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UTSA women will play top-seeded Connecticut in the NCAA tournament

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The UTSA Roadrunners shout out their approval after learning they will play the 12-time national champion Connecticut Huskies Saturday in Storrs, Conn. – Photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The UTSA women’s basketball team will play the top-overall seeded Connecticut Huskies on Saturday in Storrs, Conn., in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

Coach Karen Aston captures the moment with a selfie after UTSA learns it has been matched in the NCAA first round with 34-0 Connecticut. – Photo by Joe Alexander

A crowd of supporters watching the televised bracket reveal Sunday night at UTSA Park West Fieldhouse erupted in cheers as the Roadrunners and the defending national champions came up as the first game announced on ESPN.

Connecticut enters the tournament at 34-0 and as the top seed in Regional 1 – Fort Worth, while UTSA will take an 18-15 record and a No. 16 seeding into one of the legendary venues in college basketball.

“This will be a fantastic experience for our players,” UTSA coach Karen Aston said. “When you play at Connecticut, you’re around really educated, fanatic fans, that I think every young person that plays college basketball should experience.”

A check of the records indicates that Harvard in 1998 is the only 16th-seeded team in NCAA women’s tournament history to beat a top seed. The Crimson did it in 1998 against Stanford.

Despite the long odds, UTSA standout Cheyenne Rowe said the Roadrunners just plan to have some fun with it.

“We’ll put everything out on the floor,” said Rowe, the most outstanding player at the American Conference tournament. “One team has to lose, so we’re just going to play as hard as we can.”

The Huskies are led by Coach Geno Auriemma on the bench and, on the floor, by all-Big East standouts Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong. Strong is the Big East Player of the Year.

Riding a modest five-game winning streak, the postseason champions in the American Conference learn they are on their way to play the top overall seed in the NCAA tournament. – Photo by Joe Alexander

“We all know how good they are,” Aston said. “They’re the best team in the country, probably. For us, it’s, ‘How can we keep growing? What can we get out of this experience?

“How competitive can we be? How do we measure ourselves against the best?”

UTSA won four games in four days at the American Conference tournament in Birmingham, Ala., to clinch a spot in the 68-team field.

The Roadrunners, seeded sixth in the American, beat the conference’s regular-season champion and top-seeded Rice Owls on Saturday night to claim an NCAA automatic bid.

UTSA has won a five games in a row overall, starting the streak on March 7 on the last day of the regular season at Rice.

Even though the streak is modest compared to some others in the national tournament, it’s been a meteoric and somewhat shocking rise into the NCAA bracket for those who follow UTSA.

This was a team that on March 4 scored only one point in the second quarter at home against Tulsa.

After that game, a dispiriting 53-41 loss in the team’s home finale, UTSA had lost six of their last nine. The Roadrunners sank to two games below .500 on the season.

In the wake of that moment, the Roadrunners held a meeting to reinforce some team values.

The UTSA Roadrunners are on their way to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 17 years. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Coming out of the meeting, UTSA traveled to Rice, defeated the Owls on the last day of the regular season, and then journeyed to Alabama, where the team ripped off victories over Temple, South Florida, East Carolina and Rice again.

Asked what comes to mind first when she reflects on the winning streak, Aston said, succinctly, ownership.

“I think that (players) just made a decision that they wanted this season to end differently than what it looked like against Tulsa,” the coach said. “There were some things that they had to do different. A mindset had to change.

“Sometimes a coach can talk and talk and talk, but until they’re ready to change their own mindset and collectively as a group, there’s not a lot we can do about it. I don’t think we coached any different.”

Aston acknowledged that she did talk to the group after Tulsa about “playing a little more free.”

“Just kind of, let it go, let it fly,” she said. “We’ll deal with the shots that don’t go in.

“I think that was important for me to get across to them, because when we played Tulsa, it looked like we were afraid to shoot the ball. Afraid to make mistakes.”

Aston said that she in effect allowed players to take ownership of the situation, and that they took over from there.

