Texas Tech stays undefeated with a late defensive stand against the UTSA Roadrunners

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Bailey Maupin scored five of her team-high 18 points in the final four minutes Monday night as the Texas Tech Lady Raiders remained undefeated with a 63-58 victory over the UTSA Roadrunners.

Maupin also had a big defensive play in the final minute.

With Tech leading by the eventual final score, both Maupin and Elina Arike stood their ground and got knocked down by UTSA guard Sidney Love.

Though Love’s shot went in, it was waved off on a charging call, one of two costly turnovers on the Roadrunners in the final 30 seconds.

Overall, Tech forced UTSA into a season-high 31 turnovers, which overshadowed what otherwise was a solid performance by the Roadrunners on the road against a Big 12 program.

UTSA out-shot Tech from the field (45.1 to 33.9) and won the rebounding battle (43-30), but it wasn’t enough. In the end, the Roadrunners’ three-game winning streak, including two on the road, was snapped.

Driving past defenders and creating space for herself much of the time, Love scored a team-high 18 points on seven of 14 shooting. Kyra White produced 13 points and eight rebounds. Meanwhile, freshman Aysia Proctor had 10 and five boards.

Guard Jasmine Shavers scored 15 points and had three steals for the Lady Raiders. Jordyn Merritt led defensively with four steals for Tech.

First half

Applying pressure on defense, the Lady Raiders held the Roadrunners without a field goal for more than four minutes in the second quarter en route to a 35-25 halftime lead.

Tech’s defense was the difference as the Raiders forced 18 turnovers and scored 21 points off those miscues. At one point in the second quarter, UTSA committed five turnovers in a three-minute span, allowing Tech to expand a nine-point lead to 17.

UTSA responded in the last few minutes of the half, outscoring Tech 8-2. Sophomore Sidney Love made a steal and hit two baskets in the last two minutes.

Kilah Freelon, Ashley Chevalier and Shavers led the Raiders in scoring in the half with eight points apiece. Though the Raiders hit only 35.3 percent from the field, they made up for that with nine of 11 shooting at the free-throw line.

UTSA, by contrast, was only two for two at the line. The Roadrunners were effective when they could get a shot off. They hit 52.4 percent from the field. Love had eight points and Aysia Proctor six at the half for the Roadrunners.

Records

Texas Tech 5-0
UTSA 3-2

Coming up

UTSA at Sam Houston State, Saturday, 4 p.m.

Surging UTSA women to challenge Texas Tech in Lubbock

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Sidney Love. UTSA beat New Mexico State 58-55 in women's basketball on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA has won three in a row and two straight on the road. Sophomore Sidney Love is leading the team in scoring, averaging 12.5 coming into tonight’s road game in Lubbock against the Texas Tech Lady Raiders, a member of the Big 12 Conference. UTSA hasn’t won a game against a power conference opponent since 2010. – File photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special to The JB Replay

Winning three of four games by double-digit proportions, the undefeated Texas Tech Lady Raiders haven’t been seriously challenged as they prepare to play a fifth straight home game in Lubbock, this one against the upstart UTSA Roadrunners tonight.

Tipoff between Tech (4-0) and UTSA (3-1) is set for 6 p.m.

In winning a couple of games by more than 40 points, another by 17 and one by seven, Jasmine Shavers, Bailey Maupin, Jordyn Merritt and Co. have been on cruise control since they played their first game on Nov. 7.

Sure, the Lady Raiders have yet to play a fellow Power 5 opponent, but their efficiency has been scary.

Coach Krista Gerlich’s team has averaged almost 80 points, and three of her starters — Shavers, Kilah Freelon and Ashley Chevalier — are shooting better than 50 percent from the field.

Despite the Lady Raiders’ high level of play, the Roadrunners are coming in with a solid base of confidence stemming from three straight victories, including two straight on the road.

Guards Sidney Love and Kyra White lead the Roadrunners. UTSA also has some size in Elyssa Coleman and Idara Udo to match up. White averages 37 minutes per game and contributes heavily on both ends of the floor. Love is coming off a career-high 26-point outing Saturday at UT Arlington.

One of the keys could be forward Maya Linton, who is fast improving on her game. Linton, a 6-foot sophomore, is known as a defensive stopper. But she also has started to look more at the basket and only two nights ago had 14 points and 10 rebounds against the Lady Mavs.

If the Roadrunners win tonight, it would be a major accomplishment from a historical perspective. The UTSA women’s basketball program hasn’t won a game against a P5 conference opponent since 2010 when it defeated Kansas State, 72-55.

