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UTSA wins 6-5 in 11 innings to complete an AAC series sweep over Memphis

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The day started with the American Athletic Conference-leading UTSA Roadrunners looking a little out of sorts.

Maybe it was the noon start on a muggy Sunday in San Antonio. Maybe it was a lack of concentration after scoring a combined 29 runs in a pair of run-rule decisions over the past few days. Whatever it was, they fell behind by two in the first inning, and, before anyone knew it, the last-place Memphis Tigers had gained some swagger and momentum.

By the eighth, the visitors looked absolutely salty, surging again into a two-run lead. But it didn’t last long.

The Roadrunners found their groove, scratching out two runs in the bottom of the eighth to tie, before they walked it off in the 11th. With the bases loaded and two out, Ty Hodge belted a drive that sailed over centerfielder Cade Greer, bringing home the winning run in a 6-5 victory that gave the Roadrunners a series sweep over the Tigers at Roadrunner Field.

In response, UTSA players chased Hodge into the outfield, whooping it up and celebrating like the kids that they are. All of them enjoying another magic moment in a season that has potential to produce a few more scenes just like this one.

“It was a fun game,” Hodge said. “Obviously, walk offs are always fun. Yeah, it was a good game. They played well. I thought we played pretty well. Just didn’t hit as well as we have the past two days, but that’s baseball. But, yeah, we put ourselves in a position to win at the end. They gave me a good pitch to hit and got the job done.”

Even if the game wasn’t a runaway success like the 12-2 and 17-7 victories on Friday and Saturday, respectively, Hodge and the Roadrunners will take it, especially after digging deep to come back at the end.

“We handled it well,” Hodge said. “Our team’s got a lot of fighters. We’re never out of it. Yeah, extra innings are fun. We were ready for the challenge, and got it done.”

After opening the season in February with a 1-3 record, the Roadrunners (33-10, 15-3 in the AAC) have morphed into a confident bunch of guys with players up and down the lineup and all through the pitching staff contributing. They have won games by lopsided scores. They’ve won the close ones. They’re winning at home (22-2) and on the road (11-8).

Picked to finish fourth in conference, they have played six three-game AAC series and have won them all, including three sweeps, to forge a three-game lead over the second-place South Florida Bulls. Over the next three weeks, UTSA has 11 games to play in the regular season and nine in conference.

As for their next challenge, they’ll play an out-of-conference game Tuesday night on the road against the rival Texas State Bobcats, before they take to the road again to face the Bulls in a No. 1 vs. No. 2 AAC series next weekend.

UTSA coach Pat Hallmark said his team will be ready to play in the Interstate 35 rivalry right after an emotional series against Memphis and just before it faces the Bulls starting Friday night in Tampa, Fla.

“I don’t mind it,” Hallmark said. “I mean, (the Bobcats) are good. They’re always good. Coach (Steve) Trout does a good job. I know what you’re talking about, with the emotions, just after this emotional game. And then the big games this (next) weekend (in Florida). You worry about a trap game, or something. But we’ll be ready. Texas State will be ready, too.”

In the series finale, Memphis (16-27, 4-14) played the best game of the weekend, by far. Centerfielder Cade Greer went three for five at the plate and robbed Hodge of the game-winning hit in the bottom of the ninth. With base runners at first and second, Hodge lifted a fly ball into the outfield. Greer may have misplayed it initially, but in recovery, he raced in and dove to catch it.

It was a game-saving play, for sure.

In addition, Justin Fogel went two for four and blasted a solo home run in the top of the eighth that gave Memphis a 5-3 lead. As for the pitching, relievers Davis Oswalt, Will Howell and Brayden Sanders combined to pitch the last eight and a third innings, holding the explosive Roadrunners to four runs on seven hits.

For the Roadrunners, Hodge shined for the third day in a row with a two-for-five performance, driving in two in the process. Norris McClure and Andrew Stucky also had a couple of hits apiece. In power production, Stucky and James Taussig delivered with solo home runs. Stucky pulled one over the left field wall in the third inning and Taussig hammered his third of the series in the fourth.

With UTSA trailing by two entering the bottom of the eighth, McClure started the rally against Howell with a one-out single and advanced on a wild pitch. Hodge followed by stroking an RBI single through the right side. A key sequence ensued with Broc Parmer ripped a Harris fastball down the right field line for an RBI triple to knot the score at 5-5.

Another turning point came when Connor Kelley entered the game to pitch in relief in the ninth. Kelley, pinpointing a fastball clocked as high as 97 mph, retired nine batters in a row through the next three innings. It set the stage for the Roadrunners to win it in the bottom of the 11th, and that’s what happened.

Facing Sanders, freshman Jordan Ballin and Stucky drew back-to-back walks. Getting a little rattled after being called for a pitch-clock violation on a ball-four call, Sanders fired a ball that grazed Norris McClure, a hit-by-pitch that loaded the bases. From there, Hodge did the rest.

After working the count to 3-2, he hit a ball over Greer’s head in center, scoring Ballin with the winning run. As a result, Kelley (2-0) was awarded with the victory. Sanders (0-1) took the loss.

Records

Memphis 16-27, 4-14
UTSA 33-10, 15-3

Coming up

UTSA at Texas State (non conference), Tuesday at 6 p.m.
UTSA at South Florida, Friday
UTSA at South Florida, Saturday
UTSA at South Florida, Sunday

AAC leaders

UTSA 15-3
South Florida 12-6
Charlotte 11-7

JB’s video replay

Zach Royse strikes out nine as UTSA run-rules Memphis, 12-2

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Zach Royse. UTSA beat Memphis 12-2 in seven innings in American Athletic Conference baseball at Roadrunner Field on Friday, April 25, 2025. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Zach Royse pitched six innings and allowed only a run on four hits against Memphis. He struck out nine and walked two. – Photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

After UTSA dismantled the Memphis Tigers 12-2 in a seven-inning, run-rule decision Friday night, pitching seemed to be top of mind for Roadrunners coach Pat Hallmark. Particularly, the work of starter Zach Royse, who yielded one run and struck out nine in six easy-going innings.

“Royse has had a very good year,” Hallmark said, “very consistent, mature, all these things we like. Reliable. But I thought tonight he had his best stuff, which is saying something, because he’s usually (at) 93 miles an hour, and I haven’t seen the velocities, but it looked a little firmer tonight.

Ty Hodge home run. UTSA beat Memphis 12-2 in seven innings in American Athletic Conference baseball at Roadrunner Field on Friday, April 25, 2025. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Ty Hodge gets the flying arm bump after his sixth-inning grand slam against the Memphis Tigers. – Photo by Joe Alexander

“Yeah, it looked tough. The breaker looked harder (with more depth). Really, just a great job by him.”

The Roadrunners played what Hallmark called a “clean game” on defense with no errors, and they also stroked 14 hits on offense — including a three-run homer by James Taussig and a grand slam by Ty Hodge — to maintain a two-game lead on the South Florida Bulls in the American Athletic Conference.