As a result, they’re on the road to Connecticut this weekend to play in their first NCAA tournament game in 17 years. It will be carried live on ABC on Saturday at 2 p.m.

With the America Conference postseason championship trophy front and center, the UTSA Roadrunners gathered Sunday at Park West Fieldhouse for the NCAA bracket reveal. – Photo by Joe Alexander

ESPN projects UTSA as a No. 16 seed to the NCAA First Four

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Speculation is swirling that the UTSA women’s basketball team might be headed for the NCAA First Four.

The Roadrunners are projected by ESPN’s Charlie Creme to play the Howard Bison in a battle of No. 16 seeds, with the winner moving on to face the No. 1 regional seed Texas Longhorns in the Round of 64.

First Four games will be played either Wednesday or Thursday, with the winners advancing to face No. 1 regional seeds either Friday or Saturday.

The official NCAA women’s tournament bracket reveal is scheduled for 7 p.m. Sunday on ESPN.

The Longhorns, who have already been named as an NCAA first-weekend host, raced to a 31-3 record on the way to a Southeastern Conference postseason title.

Howard won the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference postseason title with a 53-46 victory over Norfolk State (Va.), while UTSA won the championship in the American Conference by defeating Rice, 54-40.

Howard will bring a record of 26-7 into its first NCAA tournament since 2022. UTSA will be playing in the tournament for the first time since 2009.

UTSA entered the American Conference postseason tournament one game under .500, won four straight games in Birmingham and emerged with an 18-15 record for its first NCAA appearance under fifth-year coach Karen Aston.

In 18 years as a college head coach, Aston has taken three teams to a combined eight NCAA tournaments, including one at Charlotte, six at Texas and one at UTSA.

At Texas, Aston worked eight seasons as head coach and led the Longhorns to the Elite Eight once and the Sweet 16 three other times.

Texas did not renew her contract after the 2020 season. UTSA, coming off two wins in 2020-21, hired her for the following season.

Aston is 82-77 in five years at UTSA. She is 62-35 in her last three seasons, with trips to the WNIT in 2024, the WBIT in 2025 and NCAA this year.

American women’s basketball: Resurgent UTSA to face Rice for a postseason title

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

UTSA players gathered on the floor at Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Ala., late on Friday night, chanting, “We ain’t done. We ain’t done.”

Ereauna Hardaway, Cheyenne Rowe. UTSA beat Memphis 67-55 in American Conference women's basketball on Sunday, March 1, 2026, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA’s 5-1 record this month got started when guard Ereauna Hardaway, wearing the gold chain, led the Roadrunners past the Memphis Tigers, 67-55, on March 1 at the Convocation Center. – File photo by Joe Alexander

Guard Ereauna Hardaway’s long, two-handed, 3-point basket sparked a late run and lifted the sixth-seeded Roadrunners to a 54-44 victory over the No. 2 East Carolina Pirates in the semifinals of the American Conference women’s basketball tournament.

Winners of four straight overall and three in three days in Birmingham, the resurgent Roadrunners (17-15) have advanced and will meet the top-seeded Rice Owls (28-4) for the title on Saturday at 8:30 p.m.

Rice, playing in the earlier semifinal game on Friday, secured its ticket to the championship round with a 71-67 victory over fifth-seeded North Texas.

The winner between the Roadrunners and the Owls will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

UTSA beat ECU (22-10) and held the Pirates to their lowest scoring output of the season.

The Roadrunners capped a gritty defensive struggle with a 17-5 run in the final six minutes. Hardaway scored nine of her game-high 15 points in the closing stretch.

“I just wanted to join the game with (my teammates),” Hardaway joked with an ESPN+ television reporter afterward. “They was playing so good, I had to join in. Why not?”

Asked what it will take to beat the Owls for the championship, Hardaway said, “The mindset. We ain’t done yet. That’s the mindset.”