Since then, the Roadrunners have lost 20 in a row to teams from the five major revenue-producing conferences. Under coach Karen Aston, in her third year at UTSA, the Roadrunners are 0-5 against the so-called power programs, including 0-1 this year following a 70-55 loss at Arizona State on opening night.

Records

UTSA 3-1
Texas Tech 4-0

Coming up

UTSA at Sam Houston State, Saturday, 4 p.m.

Texas Tech season review
All games at home in Lubbock
Nov 7 – UT Rio Grande Valley, W, 95-53. Jasmine Shavers produces career-tying 26 points, seven rebounds.
Nov 10 – Tarleton, W, 70-63. Jordyn Merritt has 18 points, two three-pointers.
Nov 13 – Lamar, W, 61-44. Jasmine Shavers, 16 points.
Nov 17 – Texas A&M-Commerce, W, 91-45. Tech surges to 29-0 lead and cruises; Kilah Freelon, 14 points, 11 rebounds.

Love scores career-high 26 as UTSA beats Arlington, 70-66

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By Jerry Briggs
Special to The JB Replay

Sophomore guard Sidney Love scored a career-high 26 points Saturday afternoon, lifting the UTSA Roadrunners to a 70-66 victory over the UT Arlington Lady Mavs.

Sidney Love. UTSA beat St. Mary's 67-46 in a women's basketball exhibition game on Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Sidney Love scored 26 points to top her previous career high of 23 from New Year’s Eve last season against the UAB Blazers. – File photo by Joe Alexander

Playing in Arlington at the College Park Center, the Roadrunners withstood a late challenge from the winless Mavs to win their third straight game and their second straight on the road.

Love, a multi-skilled talent from San Antonio area Steele High School, hit six of 10 shots from the field and one of two from three-point distance. She enjoyed great success in taking the ball to the basket and drawing fouls, converting 13 of 15 from the free-throw line.

Sophomore Maya Linton, who played in high school in the Dallas-Fort Worth area at Duncanville, posted a double double with 15 points and 10 rebounds.

Linton is starting at power forward, with UTSA star Jordyn Jenkins unavailable as she rehabilitates a knee injury. Jenkins, the Player of the Year in Conference USA last season, hasn’t played this season.

In the big picture, the Roadrunners might be starting to turn the corner as a program. Last year, they finished with a 13-19 record. But they enjoyed a strong showing at the end of the season, winning nine of their last 13 games, including two at the C-USA tournament. This year, as they enter play in the American Athletic Conference, they’ve won three of their first four.

All told, their fast start this season means that they have posted a 12-5 record in their last 17, starting that run with a 66-63 win at Louisiana Tech last Jan. 28. They’ll get another test Monday when they play on the road in the Big 12 Conference at Texas Tech.

Records

UTSA 3-1
UT Arlington 0-4

Coming up

UTSA at Texas Tech, Monday, 6 p.m.

Setting the stage

Entering play against the Mavs, UTSA had enjoyed moderate success in the new season. In the season opener, the Roadrunners took a 70-55 loss at Arizona State of the Pac 12 Conference. Returning home, they survived a close encounter with the New Mexico State Aggies, winning 58-55 behind 19 points from freshman Aysia Proctor. On Wednesday night, they traveled to Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, fell behind by as many as 15 points in the third quarter and then rallied for a 66-59 victory in overtime.

Love’s outburst

Love carried the Roadrunners in the third quarter, when they outscored the Mavs 18-13 and opened up a 50-45 lead. Taking advantage of her size, quickness and ball-handling skills, she scored 12 in the period. In doing so, the former San Antonio area standout motored inside for layups and hit one three from the corner.

Freshman forward Idara Udo also had a good stretch in the third, scoring five points. Udo, from Plano, finished with nine points and seven rebounds off the bench.

First half

Facing a team with a wide array of offensive options, the Roadrunners allowed a seven-point lead at the end of the first quarter to evaporate, with the Lady Mavs storming from behind to tie the game, 32-32, at halftime.

In the second period, the Mavs unleashed a diverse attack that often put the Roadrunners on their heels. Drives into the paint. Reverse layups. Soft jumpers from the mid range and three-point rainbows. UTA had it all going on as the home team won the quarter, 22-15.

UTSA enjoyed equivalent success in the first quarter. While holding UTA to 26 percent shooting, UTSA kept applying pressure and moved out to a 17-10 lead after the first 10 minutes. Kyra White and Maya Linton contributed four points apiece for the Roadrunners in the period.

In the first half for the Roadrunners, Linton had one of her better performances of the season, tossing in 12 points and hustling for five rebounds. In winning the rebounding battle, Elyssa Coleman had six boards, while Linton and Udo banged inside for five apiece. UTSA hit 14 of 38 from the field for 36 percent.

