out to practice. Anything that would help these guys (the UTSA players) just have some words of wisdom, from someone who’s had the type of success that she’s had.”

Aston declined to comment on the status of UTSA forward Nyayongah Gony, who has been on crutches this week and hasn’t played either in the Roadrunners’ 67-58 victory over Rice on Wednesday or on Saturday against the Shockers.

Gony was wearing a brace on her left leg. Also, Aston said she didn’t know what happened with forward Cheyenne Rowe, who went down to the floor on a play in the final minutes of the game in front of the UTSA bench. She was assisted off the floor by a trainer.

First half

Attacking in the paint and controlling the boards, the UTSA Roadrunners overwhelmed the Wichita State Shockers, taking a 34-16 lead into the dressing room at intermission.

UTSA held a 27-11 lead in rebounding and a 15-0 lead in second-chance points at the break. Cheyenne Rowe had six rebounds off the bench, including three on the offensive end.

Idara Udo and Sidney Love had five boards apiece.

Jenkins led the offense with 10 points on five of 10 shooting from the field. Udo had seven points and, in all, seven players scored.

The Roadrunners kept Wichita State scoring leader Jayla Murray off balance, as the power forward made only two field goals in five attempts and scored four. Guard Taylor Jameson knocked down a couple of threes and scored six.

Records

Wichita State 7-12, 1-4
UTSA 14-2, 5-0

Coming up

UTSA at Memphis, Wednesday, 7 p.m.

Notable

UTSA has two winning streaks of seven games this season. The team lost its opener at Texas A&M and then won the next seven. After losing at Stanford, UTSA has won another seven going into Memphis Wednesday night. Nine of UTSA’s 14 victories have come by double-digit margins.

Jenkins is known for her scoring. She’s scored 315 points in 16 games for a 19.7 average this season. She’s also shot it well, hitting 51 percent from the field. But she’s also worked hard defensively, registering 22 steals and 23 blocked shots.

UTSA point guard UTSA point guard Nina De Leon Negron had 11 points and four assists in 29 minutes against the Shockers. She hit four of four shots from the field and three of three from 3-point distance. – Photo by Joe Alexander