UTSA coach Karen Aston credited her players’ resolve for just deciding that they wanted to play well in March and to make a run in the tournament.

She said it started after a dispiriting loss at home to Tulsa and before the last game of the regular season at Rice, where they beat the regular-season champions, 61-52.

“(Players) sort of flipped a switch,” Aston said, “and made some decisions to be a little bit tougher and do some of the hard stuff a little bit better.

“I say this all the time, but teams and players are not on your watch sometimes. They’re on their own.

“And when they grow up and mature, is a process, and you never know when that’s going to happen, especially for young players. So I think for some of them, the light has just kind of come on.”

Hardaway’s performance down the stretch was memorable.

With UTSA trailing 39-37 and 6:28 remaining, the senior transfer from North Texas scored seven of her team’s points in a 9-0 run.

Kick-starting the streak, Hardaway hit a layup, and after two Idara Udo free throws, the Roadrunners capitalized when Pirates freshman Olivia Hilliard turned it over.

On the ensuing possession, Hardaway misfired on a 15-footer and then a layup attempt.

After Mia Hammonds snared the offensive rebound, UTSA worked the ball back to Hardaway, way beyond the three-point arc, with the shot clock winding down.

Her teammates were yelling at her to shoot it. Once she got the message, she put up a straight-away, two-hander that swished.

After that, Hardaway turned toward the other basket, smiling, while flashing 3-point signals with both hands.

“It was great to see it go in,” she said.

When it ripped the nets, the Roadrunners had expanded the lead to 44-39 with 4:16 remaining. The Pirates would come no closer than three the rest of the way.

Records

UTSA 17-15
East Carolina 22-10

Coming up

UTSA will play Rice for the tournament championship Saturday at 8:30 p.m. The game will be televised on ESPNU.

First half

The sixth-seeded Roadrunners entered the semifinals of the American Conference tournament coming off wins over No. 7 Temple and three seed South Florida.

For the No. 2 Pirates, drawing a triple bye into the semis, it was their first game of the week in Birmingham, and only their second in two weeks overall

In a first half that evolved into a tense, defensive struggle, the Roadrunners and Pirates battled to a 24-24 tie at intermission.

The second quarter belonged to the Pirates. After falling behind by six points, they kept forcing turnovers and capitalized on the Roadrunners’ mistakes with a 10-0 run.

Jayla Hearp capped the streak with a three-pointer. When it fell with 1:18 remaining, the Pirates held a 24-20 lead.

In the final minute, the Roadrunners scored the last four points as Idara Udo sank two free throws and Hammonds made an aggressive move into the paint for a 12 foot jumper.

UTSA played well defensively for most of the half, holding the Pirates to five of 25 shooting at one point. The Pirates went into the dressing room nine of 32 for 28 percent.

Offensively, the Roadrunners failed to figure out a way to attack the Pirates’ pressure, turning the ball over 12 times. The miscues led to 11 East Carolina points.

UTSA shot nine of 19 from the field for 47 percent in the half.

Roadrunners forward Cheyenne Rowe came out of the game at the end when she was hit in the nose by the forehead of Keanna Rembert, who was called for a charge.

Third quarter

East Carolina freshman Olivia Hilliard buried a 15-foot jumper with four seconds left, boosting the Pirates into a 34-33 lead going into the fourth.

Fourth quarter

During UTSA’s late push, East Carolina found hope when Kennedy Fauntleroy dribbled into the lane and hit a 10-foot floater, trimming the Roadrunners’ lead to 47-44 with 1:15 remaining.

On the inbounds, UTSA experienced trouble against the defensive pressure. A pass from the backcourt into the frontcourt went awry, but Hammonds tracked it down.

After Hardaway air-balled a 3-point attempt, Rowe snagged the ball and sank a short follow shot.

Surging and leading by five, the Roadrunners forced a three by Pirates forward Anzhane’ Hutton that missed.

Damara Allen rebounded, drew a foul, and hit two free throws for a 51-44 lead with 33 seconds left.