The Lady Mavs guard Nya Threatt led the way with eight points on three of five shooting. Fleet guard Gia Adams scored six and Taliyah Clark and Avery Brittingham five apiece. UTA hit 13 of 33 from the field for 39 percent. Brittingham pulled down eight rebounds, but the Mavs were out-boarded, 26-18. UTA allowed UTSA to grab 10 boards off the offensive glass.

Notable

UTSA coach Karen Aston played 11 players. Nine of them scored and everyone contributed. Notably:

—Kyra White, the star of UTSA’s victory at A&M-Corpus Christi, played heavy minutes for the second straight game. White played 43 minutes at Corpus Christi on Wednesday night and another 35 on Saturday. Against the Mavs, she took only six shots and scored five points. But she had six rebounds and a team-leading six assists.

—Madison Cockrell, from Dallas Bishop Lynch in the DFW area, contributed three points and an assist in only eight minutes. Aysia Proctor, a freshman from San Antonio-area Clemens High, played only four minutes but she hit her only field goal attempt.

Guards Nya Threatt and Taliyah Clark and forward Avery Brittingham each scored 13 points for the Mavs. Threatt and Brittingham combined to hit four of nine from the three-point line, but the rest of the team wasn’t nearly as accurate, shooting one for 12.

UTA is coached by former Copperas Cove High School prep star Shereka Wright. After high school, she starred at Purdue, averaging 19.0, 18.9 and 20.1 points in her last three seasons with the Big Ten’s Boilermakers. Wright retired from the WNBA in 2006 after suffering a torn Achilles. At UT-Arlington, Wright is 47-36 as coach of the Mavs in a little more than three seasons.

UTA lost 76-61 on the road at South Florida of the American conference to open the season. Coming home, UTA was bounced 74-57 at the hands of the Lamar Cardinals. In Game 3, the Lady Mavs traveled to Austin on Tuesday and took a beating. The Longhorns beat the Lady Mavs 110-64.

Texas State wins 72-62 in an I-35 rivalry game against UTSA

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By Jerry Briggs
Special to The JB Replay

The Texas State Bobcats rebounded from a blowout loss at Oklahoma earlier this week, pulled away from the rival UTSA Roadrunners late and emerged with a 72-62 victory Friday night in San Marcos.

Playing their home opener at Strahan Arena, the Bobcats put forth a strong effort in the paint to win their first game in the I-35 rivalry since 2018.

UTSA had won four out of its last five in the series but failed to get much going on the offensive end, shooting 31.7 percent from the field. The Roadrunners also turned it over 13 times en route to their fewest points this season and their third straight loss.

“They’re really good defensively,” UTSA coach Steve Henson told Jay Howard on the school’s radio broadcast. “They’ve been that way (for years). That’s the sixth time we’ve played against them since I’ve been here and we always know how tough they’re going to be.”

Texas State entered the game looking to make amends for a 93-54 loss to Oklahoma on Tuesday night. The game was played in Norman, Okla., at the home of the Sooners.

As the the Bobcats left Big 12 territory and returned home, their big men answered the challenge and played well against the Roadrunners, a team transitioning into the American Athletic Conference this season.

Six-foot-seven forward Christian Turner led the charge for the Bobcats of the Sun Belt, scoring 19 points. He kept taking it inside and getting fouled, leading to 10 of 12 shooting at the line. Six-foot-nine Brandon Love enjoyed a big night, as well, with 18 points and 14 rebounds.

Six-foot-six guard Joshua O’Garro had 13 points, including 11 in the second half.

For the Roadrunners, 6-3 point guard Christian Tucker led with 16 points, three rebounds and three assists. Small forward Dre Fuller Jr. scored 13, including a three-for-six effort from the three-point line.

On the other hand, UTSA starting post players Carlton Linguard, Jr., and Trey Edmonds never found a rhythm, as both fouled out, scoreless, on zero-for-three shooting from the field.

UTSA led in the game only a few times but nevertheless stayed within two possessions for the most part. At the end, however, things came unraveled for the Roadrunners as the Bobcats kept attacking and pushed the lead to double figures for much of the final three minutes.

Records

UTSA 1-3
Texas State 2-2

Coming up

UTSA at Houston Christian, Monday, 7 p.m.

First half

Starting slowly, the Roadrunners misfired on six of their first seven shots from the field and allowed the Bobcats to take an early 8-2 lead on the scoreboard. The UTSA offense never quite find traction, but it did produce five 3-point baskets.