The Bulls won on the road, downing the Wichita State Shockers, 4-1, to stay within two of the top spot in the AAC standings. The Roadrunners, meanwhile, held serve with their 31st victory of the season. On pace to win 40, UTSA improved to 31-10 overall and to 13-3 in the AAC.

Afterward, Royse said he just feels good physically at this point in the season, which is obviously a good thing for the Roadrunners. His mix of off speed and fastball may have been the key. He agreed that his heater may have been “a tick” harder than usual against Memphis.

“It’s just the time of the year, getting later toward the end of the season,” Royse said. “Body’s feeling good. You know, I’ve been throwing for quite awhile.” Asked if the warm weather helps, the 6-foot-3, 235-pound junior from Katy said it “definitely” does.

The Roadrunners backed Royse (6-4) by erupting for three runs in the third inning, five in the fifth and four more in the sixth. Taussig ripped his fifth home run of the season in the fifth by pulling it far over the right field wall. Hodge, not to be outdone, smacked his fourth of the year in the sixth.

Drew Detlefsen. UTSA beat Memphis 12-2 in seven innings in American Athletic Conference baseball at Roadrunner Field on Friday, April 25, 2025. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Drew Detlefsen executes a head-first slide at home to score in UTSA’s five-run fifth inning. – Photo by Joe Alexander

On both occasions, Roadrunners who were not even in the game got in on the act, greeting both Taussig and Hodge on the dugout steps after their trip around the bases with the customary ‘boom’ celebration. In the celebration, everyone jumps, and the home run hitter makes contact with someone on a flying arm bump.

The “boom” is emblematic of a close bond that has developed among players over the course of the season. Royse said he thinks the cohesive nature of the group may be what separates UTSA from teams that aren’t winning as much. “Our camaraderie is really great,” he said. “You know, all the guys are together. It’s been a good time.”

Records

Memphis 16-25, 4-12
UTSA 31-10, 13-3

Coming up

Memphis at UTSA, Saturday, 4 p.m.
Memphis at UTSA, Sunday, noon
UTSA at Texas State (non conference), Tuesday, 6 p.m.

Notable

UTSA has hit six grand slams this season, including one each in the last two games.

In the Roadrunners’ previous outing, last Saturday at home, Diego Diaz hit one in the second inning of a 25-5 victory over the Tulane Green Wave. In the sixth inning against Memphis, Hodge smashed one off reliever Malik Harris, pulling a line drive over the left field wall, scoring Taussig, Drew Detlefsen and Jordan Ballin ahead of him.

With the win against the Tigers, Roadrunners can now clinch the series with a victory on Saturday afternoon. Righthander Braylon Owens will get the start. Already, UTSA has won all five of its AAC series this season — against Charlotte, Florida Atlantic, UAB, Wichita State and Tulane. UTSA closes conference with road series at South Florida and East Carolina and then a home series against Rice.

The Roadrunners are 20-2 at home.

AAC leaders

UTSA 13-3, 31-10
South Florida 11-5, 23-16
Charlotte 10-6, 24-17

James Taussig. UTSA beat Memphis 12-2 in seven innings in American Athletic Conference baseball at Roadrunner Field on Friday, April 25, 2025. - Photo by Joe Alexander

James Taussig acknowledges his teammates after ripping a three-run homer in the fifth inning against Memphis starter Seth Garner. – Photo by Joe Alexander

No. 16 Memphis men beat UTSA 75-70 to claim share of AAC crown and No. 1 tournament seed

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Jonnivius Smith. Memphis beat UTSA 75-70 in American Athletic Conference men's basketball on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Jonnivius Smith led the Roadrunners with 18 and hit three shots from behind the 3-point arc as UTSA played Memphis to the wire, only to fall in the final seconds. The Roadrunners dropped to 11-18 on the season and to 5-12 in the American Athletic Conference. – Photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

This time a year ago, the Memphis Tigers were in the midst of a frustrating collapse.

With one of the most talented rosters in the American Athletic Conference, they started the season 15-2, only to drop eight of their last 15 games.

In the AAC tournament, they entered as the No. 5 seed and then lost to the 12th-seeded Wichita State Shockers in the second round.

Memphis coach Penny Hardaway. Memphis beat UTSA 75-70 in American Athletic Conference men's basketball on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Memphis coach Penny Hardaway has guided his team to a 25-5 record, including 15-2 in the AAC. — Photo by Joe Alexander.

Before the NIT even offered them a chance to continue their season, Tigers coach Penny Hardaway stated that they would not play, despite having 22 wins on their ledger.

With a revamped roster and coaching staff this season, the Tigers have made amends. Ranked 16th in the nation in both polls, they claimed at least a share of the AAC men’s basketball title Tuesday night with a 75-70 victory over the UTSA Roadrunners at the Convocation Center.

“It’s a great feeling, coming from where we were last year,” Hardaway said. “Great feeling to have the opportunity to go back home for one more game and have it all.”

If the 25-win Tigers can beat the South Florida Bulls on Friday at home, they will lock up the title outright, a first for the program in 12 years and a first for Hardaway in his seven years as the Memphis head coach.

A close battle, down to the wire, unfolded in the last minute. With Memphis leading a UTSA team playing without senior forward Raekwon Horton by only two points, players from both teams couldn’t capitalize on opportunities to score.

For the Tigers, forward Nicholas Jordain missed a couple of free throws and Dain Dainja turned it over against an aggressive Roadrunners’ defense.

For UTSA, guard Primo Spears missed a driving layup in traffic with about 50 seconds left and hit only the rim on a three-point attempt with 12 seconds remaining.

Later, Memphis guard PJ Haggerty sank six straight free throws in the final 10 seconds to seal it.

“Just a great battle,” Roadrunners coach Austin Claunch said. “First of all, congratulations to Memphis. I do think they clinched a share tonight. A regular season championship. It’s a great accomplishment.

“Coach Hardaway’s done a great job. So to them and their fan base, congrats.”

In facing Memphis, UTSA was attempting to become the first team at the school in 30 years to beat a ranked opponent. The Roadrunners did it in December of the 1994-95 season, when they upset No. 13 Arizona State on the road, 87-85 in overtime, at Tempe.

Claunch said he’s extremely proud to have taken a team that has lost only twice during the AAC schedule right down to the wife.

“That’s a good feeling when you battle a team that is as (highly) regarded as Memphis is, and we’re right there,” he said. “You know, just a couple of shots at the end. One of those goes in and we’re sitting here feeling so different.”

UTSA sophomore Marcus Millender supplied some drama at the end when he hit a pull-up three with a second left to make it a three-point game, giving the Roadrunners hope if they could steal the inbounds.

But Memphis inbounded successfully to Haggerty, who was fouled and made both freebies with five tenths of a second left for the last points of the game.

