By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Sophomore Baboucarr Njie enjoyed a career day as the UTSA Roadrunners won their first game of the season against NCAA Division I competition, turning back the Denver Pioneers, 84-79.

Baboucarr Njie led UTSA to its first win of the season against NCAA Division I competition with 23 points and 12 rebounds. – File photo by Joe Alexander

It was also UTSA’s first road win of the season, which played out on the home court of the Pioneers, from The Summit League. Njie scored a double double with 23 points and 12 rebounds for the Roadrunners.

Jamir Simpson scored 20 points and Austin Nunez added 16. As a result, UTSA improved to 2-2 on the season, snapping a two-game losing streak that raised questions about the team’s offensive capabilities.

UTSA put some of those concerns to rest against the Pioneers, hitting 51.8 percent from the field and 47.8 from three-point distance. Denver also played well offensively, hitting 45 percent afield, including 54.5 percent in the hectic second half.

Guard Carson Johnson erupted for 29 points and forward Jeremiah Burke added 23 for the Pioneers, who fell to 1-3. After intermission, Johnson scored 15 points in a row for the Pioneers.

A Zane Nelson three-pointer erased what had been an eight-point halftime deficit and tied the game, 46-46, with 15:49 remaining. From there, it was a one or two possession battle the rest of the way.

In the last two minutes, Nunez carried the Roadrunners home, producing six of the team’s last eight points. After the Pioneers pulled to within two, the former San Antonio schoolboy from Wagner drove into the lane and was fouled, hitting both free throws.

Later, he added a floater from close range with 31 seconds remaining and two game-clinching free throws with nine seconds left. Nunez finished five of 11 from the field, two of six from three and four of five at the line.

It was a welcome sign for the Roadrunners after the Arizona State transfer had struggled with two of 23 shooting combined in losses to SIU Edwardsville at home and against Texas State on the road.

In the offseason, Njie made major improvements in his game. He was coming off a freshman season in which he averaged only 2.4 points and 2.7 rebounds.

This year, Njie is a different player, ranking second on the team in scoring at 11.8 points, while shooting 54.3 percent. He’s also second on the team in rebounding at 7.5.

His scoring and rebounding totals against Denver both ranked as career highs. Offensively, Njie hit nine of 17 shots from the field, including two first-half dunks. On the boards, he pulled down three off the offensive glass.

Records

UTSA 2-2
Denver 1-3

Coming up

Southwestern Christian at UTSA, Tuesday, 11 a.m.

Notable

After defeating the non-NCAA College of Biblical Studies 97-30 in their opener, the Roadrunners stepped into Division I competition with a home game against the SIU Edwardsville Cougars and a road contest at the Texas State Bobcats. The Roadrunners lost 77-60 to the Cougars and 80-69 to the Bobcats.

In the two games, the team shot a combined 43 of 130 from the field. They also hit only 14 of 55 from three. Playing out of state for the first time this season, the Roadrunners found the range against the Pioneers, hitting 29 of 56 afield and 11 of 23 from beyond the arc.