Meanwhile, Texas State did a good job of scoring in the paint and emerged with a 27-25 halftime lead. With Tyrel Morgan and a few other Texas State players injured and unavailable, Turner scored 10 points and Love had seven for the Bobcats.

For the Roadrunners, Tucker led the way with seven points. He was one of five UTSA players with a three-pointer in the half.

Notable

UTSA had won six of eight, four of five and the last two meetings in the I-35 rivalry. Texas State put a stop to the surge with a grind-it-out victory that wasn’t pretty except for the final verdict. In a series that started in 1985, played between schools only 50 miles apart, UTSA still leads, 37-26.

The Roadrunners stayed in the game early with three-point shooting, hitting five of 15 from beyond the stripe in the first half. In response, Texas State did a much better job guarding the perimeter late, as UTSA made only three of 12 from distance after intermission.

UTSA opened the season with a 10-point victory at home, in overtime, against Western Illinois. The team started a four-game road trip at Minnesota last Friday and lost 102-76. UTSA played next at Lamar on Tuesday and fell 90-82 in a high-scoring game that had pace. Texas State, in contrast, slowed the tempo and kept UTSA from scoring on many, if any, easy baskets.

UTSA men turn their attention to an old rival — the Texas State Bobcats

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Adante' Holiman. UTSA beat Western Illinois 78-68 in overtime in men's basketball on Monday, Nov. 6, 2023, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Guard Adante’ Holiman leads the UTSA Roadrunners into San Marcos tonight against the Texas State Bobcats. Holiman is UTSA’s leading scorer at 14.7 points per game. – File photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

For the UTSA Roadrunners, the challenges are clear — travel up the road to San Marcos and try to win on the home floor of a regional rival. It won’t be easy. A game against the Texas State Bobcats is always hotly-contested.

Oh, and, a couple of other things on UTSA’s to-do list come to mind — No. 1, try to box out and get some rebounds and, No. 2, don’t let a modest losing streak grow from two to three.

UTSA at Texas State

At a glance: The Roadrunners (1-2) and the Bobcats (1-2) will play Friday at 7:15 p.m. in San Marcos at Strahan Coliseum.

UTSA: After a season-opening, 78-68 overtime victory at home against Western Illinois, the Roadrunners have dropped the first two games of a four-game road trip. First, they were blown out 102-76 at Minnesota. In Beaumont earlier this week, they were beaten, 92-80, by the Lamar Cardinals. Though it’s early in the season, a few trends have developed. Obviously, points against UTSA on the road is a problem. But also, they have been out-rebounded in all three games and have been beaten on the offensive glass in two of the three, against both Western Illinois and Lamar. Employing hustle and quickness, Lamar turned 25 offensive rebounds into enough extra possessions to win. Another area of concern for UTSA is three-point shooting. The Roadrunners are allowing opponents to shoot 36 percent (31 for 86) from deep. On the other end, they’re hitting 30.7 percent (23 of 75) from distance. One historical note favorable to the Roadrunners? UTSA coach Steve Henson is 4-1 in his career against Texas State.

Trey Edmonds. UTSA men's basketball beat Trinity 100-70 in an exhibition game on Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA forward Trey Edmonds is averaging 13 points and 7.3 rebounds. – File photo by Joe Alexander

Texas State: In their home opener, the Bobcats are looking to bounce back from a lopsided loss to Oklahoma and hang a loss on UTSA, its chief, non-conference regional rival. UTSA leads the series 37-25 and has won four of the last five. The last win for Texas State in the series was a 69-68 victory on Dec. 1, 2018 in San Antonio. When hosting the Roadrunners, the Bobcats are 12-17 in the series. Their last win at home against the Roadrunners was Dec. 2, 2015. In that contest, they romped, 76-53. This season, the Bobcats opened with a three-game road trip, losing by five at Little Rock, winning by 10 at Miami, Ohio, and then losing by 39 at Oklahoma on Tuesday night. Six-foot-five forward Tyrel Morgan (14.0, 8.0 rebounds) leads Texas State. Morgan did not play in the 93-54 loss at OU. Other threats include Brandon Love (10.7 points) and freshman guard Kaden Gumbs (10.0).

Historical note

UTSA has won two straight and four of five in the series against Texas State. During that stretch, in December of 2018, the Bobcats won a thriller at the UTSA Convocation Center. Roadrunners star Jhivvan Jackson scored 22 for the Roadrunners. But the Bobcats countered with guard Jaylen Shead, who had seven points, eight rebounds and eight assists and scored the winning point on a free throw with less than a second remaining.