“It’s one of those things,” Claunch said. “It never feels good to lose, but we understand what lies ahead, and we’re extremely confident, and we’re starting to play our best ball right when we knew we wanted to.”

The Roadrunners will play Sunday at Charlotte to close out the regular season before turning their attention next week to the conference tournament.

“Not exactly how we wanted to finish out in the Convo,” the coach said. “But I know these guys are ready to get back out here and get ready for Sunday and then get to Fort Worth and make some noise.”

Records

Memphis 25-5, 15-2
UTSA 11-18, 5-12

Coming up

UTSA at Charlotte, Sunday, 3 p.m.

Notable

UTSA senior forward Raekwon Horton apparently did not attend the game, with Claunch saying he was “away on personal leave.”

Asked if he knew whether Horton would be available for the regular-season finale and the tournament, Claunch said he’d have more information in a couple of days.

Playing without a key player in the lineup has been nothing new for the Roadrunners this season. It’s happened at least a half dozen times, when the team has needed to adjust the starting five and the rotation for someone unavailable to play.

Through it all, the team never seems to lose its competitive edge. And, for the most part, things run smoothly with the available players. UTSA could have used Horton against Memphis, for sure. But the Roadrunners played hard and were in it until the end without him.

Claunch, flanked by Jo Smith and Primo Spears in the post-game, said the resilience to play through the setbacks is a product of his players’ collective will.

“It’s these guys,” the coach said, nodding at Smith and Spears. “It’s these guys’ commitment to work and their maturity and their character. Listen, we have a really good team. When someone is out, these guys are capable.

“Like you said, we’ve had different guys out, and we’ve stepped up. That’s a testament to these guys’ commitment to work and belief in each other. And certainly, yeah, you want it always to be 100 percent. But that’s just not realistic.”

Individuals

Memphis — Forward Dain Dainja, a 6-9, 255-pounder, wowed the crowd with a flying dunk off a turnover in the second half and finished with a team-high 19 points. Dainja also was efficient, hitting eight of 12 from the field, and he was physical, pulling down eight rebounds. Guard PJ Haggerty scored 18, making 12 of 13 at the free-throw line. Forward Nicholas Jourdain had a solid line with 13 points, eight rebounds and two blocks. Guard Colby Rogers scored 10.

UTSA — Forward Jonnivius Smith came off the bench to lead the Roadrunners with 18 points. With Memphis paying special attention to Primo Spears, Marcus Millender and Damari Monsanto, Smith stepped out and knocked down three of four from the 3-point line. He also had seven rebounds and two blocks. Millender scored 16, Spears 14 and Tai’Reon Joseph 12. UTSA’s three-point specialists — Monsanto, Millender and Spears – hit a combined five of 23 from beyond the arc against the Tigers.

UTSA’s Spears developed a ‘fire in his gut’ after a scary elbow injury in high school

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Primo Spears. The UTSA men's basketball team beat Trinity 103-77 on Monday, Nov. 4, 2024, at the Convocation Center. - photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA senior guard Primo Spears likely will play his last home game for the Roadrunners Tuesday night against the 18th-ranked Memphis Tigers. – File photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

I feel extremely fortunate to have seen senior guard Amir “Primo” Spears play basketball this season at UTSA.

As Roadrunners coach Austin Claunch says, Spears likely will be playing the game for “a long time” after he leaves the hills of oak and cedar, so to watch him closely at this stage of his development has been a real treat.

To have the opportunity to sit at courtside again Tuesday night when the Roadrunners are scheduled to host the 16th-ranked Memphis Tigers, in what likely will be Spears’ last home game at UTSA, well, that will be pretty cool, too.

Primo Spears at UTSA men's basketball senior day 2025.

Amir “Primo” Spears holds a framed memento of his No. 1 jersey during Sunday’s Senior Day celebration. His father, Amir “Big Primo” Spears, is third from the left. – File photo by Joe Alexander

Before the Tigers and the Roadrunners tip off, though, I wanted to share some insight into what makes Spears the athlete that we see today. The player who brings constant energy. The guy who has led the team in scoring, dazzling all year long with a variety of drives, spin moves and jumpers.

I mean, we’re talking about a kid who has played four seasons at four different schools – Duquesne, Georgetown, Florida State and now UTSA — and has scored 1,687 points.

Last fall, a few games into his first season with the Roadrunners, I had a chance to chat with him about a harrowing experience he had when he was a prep standout from Hartford, Conn., and how it shaped his career.

A harrowing experience

Here’s what happened: In the summer between his freshman and sophomore year of high school, Spears had already emerged as a highly-rated basketball prospect.

How good was he? His father, Amir “Big Primo” Spears, said St. John’s University offered his son a scholarship as an eighth-grader.

Given his burgeoning prowess on the court, “Little Primo” was in New York City in August of 2017 after his ninth-grade year, playing in an all-star game with some of the best ballers in the Northeast as his father watched from the grandstands.

During the game, late in the second half, a player on the opposing team drove down the left side of the lane to the basket. Spears leaped to defend the play and was undercut, causing him to fall.

Marcus Millender and Primo Spears celebrate after Millender made a shot to give UTSA a 79-75 lead with 44.5 seconds left. East Carolina beat UTSA 80-79 at the Convocation Center in American Athletic Conference men's basketball on Saturday, Feb. 2025. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Marcus Millender (4) and Primo Spears (1) celebrate after Millender made a shot against East Carolina. Spears and Millender, a sophomore, have formed a high-scoring tandem in the UTSA backcourt. – File photo by Joe Alexander

To brace himself, he put his left hand down on the floor, and the impact sent a jolt through his arm that, ultimately, would threaten to alter the course of his career.

Spears didn’t know what had happened initially, but he knew it was bad when he looked at his elbow and saw bone protruding through the skin.

Immediately, “Big Primo” rushed out of the stands at the New York Gauchos’ facility to see what had happened. Shocked at the severity of the injury, father and son tried to sort out their next move.

They decided against seeking help at a hospital in New York and elected to drive home to Hartford, a trip that would take two hours.

“One of the worst days of my life,” “Big Primo” said in a telephone interview on Monday. Asked what he thought and felt immediately after he fell, “Little Primo” said his arm initially just felt numb.

“Somebody tried to help me up,” he recalled. “And when I looked down, that’s when I felt the pain and I (saw) the bone. The pain was just relentless.”

Spears said he didn’t want to seek treatment in New York because he knew he would be uncomfortable coming out of the emergency room, still so far away from home.

As he recalled, he said he instead took “six or seven Tylenol” for the drive back to Connecticut.

When doctors examined him in Hartford, it was determined that he had a “Terrible Triad Injury.” In other words, he dislocated his elbow, fractured the head and neck of his radial bone and ruptured an adjacent ligament.

A ‘devastating’ injury

Kevin Burton, an orthopedist in Hartford who repaired the elbow surgically, said in a video years later that “these are devastating injuries and often can be career ending.”

