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.

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.

“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.

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.