Jhivvan Jackson. Texas State beat UTSA 69-68 on Saturday, Dec. 1, 2018 at the UTSA Convocation Center. - photo by Joe Alexander

Former UTSA star Jhivvan Jackson (left) fights for possession against Texas State’s Jaylen Shead (right) on Dec. 1, 2018 in San Antonio. The Bobcats won the game 69-68. It was the last win for Texas State against UTSA in the I-35 rivalry. – File photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA rallies from 15 down to beat A&M-Corpus Christi 66-59 in OT

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Shooting the ball poorly and trailing for almost the entire four quarters of regulation, the UTSA women’s basketball team just wasn’t ready to pack it in and take a loss.

The Roadrunners rallied from a 15-point, second-half deficit and won 66-59 in overtime Wednesday night, emerging from the Dugan Wellness Center with a remarkable road victory over the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders.

With the win, UTSA claimed its first win away from home this season and improved to 2-1 overall. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, coming off back-to-back 19-win seasons, fell to 2-2.

Guard Kyra White, playing 43 minutes, led UTSA with 18 points, six rebounds and five assists. Elyssa Coleman made some big buckets late and finished with 14. Sidney Love scored 10.

A&M-Corpus Christi, outsized at most positions, played extremely well for most of the game. The Islanders were paced by forward Alecia Westbrook with 17 points and eight rebounds. Mireia Aguado and Paige Allen contributed 14 apiece.

At one point midway through the third period, all looked lost for UTSA. Corpus Christi expanded on a 13-point halftime lead and made it 41-26 on two Aguado free throws with 3:26 left in the third. Going into the fourth, the home team led, 43-32.

UTSA, however, had scored the final basket of the third and the first nine points of the fourth period to pull within two points. Corpus Christi kept battling, with Aguado, Westbrook and Allen leading the way. A layup by Westbrook with 3:27 left pushed the home team in front, 49-44.

The Roadrunners responded with a 9-4 run in the final three minutes, with White taking charge and scoring five. At the end of the frantic fourth quarter, with the game tied, a key play unfolded. Aguado went to the free throw line and missed two free throws with six tenths of a second left to send it into the extra period.

From there, the Roadrunners scored the first six points in the OT. First it was Love, who knocked down two free throws. Then, Coleman nailed a jumper. Finally, it was UTSA newcomer Cheyenne Rowe, who rebounded a miss by White and laid it in.

Not to be outdone, Siena Guttadauro nailed a three-point shot out of the corner. Later, UTSA pushed the lead to eight, and the Islanders never got closer than four the rest of the way.

Records

UTSA 2-1
Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 2-2

Coming up

UTSA at UT Arlington, Saturday, 2 p.m.

Notable

The Roadrunners were cold from the field early, three for 17 in the first quarter and three for their first 23 attempts overall. But in the end, they found the touch and finished 24 of 64 for 37.5 percent. Corpus Christi shot 39 percent and damaged its own cause by hitting only 50 percent (16 of 32) at the free-throw line. UTSA star Jordyn Jenkins sat out her third straight game. The Player of the Year last year in Conference USA is regarded as week-to-week in her rehabilitation from a knee injury.

Individuals

UTSA — Guard Kyra White, 18 points, six rebounds, five assists. Center Elyssa Coleman 14 points on seven of 13 shooting. Guard Sidney Love, 10 points, five rebounds, four assists, three steals. Freshman guard Aysia Proctor and forward Cheyenne Rowe, seven points apiece off the bench.

A&M-Corpus Christi — Forward Alecia Westbrook, 17 points and eight rebounds. Guard Mireia Aguado, 14 points on five of seven shooting. Paige Allen, 14 points and eight rebounds.

First half highlights

Taking advantage of the sputtering Roadrunners, Westbrook and Aguado combined for 21 points in the first half as the Islanders forged a 33-20 lead at intermission.

Westbrook, a 6-foot-1 post from Kansas City, dominated inside the paint with three for three shooting from the field. Utilizing her size and agility, she also drew fouls consistently and converted six of seven from the free-throw line.

Aguado, a 5-9 playmaker from Barcelona, Spain, hurt UTSA with her speed and athleticism in the transition game. She hit four of six from the floor, a few of those buckets coming in transition, and finished with nine points in only 13 minutes.

UTSA’s offense was in such disarray that it produced almost twice as many turnovers (13) as field goals (seven) in the half. The Roadrunners managed to stay in the game with effort. On the boards, the Roadrunners held a 27-12 lead, including 14-3 on the offensive glass.