He said the initial procedure was critical to his patient’s recovery.

Primo Spears. UTSA men's basketball lost to Tulsa 82-77 in American Athletic Conference action on Monday, Jan. 7, 2024, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Guard Primo Spears drives the ball on the Tulsa Golden Hurricane on Jan. 7 at the Convocation Center. – File photo by Joe Alexander

“I was happy to get all the pieces back together,” Burton said in a video taped at the ceremony when Spears signed in 2021 with Duquesne. “That was my goal, and I didn’t have to replace the radial head, which was an achievement for the night.”

At that point, the doctor said, he knew there was a possibility that Spears could come back to play competitive sports again.

Spears said he remembers going through three procedures, or, operations.

The first came on the day of the mishap, to pop the elbow back into place. The second followed some five days later when more extensive repair was done, with the insertion of a plate and four rods.

A third followed a few months later when doctors took bone from his wrist and grafted it to the elbow.

“We had to do a bone graft to get the fracture to heal,” Burton said. “So, fortunately, a few months after that, he did go on to heal and complete the recovery process.”

Burton applauded Spears for doing the work.

“Those are tough injuries,” the doctor said. “Recovery is painful. It’s hard. It’s very hard. And he did the work. It takes a lot of grit and determination to get back from this injury, and defy all those odds, and that’s what he did.”

A proud father

“Big Primo” Spears sat and watched in the Convocation Center on Sunday night as his son hit six three point shots and scored 25 to help lead an 84-56 victory over the Rice Owls. He plans to stay in town to watch the Memphis game, as well.

In a telephone interview on Monday, “Big Primo” said his son’s experience with a major injury and extensive rehabilitation at such a young age, however traumatic, helped him develop “a fire in his gut” for competition.

He said his son suffered in the days after the injury with pain medications and their side effects, which led to stomach aches and a loss of appetite. As a result, his son lost weight.

After the bone graft surgery, the grind continued. He started working with physical therapists on conditioning.

“Through it all, I think it built a lot of character in him,” “Big Primo” said. “Ever since he was three years old, he’s played football and basketball all year long. I think it brought a lot of structure and a lot of character and work ethic.

“When that’s taken from you, you feel like your world’s coming to an end. So , it was tough not to play any sports that year. This happened after his freshman year. He already had his first offer from St. John’s, so it was tough.

“There were doctors who didn’t think they’d be able to put (his elbow) back together to where he’d be an elite athlete again. So, in our minds, he beat the odds. We feel like, in his journey, it built a lot of character and a lot of fire in his gut.”

“Big Primo” said he doesn’t think the injury has limited his son physically in any way.

“No, not at all,” he said. “That arm is about as strong as it’s ever been, thanks to some amazing doctors … from Hartford HealthCare, with Dr. Burton and Jeff Flaks, the CEO. I think he’s stronger than ever.”

Anyone watching Windsor High School athletics teams at that time of his return knew that “Little Primo” was on his way back.

After he was cleared, he played basketball as a junior in 2018-19 and averaged 25.3 points, 9.5 rebounds and two steals, leading the Warriors to a runner-up finish in the Division I state championship tournament.

By the next year, as a senior, he played both football and basketball. In football, he made all state, pulling double duty at both cornerback and wide receiver.

“Little Primo” said he really wanted to play football all four years in high school. When he brought up the idea of playing his junior year, immediately after his year-long rehabilitation, he said his parents were opposed to it.

Told what his son had said, “Big Primo” laughed. “Oh, my gosh,” he said. “He snuck on the football field (as a senior) and by the end of the year he was all state and had Power Five interest.”

“Little Primo” often calls “Big Primo” his best friend.

“He’s the one that put the ball in my hands,” he said.

Leaving a legacy

It’s safe to say that Austin Claunch, in his first year with the Roadrunners, is one coach who is happy that Primo Spears gave up running pass routes on a football field to devote his time to shooting jumpers in a basketball gym.

Even though the Roadrunners haven’t been as successful as the coach has wanted to this point, Claunch applauded the example set by Spears, Raekwon Horton and Damari Monsanto. UTSA saluted those three in “Senior Day” ceremonies before the Rice game.

“Senior Day is always a special moment,” Claunch said. “Especially in (this) being our first year here (as coaches). Those are three guys who could have gone to a lot of places. They took a leap of faith and came here to begin the process of building something.”

Claunch said he knew about Spears’ elbow injury from high school, but he said the two never discussed it at length. One thing he does know is that he will miss his leadership and the way he plays the game.

He’s averaging 20 points, which is a career best. He’s also averaged 3.8 rebounds and 1.7 steals.

Showing off his improved three-point shooting — 37 percent for the season — he hit six from beyond the arc against Rice, all of them in the second half, no less. The Owls would try to defend him with different looks, but it didn’t matter.

Sometimes they would switch and send one of their taller players out to meet him. Spears would merely take a step or two back and shoot another rainbow, higher and farther, with the same results.

“You guys see the end product,” Claunch said. “We see him in the gym three times a day. Some of those shots don’t look as open for some people (shooting them), but these are things he’s working on every single day, and I see him make ‘em at a consistent level.”

In the book on Primo Spears, Claunch joked that he’ll probably be mentioned on one “little” page. That may be the case, but, oh, what a story it’s been. I’m just happy to have chronicled some of it.

Records

Memphis 24-5, 14-2
UTSA 11-17, 5-11

Coming up

Memphis at UTSA, tonight, 6
UTSA at Charlotte, Sunday, 3 p.m.
(end of regular season)
UTSA at AAC tournament, March 12-16

Notable

A UTSA victory tonight would be the program’s first in 30 years over a Top 25 team. The last time a Roadrunners’ men’s basketball team defeated a ranked opponent, they beat the 13th-ranked Arizona State Sun Devils 87-85 in overtime in the 1994-95 season, on Dec. 18, 1994, at Tempe, Ariz.

The 16th-ranked Memphis Tigers hold a one-game lead in the AAC standings with two to play and can clinch at least a tie for the title and the No. 1 seed in the tournament if they can beat the Roadrunners tonight.

It would be the first regular-season title at Memphis for seventh-year coach Penny Hardaway and the first for the Tigers men’s basketball overall since 2013. They close out their schedule on Friday at home against South Florida.

The Tigers are 14-2, followed by North Texas Mean Green at 13-3. North Texas (22-3 on the season) plays at home Thursday night against the Charlotte 49ers and on the road Sunday against the Temple Owls.

Memphis has the head-to-head tiebreaker on North Texas. The Tigers won at home on Jan. 5, beating the Mean Green, 68-64. The Tigers, led by the backcourt of PJ Haggerty, Tyrese Hunter and Colby Rogers, have won three straight and 11 of their last 12.

Guard PJ Carter, who played last season at UTSA, comes off the bench for the Tigers.

