By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Though the win-loss record may not show it, the UTSA men have made steady progress on the offensive end going into Game 5 on their regular-season schedule, an 11 a.m. contest set for Tuesday in the Convocation Center against the Southwestern Christian University Eagles.

UTSA guard Jamir Simpson averages a team-leading 17.8 points while hitting 42.4 percent from three-point range. – File photo by Joe Alexander

The Eagles, from Bethany, Okla., are affiliated with both the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics and the National Christian Collegiate Athletic Association. They play in the Sooner Athletic Conference.

It’s the second game of the season against an NCCAA program for the Roadrunners, who play in the American Conference, considered as one of the upper-tier leagues in NCAA Division I. UTSA will enter the game with its offense starting to find a rhythm.

In its season opener, UTSA blew out the NCCAA-affiliated College of Biblical Studies, 97-30. The outcome proved to be a bit misleading in the wake of Game 2, when the Roadrunners hosted the NCAA D-I SIU Edwardsville Cougars and played poorly, losing 77-60.

The inconsistency continued last week in San Marcos, where UTSA stumbled again, at least in the first half. The Texas State Bobcats raced to a 43-26 lead at intermission. Buckling down, UTSA played one of its better halves of the season, trimming the lead to six three times, before falling 80-69.

Last Saturday, UTSA finally found an offensive groove for 40 minutes, winning on the road against the Denver Pioneers, 84-79. So, while the Roadrunners’ record against NCAA D-I teams stands at a modest 1-2, their offense is starting to click.

After shooting 28.2 percent against SIUE and 39 percent against Texas State, the Roadrunners hit 51 percent from the floor against the Pioneers.

Roadrunners coach Austin Claunch attributed the rise in efficiency to better “clarity” presented by coaches to the players in terms of opponents’ defensive style. Also, in how to attack those styles.

“On Saturday, I thought we were much better in our early offense,” Claunch said. “The second half against Texas State, as well. Early offense. Getting stops. Running. Getting into something quick. On Saturday, what we did a great job on, was getting something quick and (also) executing something later in the possession.”

Six-foot-five sophomore Baboucarr Njie, coming off the bench, enjoyed a career game with 23 points and 12 rebounds. Shooting guard Jamir Simpson scored 20, while playmaker Austin Nunez broke out of a shooting slump and scored 16.

“I just thought we had much better organization throughout the 30 seconds of our possessions,” Claunch said. “We scored early. We scored late. We got to the free-throw line, and then obviously we shot it well from three.”

Records

Southwestern Christian (Okla.) 2-2
UTSA 2-2

Coming up

Southwestern Christian at UTSA, 11 a.m., Tuesday.
UTSA vs. Abilene Christian, Nov. 24, at Jacksonville, Fla.
UTSA vs. Georgia Southern, Nov. 25, at Jacksonville, Fla.

Notable

UTSA on Monday announced the signing of guard Nasir “Naz” Price from Houston-area Seven Lakes High School. Price is expected to join the team for the 2026-27 season.

Coach Austin Claunch said reserve point guard Pierce Spencer, suffering from a sore shoulder, will not play against Southwestern Christian.

The game, with the early tipoff, is a new initiative of the athletic department in opening the doors of the school’s basketball arena to elementary school students in the greater San Antonio area, giving them a first-hand look at intercollegiate athletics and higher education.

For just $5 per student, UTSA Athletics is welcoming elementary students to a men’s basketball game twice this season, once on Tuesday and again on Monday, Dec. 15, for a women’s game. Chaperones of the students will receive free admission.

Chandler Cuthrell, shown here playing for the UTSA Roadrunners in the 2023-24 season, now averages 24.5 points as the sixth-leading scorer in the nation at Elon (N.C.). – File photo by Joe Alexander

Former UTSA forward Chandler Cuthrell is sixth in the nation in scoring, averaging 24.5 a game for the Elon (N.C.) Phoenix.

Cuthrell played one season for the Roadrunners, in 2023-24 — Coach Steve Henson‘s last at UTSA — when he averaged 4.9 points and 4.4 rebounds in a reserve role. The Baltimore native played for Purdue-Fort Wayne in ’24-25.

Guards Adante’ Holiman and P.J. Carter are two players from UTSA’s ’23-24 squad who have made it onto rosters of high major programs. Holiman plays for the Arizona State Sun Devils and Carter for the LSU Tigers.

Holiman’s sister, Jayda Holiman, plays on this year’s UTSA women’s squad.