No. 15 Utah State shakes off slow start to down UTSA, 82-50

The 15th-ranked Utah State Aggies allowed the UTSA Roadrunners to hang around for a few minutes to start the game.

But they weren’t going to be that generous for too long.

Utah State rolled on a 14-0 run over a four-minute stretch in the first half and never faced another serious challenge in routing UTSA 82-50 Monday night.

In the game played before a raucous crowd of 8,667 in Logan, Utah, Sam Merrill scored 21 points to lead the undefeated Aggies, who improved to 5-0.

The Roadrunners fell to 0-5 on a night when they were out-rebounded 55-36.

UTSA played well defensively in stretches but couldn’t close out possessions, getting beat 38-8 in second-chance points.

An ugly offense and, perhaps an unsettled point guard situation, also contributed to the Roadrunners’ demise. They shot 28.6 percent from the field.

Notable

UTSA is 0-5 for the second season in a row.

Quotable

“Probably the best team we’ve played in my three-plus years here. Great environment. Great opportunity for us. I thought we were ready to go there in the first half. We (knew we) were going to have to play a really, really good ball game. We gave up that (14-0) stretch and in the second half we got whooped.” — UTSA coach Steve Henson, on the team’s radio broadcast.

Records

UTSA 0-5t
Utah State 5-0

Statistically speaking

UTSA stars Jhivvan Jackson and Keaton Wallace combined to shoot 11 of 41 from the field. Jackson was 7 of 25.

Coming up

UTSA opens its home schedule Friday night against Wiley College, an NAIA program based in Marshall, Texas.

A three-game home-stand continues against Prairie View A&M on Nov. 30 and against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Dec. 3.

The Roadrunners play at Texas State on Dec. 7.

UTSA faces challenge on the road against No. 15 Utah State

Still in search of a victory after four games, the UTSA Roadrunners will play on the road Monday night against the undefeated and 15th-ranked Utah State Aggies.

It is regarded as UTSA’s toughest challenge since an opening-night road test at Oklahoma.

History would suggest that the odds are stacked against the Roadrunners, who haven’t won against a ranked opponent since 1994, when they knocked off Arizona State in Tempe, Ariz.

UTSA will enter the game struggling offensively, averaging 67 points on 35.5 percent shooting.

The Roadrunners, who were picked in the preseason to finish second in Conference USA, have lost on the road at Oklahoma and in three neutral-site games in Florida against Southern Illinois, Oakland and Delaware.

The Utah State game will be televised on Facebook (Stadium) and will be broadcast on Ticket 760 AM. Tipoff is set for 8 p.m.

Records

UTSA 0-4
Utah State 4-0

Coming up

UTSA opens its home schedule Friday night against Wiley College, an NAIA program based in Marshall, Texas.

A three-game home-stand continues against Prairie View A&M on Nov. 30 and against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi on Dec. 3.

The Roadrunners play at Texas State on Dec. 7.