UTSA women on the road tonight at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi

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Aysia Proctor. UTSA beat New Mexico State 58-55 in women's basketball on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Freshman Aysia Proctor, formerly of the Clemens High School Buffaloes, came up big for the UTSA Roadrunners in her first home game. She hit eight of nine from the field and scored a team-high 19 points. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Karen Aston’s UTSA Roadrunners play the first of four straight games on the road tonight. The UTSA women will be looking for their first road win of the season when they take on the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi Islanders.

UTSA at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi women

At a glance: UTSA (1-1) will play at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi (2-1). Tipoff is at 7 p.m. at the Dugan Wellness Center.

Karen Aston. UTSA beat New Mexico State 58-55 in women's basketball on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Karen Aston is starting her third season as head coach of the UTSA Roadrunners.- Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA: Playing without star forward Jordyn Jenkins, the Roadrunners lost their opener, falling 70-55 at Arizona State last Monday, before returning home to down New Mexico State, 58-55. Jenkins injured her right knee last spring and wasn’t able to go through any full contact drills with the team in the summer or in the fall semester’s preseason camp. Arizona State capitalized in the opener by surging to a 49-23 lead at halftime and then cruising to the victory. Maya Linton and Idara Udo both led with 10 points, while Udo pulled down nine rebounds in her first college game. Against New Mexico State, UTSA struggled again early, falling behind by five at intermission, but they charged to the victory behind freshmen Aysia Proctor, who scored 19. Udo made some key stops down the stretch as UTSA hung on to win.

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi: The Islanders are in their 25th season of basketball. They are led by veteran coach Royce Chadwick, who is 532-396 in 32 years in Division I. Chadwick has served as head coach previously at Sam Houston State, Stephen F. Austin and Marshall. He joined the Texas A&M-Corpus Christi program in 2012-13 and in his previous 11 seasons has won 19 or more games four times. The Islanders won regular-season crowns in the Southland Conference in 2020 and last year, when they finished 19-12 (including 14-4 SLC) and earned a trip to the Women’s NIT. This season, the Islanders won a couple of games against lower-level competition, sandwiched around a 73-50 loss at Texas A&M. Mireia Aguado averages 9.7 points and 2.67 steals. Alecia Westbrook averages 9.3 points and 7.7 rebounds.

Lamar rides a big rebounding effort to surprise UTSA, 90-82

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

After a couple of dismal seasons, the Lamar Cardinals of the Southland Conference took a large step toward respectability Tuesday night in Beaumont, winning the rebounding battle decisively and hitting 10 of 11 free throws down the stretch to stun the UTSA Roadrunners, 90-82.

Two years ago, in Alvin Brooks’ first season as coach at Lamar, the Cardinals finished 2-27. Last year, they made some improvements but still closed with a 9-22 record. Now, they’re 2-1 after beating the Roadrunners of the American Athletic Conference, who fell to 1-2 on the season and to 0-2 on the road.

The game was won — and lost — on the glass. The Cardinals held the edge on the boards overall, 57-45, but most noticeably on the offensive end, where they dominated, 25-12. “Their offensive rebounding was just, ridiculous,” UTSA coach Steve Henson told broadcaster Andy Everett on KTKR radio.

“They got ’em in the paint. They got the long rebounds. That was the ballgame right there,” the coach said.

Lamar forward Terry Anderson and center Adam Hamilton did the most damage. As the clock ticked down below 2:30 in the second half, Anderson made a couple of big plays and scored six quick points during a decisive 12-5 run to the final buzzer.

He finished with 20 points and 11 rebounds, including seven on the offensive end. Hamilton had 16 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks. His offensive rebounding hurt the Roadrunners, as well, as he crashed for six of them. Time and again, it seemed the two of them would beat UTSA players to caroms to extend possessions.

“We defended them well enough,” Henson said. “Their shooting percentage wasn’t good. They just got so many extra shots. We took care of the ball. We were very concerned with their pressure. They (played) pretty frantic. We handled that, for the most part … but the rebounding, that was the ball game.”

Adante’ Holiman, who came out of the game briefly at the end after he was shaken up, re-entered and finished the night as UTSA’s leading scorer with 22 points. He hit seven of 16 shots from the field, including four of 11 from three-point range. Trey Edmonds had 12 points, 12 rebounds and four assists, while seven foot Carlton Linguard Jr. contributed 10 points and seven boards.

Off the bench, PJ Carter energized the team with 12 points and Isaiah Wyatt had 11. Combined, they hit seven of 14 from the field. But in the end, the Roadrunners allowed the Cardinals to have too many possessions, and as for their own offense, they just seemed to have too many hiccups at inopportune times.

Records

Lamar 2-1
UTSA 1-2

Coming up

UTSA at Texas State, Friday, 7 p.m.