The Pirates went scoreless the rest of the way, while the Roadrunners closed it out with three free throws, two by Hardaway and another by Rowe.

Notable

UTSA and Rice split the season series. On Jan. 31 in San Antonio, Victoria Flores scored 33 points to lead the Owls, 65-55.

On March 7, the last day of the regular season, UTSA answered with a 61-52 victory in Houston to snap the Owls’ 22-game winning streak.

If the Roadrunners can beat them again Saturday night, they would advance to the NCAA tournament in women’s basketball for the first time since 2009.

The UTSA women won the Southland postseason titles in both 2008 and 2009 — still the program’s only NCAA bids in 45 seasons.

A win tonight not only would break the NCAA drought, but it would put this team in the record book as the only one in program history to claim a conference tournament title with four victories in four days.

Even if the Roadrunners lose, their season might not be complete as they will be under consideration for a bid to the WNIT, a school spokesman said.

Among UTSA individual standouts against East Carolina, Ereauna Hardaway had 15 points, five rebounds and four assists.

Forwards Cheyenne Rowe scored 11 and Idara Udo 10. Though both combined for 15 rebounds, the major contributor on the boards was guard Damara Allen, who snared 10.

Small forward Mia Hammonds played well again with nine points, five rebounds and three blocked shots.

Also, with UTSA holding a three-point lead late, she retrieved an errant pass from a teammate to save a possession.

For East Carolina, guard Kennedy Fauntleroy scored 12 points to lead three players in double figures. Guard Jayla Hearp contributed 11 and forward Keanna Rembert 10.

American Conference
Women’s basketball tournament
At Birmingham, Ala.

Tuesday

Game 1 — (9) FAU defeats (8) Charlotte, 74-70, overtime
Game 2 — (7) Temple defeats (10) Tulane, 86-77, overtime

Wednesday

Game 3 — (5) North Texas defeats (9) FAU, 80-57
Game 4 — (6) UTSA defeats (7) Temple, 59-51

Thursday

Game 5 — (5) North Texas defeats (4) Tulsa, 76-73
Game 6 — (6) UTSA defeats (3) South Florida, 62-51

Friday

Game 7 — (1) Rice defeats (5) North Texas 71-67
Game 8 — (6) UTSA beats (2) East Carolina, 54-44

Saturday

Game 9 (championship) — (1) Rice vs. (6) UTSA, 8:30 p.m.

Records

(1) Rice 28-4, 17-1
x-(2) East Carolina 22-10, 14-4
x-(3) South Florida 20-12, 13-5
x-(4) Tulsa 19-12, 11-7
x-(5) North Texas 19-14, 11-7
(6) UTSA 17-15, 9-9
x-(7) Temple 15-17, 8-10
x-(8) Charlotte 14-18, 8-10
x-(9) FAU 14-18, 7-11
x-(10) Tulane 11-20, 6-12

x-eliminated

American women’s basketball: UTSA upsets South Florida in the quarterfinals

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Cheyenne Rowe celebrated her 22nd birthday in style Thursday, helping the sixth-seeded UTSA Roadrunners upset the No. 3 South Florida Bulls 62-51 in the American Conference tournament quarterfinals.

In the game played at Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Ala., Rowe led the Roadrunners with 25 points and 11 rebounds as they pushed past the Bulls and into the semifinals against the second-seeded East Carolina Pirates.

“Just a tremendous performance for our team,” UTSA coach Karen Aston said. “It’s hard, not to let ’em get too high, and all that kind of stuff. But it was such a great performance and a total commitment to four quarters of basketball.

“We were pretty relentless defensively, and I thought our team shared the ball well. Made the right decisions and they hung in there defensively all night long. You know, I couldn’t be prouder.”

Rowe put on a performance reminiscent of former UTSA standout Jordyn Jenkins. Meaning, she did just about everything and was extremely efficient.

The 6-foot-2 forward didn’t take a three-point attempt, instead working around the basket and in the mid-range with a variety of drives, turnarounds and face-up shots.