UTSA women win to clinch a top-four seed, double bye in American conference tournament

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Idara Udo. UTSA beat Memphis 80-61 in American Athletic Conference women's basketball at the Convocation Center on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Idara Udo produced 14 points and 13 rebounds in an 80-61 victory over the Memphis Tigers. Udo, a 6-foot-1 sophomore from Plano, has notched three double doubles with points and rebounds in the last four games. – Photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The UTSA Roadrunners broke away in the second half on Saturday to rout the Memphis Tigers, 80-61, winning their 22nd game of the season, extending their school-record homecourt winning streak to 15 and clinching a double bye in the American Athletic Conference tournament.

With the double bye, UTSA will bypass the first two days and start the tournament in the quarterfinals on March 10 in Fort Worth, needing only three wins in three days to win the title.

“First of all, I just want to say thanks to everyone that came out today,” UTSA coach Karen Aston said. “That’s what we’ve been saying repeatedly the last few home games. But it took the cake today. I thought they were really, really good and loud and excited about being here.”

Karen Aston. UTSA beat Memphis 80-61 in American Athletic Conference women's basketball at the Convocation Center on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA coach Karen Aston applauded the marketing team and administrators for their work in helping to bring out a crowd of 1,523. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Officials announced the crowd at 1,523, the largest of the season.

“They’re still out there getting autographs,” Aston said in the postgame media session. “So, just kudos to everyone who is making that happen. Our marketing group. Our administration. I mean, there’s been a lot of effort in getting the community to pay attention to our team.”

Naturally, the resurgence in women’s basketball at UTSA can be traced most directly to the work of the coaches and the players, who have won more games than all but two other teams in the 44-year history of the program.

Their efforts have pushed the pace since Day 1 last summer. As a result, the first-place Roadrunners (22-3, 13-1) will have a chance in the last few weeks to win a conference regular-season title, even though the second-place South Florida Bulls (18-8, 11-2) seem determined to take it down to the wire.

UTSA plays three of its last four on the road, starting with a road game at Rice next Saturday. A regular-season crown doesn’t guarantee a berth in the NCAA tournament, which is the team’s ultimate goal, but it is something that the Roadrunners would like to accomplish.

“It’s really important,” UTSA center Idara Udo said. “That was one of our goals for the season. So I think that with four games left, it’s kind of like the final stretch, like, the last lap in the race.

Nina De Leon Negron. UTSA beat Memphis 80-61 in American Athletic Conference women's basketball at the Convocation Center on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Nina De Leon Negron led the Roadrunners in scoring with 16 points. She also snared five rebounds and passed for six assists against only one turnover. – Photo by Joe Alexander

“Now more than ever, we’re just honed in on trying to get a ring from the conference, but also keeping our minds on the American tournament and the NCAA tournament.

“I think our team is always thinking one step ahead,” Udo continued. “So, I think we have our minds set, still locked in, in the moment, but our minds are on what’s ahead, as well.”

Trailing by 12 points at one juncture in the second quarter, the Roadrunners started to play better defense and pulled to within two at halftime. Clamping down further on the Tigers’ shooters in the second half, they turned it into a run-away.

On a day when Jordyn Jenkins spent much of her afternoon on the bench in foul trouble, guard Nina De Leon Negron led the Roadrunners with 16 points. Guard Aysia Proctor hit some big shots in the second half and finished with 15.

Udo contributed a double double with 14 points and 13 rebounds.

Guard Tanyuel Welch led the Tigers with 16 points and nine rebounds. Backcourt mate Tilly Boler scored 12 but was limited to five of 19 shooting from the field. Alasia Smith had 10 points and seven rebounds.

First half

Playing at a fast pace, the Memphis Tigers built a 12-point lead in the second quarter and withstood a UTSA rally in the last six minutes to take a 40-38 lead into the dressing room at intermission.

Jordyn Jenkins. UTSA beat Memphis 80-61 in American Athletic Conference women's basketball at the Convocation Center on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA star Jordyn Jenkins scored eight points on a day when she picked up four fouls in 15 minutes. Jenkins played only six minutes in the second half when the Roadrunners blew out the Tigers, 42-21. – Photo by Joe Alexander

After the home team Roadrunners played even with the visitors in the first quarter, the Tigers broke from a 19-19 tie and forged a 14-2 run over a four-minute span.

Memphis scored nine straight points, a streak capped by a three pointer from forward Tamya Smith, to build a 33-21 advantage.

With Jordyn Jenkins on the bench in foul trouble, the Roadrunners came back. They authored a 17-4 run, highlighted by eight points from guard Aysia Proctor.

A Cheyenne Rowe layup tied the game 38-all with 43 seconds remaining. Tanyuel Welch hit a couple of free throws with 12.3 seconds left for the final points of the half.

Welch had 11 points and Tilly Boler 10 to lead the Tigers. Nina De Leon Negron had nine points and Proctor eight for the Roadrunners.

Records

Memphis 6-18, 4-9
UTSA 22-3, 13-1

Coming up

UTSA at Rice, Saturday, Feb. 22, 4 p.m.
UTSA at Tulane, Tuesday, Feb. 25, 6:30 p.m.
Florida Atlantic at UTSA, Saturday, March 1, noon.
UTSA at East Carolina, Tuesday, March 4, 5 p.m.
(End of regular season)

AAC tournament
At Dickies Arena, Fort Worth

March 8 – First round (at Denton): Game One, 13 seed vs. 12 seed, noon
(All remaining games at Dickies Arena, in Fort Worth)
March 9 – Second round: Game Two, 9 seed vs. 8 at noon; Game Three, 13 or 12 vs. 5 at 2 p.m.; Game Four, 10 vs. 7 at 6 p.m.; Game Five, 11 vs. 6 at 8 p.m.
March 10 — Quarterfinals: Game Six, Game Two winner vs. No. 1 seed, noon; Game Seven, Game Three winner vs. No. 4 seed, 2 p.m.; Game Eight, Game Four winner vs. No. 2 seed, 6 p.m.; Game Nine, Game Five winner vs. No. 3 seed, 8 p.m.
March 11 — Semifinals: Game 10, Game Six winner vs. Game Seven winner, 6 p.m.; Game 11, Game Eight winner vs. Game Nine winner, 8 p.m.
March 12 — Finals: Game 12, Game 10 winner vs. Game 11 winner, 6 p.m.

Aysia Proctor. UTSA beat Memphis 80-61 in American Athletic Conference women's basketball at the Convocation Center on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2025. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Aysia Proctor, a UTSA sophomore from Clemens, matched the speed of the Memphis Tigers’ guards and scored 15 points off the bench. She scored eight in the second quarter to spark a rally. – Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA women playing for high stakes today at home against Memphis

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Karen Aston. UTSA beat Temple 70-61 on Saturday, Feb. 1, 2025, at the Convocation Center in American Athletic Conference women's basketball. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Coach Karen Aston’s American Athletic Conference-leading UTSA Roadrunners will shoot for their 15th straight win at home today. Tipoff against Memphis is at 2 p.m.

