Freshman Kaidon Rayfield dunks with force en route to his his second double double of the season (10 points and 10 rebounds), as UTSA soundly defeats Southwestern Christian, 103-70, on Tuesday afternoon at the Convocation Center. – Photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The NAIA Southwestern Christian Eagles presented themselves Tuesday afternoon as the team that just wouldn’t go away.

Trailing by as many as 23 points shortly after halftime and by 21 with 13 minutes remaining, the undersized Eagles kept playing.

They kept shooting, and at one juncture, they found themselves down by only 15 with 10 minutes left.

In response, UTSA coach Austin Claunch issued a terse message to his players.

“Coach says, whoever gets the most stops … those five stay on the floor,” Roadrunners freshman forward Kaidon Rayfield said.

Jamir Simpson scored 21 points and pulled down six rebounds. He’s averaging 18.4 points to lead the team. – Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA players took the coaching seriously. They responded by allowing only four field goals the rest of the way en route to a decisive 103-70 victory.

Afterward, Claunch expressed mixed feelings about the game. He liked the team’s offense, with 20 assists on 41 made field goals and 53.2 percent shooting.

He was happy with the start of the game and most of the first half. Also, the finish, when the Roadrunners held the Eagles to four of 19 from the field in the last 10 minutes.

But as for the start of the second half, he knows it’s not the type of effort that will win too many games in the NCAA Division I American Conference.

“The first 12 minutes of the second half was unacceptable,” Claunch said. “We have to come out with a much better mentality.”

Claunch paused in his assessment of the day’s events to note that his team, through five games, is still trying to figure things out as a unit.

“We have a new team,” UTSA’s second-year coach said. “We have a young team, and at the end of the day, I think every team in the country goes through (it) … You know, growing, guys playing new roles, young players getting first-time experience.

“So for us to get a road win (against the Denver Pioneers on Saturday) and (then) come home and win going into a big week coming up, it was really important.”

Guard Jamir Simpson scored 21 points to lead five UTSA players in double figures.

UTSA coach Austin Claunch’s team passed for 20 assists on 41 field goals and shot 53.2 percent from the field as the offense continues to improve. – Photo by Joe Alexander

The team’s leading scorer for the season with 18.4 points per game produced another solid performance by hitting eight of 15 shots from the floor, including two three pointers.

Simpson also pulled down six rebounds and passed for three assists, making good on his preseason vow to stay aggressive during his last season in college.

“I’ve always had that mindset,” said Simpson, who grew up in Lima, Ohio, and then advanced through stops in the NAIA, NCAA Division II and most recently at Division I Southern Utah. “Coach just tells me to stay ready, ‘you got the green light, so be confident in shooting it.’ Every shot, I feel it’s going to be good.”

Added Claunch, “He’s playing at a really, really high level.”

Point guard Austin Nunez is also coming along, contributing 18 points, five assists and four rebounds for the Roadrunners, while Brent Moss and Rayfield notched double doubles.

Moss, a 6-6 junior transfer, came off the bench for 13 points and 10 rebounds. Rayfield, a 6-8 freshman, had 10 points and 10 boards for his second double double of the season.

Macaleab Rich added 10 points in 14 minutes off the bench.

Guards Jalen Goar and Michal Wooldridge led the feisty Eagles. Goar knocked down four three pointers on his way to a 16-point performance. Wooldridge scored 15 on seven for 11 shooting from the field for Southwestern Christian, from Bethany, Okla., and the NAIA Sooner Athletic Conference.

Halftime

Nunez started fast with 11 of his 13 first-half points in the game’s initial 10 minutes.

Simpson heated up after that, scoring eight of his 14 in the final four minutes as the Roadrunners surged behind the two guards to a 53-33 halftime lead.

Records

Southwestern Christian 2-2
UTSA 3-2

Coming up

UTSA vs. Abilene Christian, Monday, at Jacksonville, Fla.
UTSA vs. Georgia Southern, Tuesday, at Jacksonville, Fla.

Notable

After some ups and downs to start the season, the Roadrunners’ offense is getting more and more cohesive. UTSA has hit 50 percent from the field in two straight games.

Against Denver last Saturday in Colorado, the Roadrunners made 29 of 56 from the field and 11 of 23 from three. Against Southwestern Christian, they hit 41 of 77 and 10 of 21, respectively.

Guard Vasean Allette has yet to play in a game this season and, once again, was not in the bench area as the Roadrunners played the Eagles.

Claunch said Allette is out for “a few different” reasons.

“We’ll keep most of that in house,” Claunch said. “He’s obviously been injured. But there’s a few different things that, we’re getting him all the way back and making sure. I’m not bringing him back until he’s 100 percent.”

Guard Pierce Spencer and center Stanley Borden were with the team in the arena but were in sweats and not dressed out to play.

Austin Nunez scored 18 points against Southwestern Christian to follow his 16-point effort on Saturday at Denver. – Photo by Joe Alexander