Rowe hit 11 of 17 shots from the field.

Her performance punctuates the Roadrunners’ rise from inconsistency to a 4-1 record in their last five, including victories over 27-win Rice on the final day of the regular season and then tournament wins over Temple and 20-win South Florida.

After helping defeat Bulls, who had beaten the Roadrunners twice during the regular season, Rowe talked about what it meant to see her team fight through so much adversity and then make such a robust turnaround in March.

“We have faced adversities and it’s just amazing to see how we’ve pushed through them,” she said. “It’s great to see everyone, like, playing together. Playing with each other. Playing to have fun.

“Basketball is supposed to be fun. We play with each other to have fun. And we want to win. Everyone does. So, I’ve got to say, I’m very proud of everyone.”

South Florida had beaten UTSA twice in the regular season but could not get it done for the third time in a row.

The Roadrunners (16-15) made it happen mostly with defense, holding the Bulls to 33.9 percent shooting from the field.

The Bulls (20-12) were completely stifled at the end of the game, outscored 11-2 in the final 4:44.

After Roadrunners sophomore Mia Hammonds slashed to the basket for a bucket with 3:08 remaining, the Roadrunners led 53-49 and then had a couple of lapses on their next two offensive possessions.

One was an offensive foul call and the other a turnover by Ereauna Hardaway.

“As far as that timeout,” Aston said, “(the message) was just finish. We played so well the whole game. Let’s not get rattled or get down on ourselves at this point. Let’s just finish the job.”

Coming out of the timeout, Hardaway responded with a 14-foot jumper, boosting the lead to six points. Following that, UTSA knocked down three of four free throws for a nine-point lead.

On the next South Florida possession, Hammonds blocked a shot by Bulls star Carla Brito, setting up another offensive possession for the Roadrunners.

Hardaway sank one of two free throws with 37.5 seconds remaining for a 10-point lead. South Florida never got closer than eight the rest of the way.

For the game, Hardaway produced 12 points and five rebounds. Idara Udo had 10 points, 10 rebounds and two blocked shots.

Among the younger UTSA players, Hammonds had eight points on three of four shooting and four rebounds. She also had the key block at the end of the game.

Sophomore Damara Allen had nine rebounds.

Freshman point guard Adriana Robles started for the fifth straight game and had two points, five rebounds and two assists. UTSA is 4-1 in those five games.

Records

UTSA 16-15
South Florida 20-12

Notable

UTSA women’s basketball has advanced into a conference tournament semifinal for the first time since the 2024 (in the American) and for the 12th time overall.

If they win, they’ll make their sixth conference championship appearance.

The Roadrunners have won two games in a tournament for the first time since 2023.

Against East Carolina, UTSA will try to win a third game in the same tournament for the first time since 2009.

In both the 2008 and 2009 Southland Conference postseasons, the Roadrunners went 3-0 each time to reach the NCAA tournament.

This week, the Roadrunners will need to win four games in four days for the NCAA automatic bid.

First half

Rowe had 14 points and seven rebounds in the first half as the UTSA Roadrunners took a 30-22 lead at halftime against the South Florida Bulls.

UTSA’s strong performance came in the quarterfinals of the American Conference women’s basketball tournament at Birmingham, Ala.

While South Florida, with a double bye, was making its debut in the tournament, UTSA was playing its second game in two days after eliminating Temple, 59-51, on Tuesday.

From the outset, UTSA seemed to have a better rhythm than South Florida. Riding Rowe’s hot shooting hand, the Roadrunners moved out to a 14-9 lead after the first quarter.

It was a team effort in that the Roadrunners cut down on turnovers, ran efficient offense and kept the Bulls out of their bread and butter, the transition game.

In the second period, UTSA’s offense went cold. But at the same time, its defense stayed solid. Then, late in the period, UTSA’s Hammonds and Udo asserted themselves offensively.