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Coach Karen Aston’s UTSA Roadrunners have always dreamed of playing in the NCAA tournament, but not until this season have they won enough games through the middle of February to be regarded as the favorite in their own conference to claim a coveted bid.

In the last two years, the Roadrunners have made enough noise to this point in the season that they entered the NCAA discussion. But never have they achieved so much with five games remaining in the regular season to claim status as the team to beat.

UTSA hopes to burnish its reputation even further today.

Winners of 21 of 24 games on the season and 14 of their last 15 overall, the first-place Roadrunners host the Memphis Tigers at 2 p.m., wondering in the back of their minds what it would really feel like to see the name of their school in the 68-team NCAA bracket next month.

On one hand, they are faced with the here and now. The Roadrunners nearly lost at Memphis last month, winning 70-68 with a frantic fourth-quarter rally, so they know how hard it will be to beat a team like this for the second time in 32 days.

Then again, as far as the rest of the world in NCAA Division I women’s basketball is concerned, UTSA is in the driver’s seat in the American Athletic Conference. According to ESPN, the Roadrunners are favored to claim the AAC’s automatic bid into the 68-team field.

But here’s where it gets complicated. There are two avenues into the NCAA bracket, the automatic and the at large bid. For UTSA, the automatic is the one avenue upon which it can go about its usual business and control its own destiny.

If they stay hot and keep winning, and they win the AAC tournament in Fort Worth next month, they get the auto bid and the ticket to the Big Dance. Anything less than that, however, it’s a slippery slope toward being left out.

For instance, if the Roadrunners win the regular season title, claim the No. 1 seed in the AAC tournament and then lose in the finals, their fate will be in the hands of an NCAA committee to decide if they are deserving of an at-large bid.

At the moment, if the ESPN analysis is correct, it appears the second-place South Florida Bulls might be the conference’s only hope of snagging one of the at-large spots. The Bulls are the only team in the American on a list of teams ranked just outside the field of 68. They’re ranked 73rd.

Earlier this week, Aston was asked if she was coaching her team as if she believed it needed to sweep to the AAC postseason title to earn its way into the NCAA tournament, and she declined to comment directly, implying that she might have something to say on that front in about 10 days.

So, stay tuned.

Records

Memphis 6-17, 4-8
UTSA 21-3, 12-1

Coming up

Memphis at UTSA, today, 2 p.m.
UTSA at Rice, Saturday, Feb. 22, 4 p.m.
UTSA at Tulane, Tuesday, Feb. 25, 6:30 p.m.
Florida Atlantic at UTSA, Saturday, March 1, noon.
UTSA at East Carolina, Tuesday, March 4, 5 p.m.
(End of regular season)

AAC standings
(Women’s basketball)

UTSA 12-1, 21-3
South Florida 10-2, 17-8
North Texas 10-3, 18-7
Tulane 8-4, 15-8
Temple 8-5, 14-10
Tulsa 6-6, 12-12
UAB 6-7, 15-10
Rice 5-7, 12-12
East Carolina 5-8, 13-12
Memphis 4-8, 6-17
Charlotte 3-9, 8-15
FAU 2-10, 10-15
Wichita State 2-11, 8-18

Saturday’s games

Charlotte at East Carolina, 1 p.m.
South Florida at FAU, 1 p.m.
Memphis at UTSA, 2 p.m.
North Texas at Tulsa, 2 p.m.
Rice at Wichita State, 2 p.m.
Temple at Tulane, 3 p.m.

Streaking UTSA women improve to 15-2 after rallying late to beat Memphis, 70-68

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The UTSA women found a way to win once again, and this time, it wasn’t easy. The Roadrunners erased an 11-point deficit in the final minutes Wednesday to beat the Memphis Tigers, 70-68, for their eighth straight victory.

Outplayed for most of the evening, UTSA outscored Memphis 19-6 in the final 3:32 to win on the road in the American Athletic Conference, improving its school-best start to 15-2. The Roadrunners also broke another school record by starting conference play at 6-0.

Dominating on the boards to make up for 20 turnovers and 37.1 percent shooting, they maintained a one-game lead on the North Texas Mean Green going into Saturday, when they take on the UAB Blazers in Birmingham.

Memphis battled hard all night and nearly beat the AAC’s top team, but a costly mental mistake by the Tigers in the final seconds opened the door for UTSA to win.

With 12 seconds remaining, Memphis forward Alasia Smith posted up and banked in a shot that gave the Tigers a one-point lead.

The Roadrunners, in response, called a 30-second timeout. UTSA forward Idara Udo, making her way back to the visitors’ bench, walked through a group of Memphis players on the floor, only to get a shove in the back.

Udo fell to the floor following the push, and after a lengthy referees’ review of the circumstances, an intentional foul was called on Memphis senior guard Tanyuel Welch. As a result, the Roadrunners were awarded free throws and the ball on the ensuing possession.

With an opportunity to win, Jordyn Jenkins seized it by hitting two free throws with 12.9 seconds left for a 67-66 Roadrunners lead. On the inbounds, Sidney Love was fouled and she, too, hit two freebies.

Now in command and trying to protect a 69-66 lead with 11.6 seconds left, the Roadrunners guarded the perimeter and forced the Tigers to dump it down low, where Smith sank a layup, cutting the UTSA lead to one.

On the next play, Memphis fouled intentionally, putting Love at the line again. Missing the first free throw, she made the second one to give UTSA its 70-68 advantage.

After another Memphis timeout, the Tigers moved the ball to guard Tilly Boler, who missed a three from the corner at the buzzer.

“Tough road game right there,” UTSA coach Karen Aston told the team’s radio broadcast. “I expected (the Tigers) to play really well and they did. Sometimes you just have to give credit to another team.

“Aside from the second quarter (when) we were discombobulated, and we didn’t finish (shots) well, we didn’t play terrible. They just played with a lot of urgency, like a team that needed to come home and win a game.

“We just toughed it out,” Aston continued. “We caught a break there with that intentional foul, but, we just, we found a way. It’s all I can say, because they out-played us today.”

Records

UTSA 15-2, 6-0
Memphis 3-13, 1-4

Coming up

UTSA at UAB, Saturday, 1 p.m.

Individuals

UTSA – Jordyn Jenkins and Idara Udo both notched double doubles. For Jenkins, it was her sixth of the season as she produced 17 points and 10 rebounds. Udo had 12 points and 10 boards as the Roadrunners won the battle on the glass, 45-32. Damara Allen and Aysia Proctor scored 11 each. Allen, a freshman, scored five points in one 14-2 push within UTSA’s late rally.

Memphis – Tilly Boler scored 19 on seven of 14 shooting, including three of six from the 3-point arc. Power forward Alasia Smith guarded Jenkins and Udo and finished with 14 points and 13 rebounds. DeeDee Hagemann and Tanyuel Welch scored 11 apiece.