Notable

UTSA opened the season at home, winning 78-68 in overtime against Western Illinois. In their second game, the Roadrunners journeyed into the Big Ten neighborhood of the Minnesota Golden Gophers and lost 102-76. After losing at Lamar, UTSA is averaging 78.7 per game on offense but is giving up 86.7. Opponents are outrebounding them, 156-124. It’s a small sample size of games, but as it stands, points allowed and rebounding numbers are alarming.

Adante’ Holiman has played well offensively in the past two, scoring 36 points and knocking down eight of 17 from three-point territory. Dre Fuller Jr. scored a career-high 16 at Minnesota but suffered a tough night against Lamar — held scoreless, on zero-for-seven shooting from the floor.

For Lamar, a former San Antonio-area standout enjoyed a solid game as junior transfer Ja’Sean Jackson had 12 points and five assists. Jackson, a transfer from Abilene Christian who played in high school at Wagner, hit a buzzer-beating shot off the glass from halfcourt at halftime.

Looking for road victory No. 1, UTSA plays at Lamar tonight

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Carlton Linguard Jr. at UTSA men's basketball practice on Friday, Sept. 29, 2023, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Seven-foot Carlton Linguard Jr. (middle) will lead the UTSA Roadrunners into Beaumont tonight to play the Lamar Cardinals. – Photo by Joe Alexander

After a humbling experience in Big Ten country, the UTSA Roadrunners return to the state of Texas for a road game tonight against the Lamar Cardinals of the Southland Conference. Here’s a breakdown:

UTSA at Lamar

At a glance: The Roadrunners (1-1) and the Cardinals (1-1) will play Tuesday at 7 p.m. in Beaumont at Neches Arena.

UTSA — Last Monday night, UTSA opened at home and won 78-68 in overtime against the Western Illinois Leathernecks. On Friday, the Roadrunners arrived at Williams Arena in Minneapolis with high hopes and were beaten 102-76 by the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Clearly, a UTSA team entering its first season as a member of the American Athletic Conference isn’t ready to win in the Big Ten just yet even with a roster almost totally revamped from last year, so eighth-year coach Steve Henson and Co. are faced with a critical week in playing road tests closer to home at Lamar and at Texas State of the Sun Belt Conference on Friday. UTSA was 2-11 on the road last year in a 10-22 season. Leaders for UTSA include power forward Trey Edmonds (13.5 ppg, 47.6 percent shooting), forward Dre Fuller Jr. (13 ppg, eight rpg) and guard Adante’ Holiman (11 ppg, 50 percent three-point shooting).

Lamar — Alvin Brooks is back in Beaumont where he played point guard for two legendary Lamar teams. With Brooks handling the ball, the Cardinals reached the NCAA tournament in both 1980 (Sweet 16) and 1981. More than 40 years later, Brooks is the third-year head coach of the Cardinals, trying to kick start a program that has been through some hard times recently. In the coach’s first two years, the Cardinals have been 11-49. Based on early returns, Lamar might have a chance to turn the corner this season. The Cards blew out NAIA Jarvis Christian 114-66 at home last Monday. In Game 2 last Friday, the Cardinals fared well but fell 78-67 on the road at SMU. Guard B.B. Knight (13.5 ppg) leads the Cardinals in scoring. Abilene Christian University transfer Ja’Sean Jackson, a guard from San Antonio’s Wagner High School, scored nine points at SMU and is averaging 11.5. Another San Antonio connection is assistant coach Charles Harral, a 1999 Churchill graduate.

Freshman duo leads UTSA past New Mexico State, 58-55

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Idara Udo (No. 25) had a key blocked shot with 7 seconds left. UTSA beat New Mexico State 58-55 in women's basketball on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Forward Idara Udo (at right) blocked a shot and controlled it with seven seconds left in UTSA’s 58-55 victory over New Mexico State on Friday night at the Convocation Center. – Photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special to The JB Replay

A women’s college basketball duel between scrappy defenses unfolded Friday night at the Convocation Center, and in the end, the UTSA Roadrunners out-scrapped the New Mexico State Aggies, 58-55.

The Roadrunners willed themselves out of a five-point halftime deficit and into the euphoric realm of their first victory of the season by holding the Aggies to a combined 24 points over the course of the third and fourth quarters.

Idara Udo (No. 25) had a key blocked shot with 7 seconds left. UTSA beat New Mexico State 58-55 in women's basketball on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Idara Udo screams in celebration after she blocks what could have been a game-tying field goal attempt by New Mexico State’s Molly Kaiser in the final seconds. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Another highlight of the team’s home opener centered around the play of two freshmen, guard Aysia Proctor and forward Idara Udo.