Hammonds hit two straight buckets on aggressive moves toward the basket. She also knocked down a couple of free throws.

After Rowe hit a couple of shots, Udo connected on a 14-foot turnaround jumper for a 30-22 lead.

American Conference
Women’s basketball tournament
At Birmingham, Ala.

Tuesday

Game 1 — (9) FAU defeats (8) Charlotte, 74-70, overtime
Game 2 — (7) Temple defeats (10) Tulane, 86-77, overtime

Wednesday

Game 3 — (5) North Texas defeats (9) FAU, 80-57
Game 4 — (6) UTSA defeats (7) Temple, 59-51

Thursday

Game 5 — (5) North Texas defeats (4) Tulsa, 76-73
Game 6 — (6) UTSA defeats (3) South Florida, 62-51

Friday

Game 7 — (5) North Texas vs. (1) Rice, 6 p.m.
Game 8 — (6) UTSA vs. (2) East Carolina, 8:30 p.m.

Saturday

Game 9 (championship) — Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner, 8:30 p.m.

Records

(1) Rice 27-4, 17-1
(2) East Carolina 22-9, 14-4
(3) South Florida 20-12, 13-5
(4) Tulsa 19-12, 11-7
(5) North Texas 19-13, 11-7
(6) UTSA 16-15, 9-9
(7) Temple 15-17, 8-10
(8) Charlotte 14-18, 8-10
(9) FAU 14-18, 7-11
(10) Tulane 11-20, 6-12

Baseball: Texas Tech rallies to down UTSA, 10-5

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Connor Shouse, Robin Villeneuve and AJ Goytia all smashed two-run home runs in a seven-run sixth inning as the Texas Tech Red Raiders rallied to down the 24th-ranked UTSA Roadrunners, 10-5, on a cold Wednesday night in Lubbock.

UTSA held a 4-1 lead when Tech came to bat in the sixth.

In response, the Red Raiders sent 10 batters to the plate and stroked six hits, with one walk, against three UTSA pitchers. When Goytia’s homer cleared the wall, Texas Tech’s lead had expanded to 8-4.

The Red Raiders added two more runs in the seventh as they went on to split a two-game, mid-week series with the Roadrunners after UTSA won 9-8 on Tuesday night.

UTSA scored one run in the second inning, one in the third and two in the fourth for the 4-1 lead. Christian Hallmark ripped a solo home run in the second and an RBI single in the third. Josh Arquette hit a two-run homer in the fourth.

Will Jordan (2-0) earned the victory on the mound for the Red Raiders. He walked one and didn’t allow a hit in a scoreless sixth inning.

James Hubbard (0-1) was tagged with the loss after giving up the go-ahead runs on Villeneuve’s two-run blast.

Records

UTSA 14-3
Texas Tech 11-5

Coming up

UT Arlington at UTSA, Friday, 6 p.m.
UT Arlington at UTSA, Saturday, 2 p.m.
UT Arlington at UTSA, Sunday, 1 p.m.

College baseball: UTSA holds off Texas Tech, 9-8, in Lubbock

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Sam Simmons struck out Jesse Rusinek to end the game with the tying run at first base as the 24th-ranked UTSA Roadrunners held off the Texas Tech Red Raiders on Tuesday night, winning 9-8 in Lubbock.

Andrew Stucky had one of UTSA's four home runs on Friday. UTSA beat South Dakota State 17-4 in the Roadrunners' 2026 baseball season opener on Friday, Feb. 13, at Roadrunner Field. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Andrew Stucky hit a three-run homer measured at 416 feet off a light pole Tuesday night in Lubbock. – File photo by Joe Alexander

With the victory, the Roadrunners bounced back from Sunday’s loss at New Mexico State and improved to 14-2, which includes a 3-0 mark against Power 4 competition.

UTSA has scored wins over Ohio State, Baylor and Texas Tech, with another game against the Red Raiders, now 10-5, scheduled on Wednesday night.