Notable

A spokesman said UTSA small forward Maya Linton, the team’s defensive stopper and energizer, attended the funeral of her grandmother and was not at the game.

Linton, a junior from Duncanville, will re-join the team on Friday as it travels to Birmingham, Ala. The Roadrunners play at UAB on Saturday.

Additionally, the eight straight wins is the longest streak for the UTSA women in 27 years. The Roadrunners matched eight-game streaks put together on four previous occasions, in 1983-84, ’84-85, ’85-86 and again in 1997-98.

UTSA has won nine in a row twice and 10 straight twice. The longest winning streak in school history is 13, set in the 2002-03 season.

First half

The Memphis Tigers, swarming on defense, forged a 32-26 lead going into intermission by forcing a dozen turnovers and holding the UTSA Roadrunners to 26 percent shooting.

On the offensive end, Tilly Boler tossed in 10 points to lead the Tigers. The 6-foot-1 senior hit four of six shots from the field and two of two from the 3-point line.

Boler hit both of her triples in the second quarter, when the Tigers outscored the Roadrunners, 13-6.

Defensively, Alasia Smith and others confounded UTSA’s Jordyn Jenkins, holding her to three of nine shooting.

Also, a pressing and trapping defense seemed to take Roadrunners point guard Nina De Leon Negron out of her game. Negron had seven of UTSA’s dozen turnovers.

Aysia Proctor came off the bench to lead the Roadrunners with nine points in the half, while Jenkins had eight.

Second half

Despite continued problems with ball handling, the Roadrunners outscored the Tigers 17-10 in the third period to take a 43-42 lead into the fourth. As the forth quarter commenced, Memphis continued to take advantage of UTSA’s spotty offensive possessions, surging on a 20-9 push that ended with a three from Boler with 3:44 remaining. When the shot fell, it pushed the Tigers’ lead to 62-51.

Roadrunners beat the Memphis Tigers to win another road series

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Mason Lytle homered twice for the first time this season and tied a season-high with four RBIs on Sunday as the UTSA Roadrunners moved into first in the American Athletic Conference by beating the Memphis Tigers, 7-5.

The Roadrunners won the finale of a three-game series in Memphis on the strength of hitting by Lytle and James Taussig and the pitching of Fischer Kingsbery, who worked four scoreless innings to close the game.

Lytle went two for four on the day. He homered to lead off the game in the top of the first and added a go-ahead two-run blast in the sixth. Taussig highlighted a three-hit day with a two-run double in the first inning and a solo home run in the seventh.

Kingsbery blanked the Tigers in the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth innings. Allowing no runs on only two hits, he lowered his earned run average to 1.90. Kingsbery struck out five and walked two.

UTSA won two of three over Memphis for its fourth straight series victory in AAC play. Also, the victory pushed the Roadrunners (9-3) into sole possession of first place over the East Carolina Pirates (8-4) in the AAC standings. The Pirates lost 8-7 at home to the Charlotte 49ers.

For Memphis, Will Marcy went four for four, scored a run and produced an RBI. Duane Stuart hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the fifth to lift the Tigers into a 5-4 lead. Lytle answered in the top of the sixth with a two-run shot of his own, pushing the Roadrunners ahead 6-5.

Third baseman Ty Tilson made one of the better defensive plays of the day for UTSA in the bottom of the eighth when he took away a hit with a diving grab of a hard-hit ground ball. Tilson came up throwing to get the force at second base. Kingsbery finished the inning by fanning Shane Cox looking.

Series recap

Friday: UTSA wins, 9-6
Saturday: Memphis wins, 12-5
Sunday: UTSA wins, 7-5
UTSA wins series, two games to one

Records

UTSA 21-15, 9-3
Memphis 18-19, 6-6

Coming up

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at UTSA, 6 p.m.

Notable

The Roadrunners improved to 11-4 in their last 15 games. They also remained undefeated at 4-0 on Sundays in AAC play. In UTSA’s inaugural season of play in the conference, it owns series victories over East Carolina (2-1), Tulane (3-0), Charlotte (2-1) and Memphis (2-1).

UTSA won the Tulane and Memphis series on the road …

Ulises Quiroga (4-0) pitched the first five innings to earn the victory. He gave up five runs, all earned, on six hits. Quiroga walked three and struck out four. He yielded home runs to Pierre Seals in the second inning and to Stuart in the fifth. Kingsbery earned his second save of the season. For Memphis, reliever Logan Rushing (0-2) was tagged with the loss …

Mason Lytle had a season high-tying four RBIs, matching the four he had in a series closing victory at Tulane on March 30 …

Correction

An earlier version of this story stated incorrectly that the Roadrunners were tied for first with the East Carolina Pirates in the AAC. Sorry about the error. Here is a look at the top of the standings:

UTSA 9-3, 21-15
East Carolina 8-4, 27-8
South Florida 7-5, 21-15
Wichita State 7-5, 21-16

No. 13 Memphis survives upset bid, downs UTSA 107-101 in OT

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The UTSA men’s basketball team came within a few plays Wednesday night of registering what would have been one of the biggest victories in program history.

The Roadrunners had Coach Penny Hardaway’s Memphis Tigers reeling for much of the game. Memphis fans were stunned when UTSA had a two-point lead with a chance to close out the 13th-ranked team in the nation in the final seconds of regulation.

Just about that time, though, Roadrunners center Massal Diouf was whistled for a moving screen.

A questionable whistle? Replays suggested it could have been a no-call. Regardless, the Tigers knocked down the ensuing two free throws to tie and eventually pushed the game to overtime, when guard Jahvon Quinerly took over and won it for his team, 107-101

Quinerly scored nine points in the extra period, the Tigers survived an inspired upset bid by the Roadrunners and eventually escaped what might have been a disastrous loss for a team looking for a high seed in the NCAA tournament.

UTSA guard Jordan Ivy-Curry, nicknamed ‘Juice’ for a reason, led the Roadrunners with 28 points, nine rebounds and five assists. In an epic shooting performance, he hit six of UTSA’s 17 three-point buckets.

For Memphis, forward David Jones notched a double double with 26 points and 11 rebounds. Quinerly, a transfer from Alabama, finished with 25 points, four rebounds and four assists. Memphis went to the free throw line 43 times and made 30 of them.

As a result, the Tigers improved to 76-10 at home in six seasons under Hardaway, including 8-0 this season.

Records

UTSA 7-9, 1-2
Memphis 14-2, 3-0

Coming up

Charlotte at UTSA, Saturday, 7 p.m.

Notable

In his postgame interview with Andy Everett on KTKR-AM 760, UTSA coach Steve Henson took responsibility for the play that resulted in the foul call on Diouf and praised the effort of his players.

“Proud of our guys,” Henson said. “They did a lot of things well in this game. Look at those turnovers (only eight by UTSA). Memphis thrives off turnovers. They need ’em. We reduced ’em. We did a heck of a job in that regard. Players stepped up.