Proctor, who played in high school last season at Clemens in the San Antonio area, hit eight of nine shots from the field and scored a team-high 19 points.

Udo, from Plano East in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, contributed a steal and a blocked shot in the final minute to help fend off the Aggies.

The last 2:34 of the game was definitely a “how-about-that” type of moment for 712 fans who were watching to see what would happen down the stretch without injured Roadrunners star forward Jordyn Jenkins.

The two freshmen didn’t flinch, and UTSA ended up celebrating a significant victory against a team that won 18 games last season.

“I loved it,” UTSA senior Kyra White said. “I believe they both played well. Aysia, I’ve seen it first hand, how she can score the basketball. So, just having that element out there, it really takes a lot of pressure off me, Sid (Love) and Elyssa (Coleman).

“And Idara just being a big physical presence down there, it allows us guards to know that we can get up and pressure the ball, knowing we have somebody at the back, behind us, protecting the rim.”

With the crowd on edge near the end of the game, Proctor circled the defense, caught a looping pass from White and hit a layup for five-point UTSA lead with 2:34 remaining.

Udo saved her dramatics for the final 31 seconds. First, she made a steal and then she blocked Molly Kaiser’s shot with seven seconds left.

After the block against a driving Kaiser, the crowd erupted, with Udo and teammate Hailey Atwood jumping up for an emphatic chest-bump.

“When she got that block, I was super excited for her,” said Proctor, who sank one of two free throws with three seconds left for the game’s final point. “That’s my girl, Idara.”

Aysia Proctor. UTSA beat New Mexico State 58-55 in women's basketball on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Freshman Aysia Proctor scored 19 points on eight-of-nine shooting in her UTSA home debut. – Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA opened the season on Monday on the road at Arizona State. Playing without Jenkins, who is recovering from a knee injury, it was not a positive experience for the Roadrunners, who fell behind by as many as 27 points before losing 70-55.

Against New Mexico State, UTSA shot it poorly in the first half but didn’t collapse.

“It’s been a long time since we played (at home),” UTSA coach Karen Aston said. “So I think it was exciting for everyone to get back in the Convo. It’s been a good place for us. Our crowds have grown. Our players get excited to play at home. We looked like a different team tonight than we did in Arizona.”

Aston said maybe the Roadrunners “took a growth step” in Arizona in learning how to deal with pressure. At Tempe, Aston said it looked like her players “played with fear.”

“Tonight I thought we stayed calm,” she said. “We didn’t look rattled by anything. It’s hard to describe how much we improved in 48 hours defensively, so I’m super proud of that. I think we’ll shoot the ball better than we shot tonight. I’m not worried about that. These kids are in the gym all the time. I know that improvement will happen.”

Records

New Mexico State 0-2
UTSA 1-1

Coming up

UTSA at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, Wednesday, at 7 p.m.

Notable

The Roadrunners played extended portions of the game with an all-San Antonio area backcourt of Kyra White (Judson High School), Sidney Love (Steele) and Proctor (Clemens).

The second quarter opened with the game tied, but New Mexico State surged late in the period behind forward Tylie Jones to take a 31-26 lead.

Down by five at the break, the Roadrunners turned it on in the third period, outscoring the Aggies 19-9 to take a 45-40 advantage. Proctor and White had five points each in the run and Maya Linton, hustling on both ends of the floor, scored four.

Individuals

New Mexico State — Six-foot forward Tylie Jones scored 17 points and stepped out to hit four of five from the three-point arc. Guards Molly Kaiser and Sabou Gueye had 13 points apiece. Gueye was busy in many facets of the game, gathering seven rebounds (four on the offensive glass) and making four steals. Ene Adams led the Aggies with nine boards.

UTSA — Aysia Proctor scored 19 points and pulled down five rebounds in a little more than 22 minutes off the bench. She scored on drives, from the mid range and at the three-point line, where she knocked down two of three. Kyra White was all over the place on the box score, including scoring (13 points), rebounding (eight), assists (three) and steals (three). Idara Udo snared a team-high 11 rebounds, blocked two shots and scored two points. Elyssa Coleman, who was held scoreless before fouling out at Arizona State, bounced back with a seven-point, seven-rebound and four-block showing against New Mexico State.

Idara Udo (No. 25) had a key blocked shot with 7 seconds left. UTSA beat New Mexico State 58-55 in women's basketball on Friday, Nov. 10, 2023, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

A moment to celebrate came late in the fourth quarter as UTSA players held on for their first victory of the season. – Photo by Joe Alexander