In the opener of a mid-week series against the Big 12 Conference program, the Roadrunners scored single runs in the first and the second, two in the third and another in the fourth for a 5-1 lead.

They exploded for four runs in the top of the sixth to make it 9-2.

The outburst included an opposite-field homer by Caden Miller over the left field wall. Andrew Stucky punctuated the uprising with a three-run shot, pulling the ball 416 feet off a light pole in left.

In the bottom half, Texas Tech struck back. The Red Raiders rallied against Mike DeBattista and Simmons for five runs on four hits.

Rusinek drilled an RBI single for the first run, chasing DeBattista from the game.

Simmons, UTSA’s stopper, fared no better. At least, initially. Robin Villeneuve and Kyeler Thompson greeted Simmons with consecutive run-scoring singles to make it 9-5.

After Tracer Lopez grounded out to first, Connor Shouse bounced an infield single to third for the fourth run of the inning. At that point, Simmons settled down.

A Logan Hughes ground ball brought in another run to make it 9-7, before Linkin Garcia bounced out to first, ending the threat.

From there, a battle of the bullpens ensued, with Texas Tech’s Bryce Suiter throwing three innings scoreless, allowing no hits and striking out four.

Simmons also closed the game, but not without some drama. In the ninth inning, Hughes led off with a walk and advanced to third on a one-out single by Caden Ferraro.

Matt Quintanar launched a fly ball to right that was caught for the second out, but it also scored Hughes, making it a one-run game.

With UTSA’s Friday night starter Connor Kelley throwing in the bullpen, Simmons used five pitches to strike out Rusinek to end the game.

Simmons (4-1) earned the victory, while Texas Tech starter Jackson Burns (1-1) took the loss.

UTSA out-hit Texas Tech 13-12, with Lane Haworth going four for five. Haworth, the team’s leading hitter with a .508 average, doubled twice, scored a run and notched an RBI.

Records

UTSA 14-2
Texas Tech 10-5

Coming up

UTSA at Texas Tech, Wednesday, 6:30 p.m.

Notable

UTSA’s Sam Simmons (4-1) earned the victory after yielding three runs on four hits in four innings. He walked two and struck out four.

The loss went to Texas Tech starter Jackson Burns (1-1). Burns allowed four runs on six hits in three innings.

American women’s tournament: Seventh-seeded Temple wins, advances to face No. 6 UTSA

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Update: On Day 1 of the American Conference women’s basketball tournament, Kaylah Turner scored 31 points Tuesday and lifted the seventh-seeded Temple Owls past the No. 10 Tulane Green Wave, 86-77, in overtime. Temple advances to play sixth-seeded UTSA in the second round on Wednesday.

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The UTSA women’s basketball team left town on a damp and foggy Monday morning, headed for the American Conference tournament in Birmingham, Ala.

Cheyenne Rowe. UTSA women's basketball beat Texas State 64-41 on Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025, at the Convocation Center. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA forward Cheyenne Rowe expressed pride in her teammates for their resilience in battling through a season marked by ‘hardships.’ – File photo by Joe Alexander

Coming off a regular-season ending upset victory over the conference champion Rice Owls, players said they feel confident that they can do some damage as the No. 6 seed.

“I’m definitely very proud of us, because we’ve been through a lot of hardships,” UTSA senior Cheyenne Rowe said. “We’ve bounced back a couple of times, and we bounced back against Rice, and that was really amazing.”

The tournament starts with the first-round games Tuesday at Legacy Arena in Birmingham, but with a bye, the Roadrunners (14-15, 9-9) open play on Wednesday afternoon.

They’ll take on either the seventh-seeded Temple Owls or the No. 10 Tulane Green Wave.

“I’m feeling confident,” senior guard Ereauna Hardaway said. “Last game was a great win for us. It’s always a good feeling going into the tournament with a win. I just think we’re feeling confident going in.”

About an hour after the UTSA bus left campus, the American released its postseason all-conference teams and individual award winners.