“(Forward) Chandler Cuthrell came in and gave us a huge lift. Different guys did some terrific things in the game. We got to make one more play in regulation and win the game. I made a terrible (decision).”

On the key play, Ivy-Curry had the ball at the top of the circle, guarded by Jones. As Diouf ran out from the post area to set the screen, Jones turned and was picked as the Ivy-Curry pass zipped inside to forward Dre Fuller Jr.

Fuller was about to dunk it for a four-point lead when officials called the foul, stopped the action and sent Jones to the line on the other end.

“We had the ball in Juice’s hand,” Henson said. “I sent Massal out, not trying to pick. Early in the game, we were picking with the five man (the center) involving (Memphis center Malcolm) Dandridge to get by him. In that (last) case, I just wanted to get Massal out of the paint.

“That’s on me. We didn’t get the shot there.”

Quinerly, interviewed in the postgame by a reporter for ESPN, said he is proud of his teammates for sticking together and winning the close games.

“I’m just proud of the guys,” he said. “Another close one. I think our last five have been close games. We found a way to pull it out. So, I’m proud of the guys.”

Coming in, few observers gave UTSA much of a chance against Memphis.

The Roadrunners, picked to finish last in the American Athletic Conference, entered the FedEx Forum rated 285th in the nation on the NCAA’s NET computer. Memphis, picked to finish second in the AAC, was 47th on the NET.

“I know everybody talks down on this conference,” Quinerly said. “But this is a conference where anybody can win on any given day … You know, we got a lot to work on. I’m just happy we were able to pull this one out today.”

Several players emerged to play well for the Roadrunners. Six hit double figures. In the backcourt, alongside Ivy-Curry, Christian Tucker had 14 points, seven assists and a couple of steals.

Forward Chandler Cuthrell, meanwhile, had 13 points in 14 minutes and hit three from distance. Three others finished with 10 points, including starting big men Carlton Linguard Jr. and Trey Edmonds and also guard PJ Carter.

In all, the Roadrunners knocked down 17 of 45 from the three-point arc.

Just in time: Shots are starting to fall for UTSA’s Dre Fuller Jr.

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Dre Fuller Jr. UAB beat UTSA 78-76 in the men's basketball American Conference opener on Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2024, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Over the last three games, Dre Fuller Jr. has come alive as an offensive threat for the UTSA Roadrunners, who play on the road tonight against the Memphis Tigers. – File photo by Jerry Briggs

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Quietly, one of the key players in the UTSA Roadrunners’ rotation has started to ratchet up his production.

Averaging 16.3 points and 4.6 rebounds over his last three games, Dre Fuller Jr. is doing it with such ease and smooth efficiency that it has almost gone unnoticed.

In that stretch, the 6-foot-6 graduate student from Fayetteville, N.C., has hit 51.5 percent of his shots from the field and 57.9 percent from three-point distance.

He capped the surge with a 23-point effort on the road against Rice last Saturday, a welcome sign for UTSA, which will play perhaps its toughest road game of the season tonight at the FedEx Forum against the 13th-ranked Memphis Tigers.

An all-around player with multiple skills, offensively and defensively, Fuller had been mired in a bad shooting funk, hitting only 7 of 36 from long distance in six games prior to his last three.

Because Fuller does so many things for the Roadrunners, coaches kept his playing time fairly level during the slump, which may have aided the turnaround.

Fuller said he appreciates it that UTSA coach Steve Henson hung in there with him as he worked things out.

“It showed he has the confidence in me,” Fuller said. “He sees me in here every day. So he knows how serious I take it. After the games, he’s telling me, ‘Don’t put so much pressure on yourself. Let the game come to you.’ ”

Last year, Fuller went through some hard times while caring for his ailing mother.

He left Central Florida after three seasons, enrolled briefly at Florida Atlantic and then exited Division I basketball altogether when it became apparent that he needed to go home to help his mom.

All last year, he’d play pickup ball wherever he could and then visit with family. Tragically, his mom eventually passed away in March.

Since then, Fuller has been through an emotional roller coaster, first signing with the Roadrunners and then reporting to the UTSA camp in the summer and trying to get his game back together.

Fuller enjoyed a promising start to the season, scoring 16 at Minnesota in the second game and then pitching in a career-high 24 at Houston Christian.

Pretty soon, though, his shot started missing the mark. Fuller was 0 for 6 from three against Incarnate Word. Then 1 of 8 from the field against Lamar. At Oregon State, Fuller was two for 10 afield and 1 of 7 from three.

Frustration mounted.

“I wouldn’t go talk to (the coach),” Fuller said. “(But) I had to ask somebody, ‘What going on?’ He told me. He said, ‘Your day will come.’ (He said) just keep working. What you do in the game, it’s all going to fall in place.

“Listening to family, they’re telling me the same thing. I just tried to settle my body down and just keep playing.”

Heeding the advice has worked. Against Prairie View A&M, he started slowly, taking four 3-point shots and making three of them. Against the UAB Blazers in the American conference opener, he hit six of 12 afield, including another three from long distance.

Then he exploded against Rice on Saturday, knocking down eight of 17, including five of nine from three. Seven-foot power forward Carlton Linguard Jr., a transfer from Kansas State, came alive as well, scoring 24 points on four of eight shooting from distance.

“Those two guys, Dre and Carlton, can and do impact the game in so many other ways,” Henson said. “(If) they make two or three threes in a game, that just adds to it.

“We don’t have to have that for those two guys to make an impact. And now both of those guys have had games where they’ve made four or five (from beyond the arc). And then we’re really in good shape.”

While Fuller sat out last year for personal reasons, Linguard was at UTSA, working on academics to regain his eligibility and rehabilitating some nagging injuries.

Maybe it’s just taken both of them some time to get into their groove? Henson said part of it may stem from coaches just now finding out how all the pieces fit together.

“As we’ve gone along, we’ve learned more about our guys,” he said. “We’ve kept our play book pretty simple. This team doesn’t need or want a big play book. They make enough basketball plays that, we keep it simple, and they can move the ball.

“You call somebody’s number and expect that we’re going to get him the ball in a spot two or three times a game, they like that. We’ve kind of been able to do that.

“We’ve got a handful of plays, we just know, we have to call it two or three times a game, every single night, and something good usually happens.”

Fuller said he likes the flow of the game now because so many of his teammates are getting involved on a nightly basis.

“We have a lot of guys that, once people scout us, they’re like, ‘Ok, there’s not just one person scoring. Everybody is scoring,’ he said. “That’s what makes us a tough. But, like I say, we’re still learning every day. We got 13 new guys.

“(We’re) still learning and hopefully we’ll start picking it up real soon.”

Records

UTSA 7-8, 1-1
Memphis 13-2, 2-0

Coming up

Charlotte at UTSA, Saturday, 7 p.m.