Rowe, a 6-2 forward from Ontario, Canada, emerged as the only UTSA player recognized. She was named to the all defensive team and also to the all conference second team.

In the Roadrunners’ last game, it looked as if they had several players whose names could have appeared on the American’s release of honorees.

Multiple UTSA players contributed in a 61-52 victory as Rice had a 22-game winning streak snapped, while getting tagged with its only loss in 18 conference games this season.

In the first half, the ball moved and UTSA’s sometimes sputtering offense hummed. The Roadrunners shot 59 percent from the field. They rang up a 41-21 lead.

“We got the freedom to shoot, so everyone was confident in their shot,” Rowe said, “and everyone shot it. We talked about rebounding. Getting the right shot. Moving the ball.

“So, when we get the right shot, we can rebound in the right positions, and when we get the chance to rebound, we get second-chance opportunities.

“So it was just amazing to see everyone shooting and everyone getting the rebounds. It was great.”

Hardaway credited freshman Adriana Robles for getting everyone involved.

“We were all just playing with confidence,” she said. “It’s always good when you see shots fall, too. It gives you a good rhythm to the game. A good flow.

“Adriana did a great job of getting everyone involved. Everybody was scoring the ball, and we were playing together.”

American Conference
Women’s basketball tournament
At Birmingham, Ala.

Tuesday

Game 1 — (9) FAU defeats (8) Charlotte, 74-70, in overtime.
Game 2 — (7) Temple defeats (10) Tulane, 86-77, in overtime.

Wednesday

Game 3 — (9) FAU vs. (5) North Texas, noon
Game 4 — (7) Temple vs. (6) UTSA, 2 p.m.

Thursday

Game 5 — Game 3 winner vs. (4) Tulsa, noon
Game 6 — Game 4 winner vs. (3) South Florida, 2 p.m.

Friday

Game 7 — Game 5 winner vs. (1) Rice, 6 p.m.
Game 8 — Game 6 winner vs. (2) East Carolina, 8 p.m.

Saturday

Game 9 (championship) — Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner, 8:30 p.m.

Records

(1) Rice 27-4, 17-1
(2) East Carolina 22-9, 14-4
(3) South Florida 20-11, 13-5
(4) Tulsa 19-11, 11-7
(5) North Texas 17-13, 11-7
(6) UTSA 14-15, 9-9
(7) Temple 15-16, 8-10
(8) Charlotte 14-18, 8-10
(9) FAU 14-17, 7-11
(10) Tulane 11-20, 6-12

Baseball: New Mexico State snaps UTSA’s six-game winning streak

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Left-handed reliever Connor Wylde worked out of a ninth-inning jam Sunday afternoon, and the New Mexico State Aggies won 5-4 to snap 25th-ranked UTSA’s six-game winning streak.

UTSA’s Diego Diaz led off the ninth with a single and moved up when Garrett Gruell reached on a hit by pitch.

On a sacrifice bunt by Jordan Ballin, Diaz and Gruell advanced 90 feet, putting runners at second and third.

With two outs, the Aggies walked Drew Detlefsen to load the bases. At that point, Wylde retired Lane Haworth on a ground ball to end the threat.

UTSA won the series, two games to one, after winning 10-2 Friday and 13-0 on Saturday.

On Sunday, the Aggies took a three-run lead, lost it after a three-run Roadrunners rally, and then scored again in the bottom of the eighth to take the lead.

Boston Vest led off with a single off UTSA relieve Sam Simmons. Vest was sacrificed to second and took third on a ground ball.

He scored on the next play when the batter, Dane Woodcock, bunted and reached base safely on Simmons’ throwing error.

UTSA took a 1-0 lead in the second when Caden Miller ripped a solo home run to right.

New Mexico State responded with four straight runs, including one in the third, two in the fourth and another in the fifth, for a 4-1 advantage.

The Roadrunners came alive in the sixth with three runs on four hits to tie the game.

Detlefsen led off with his sixth home run of the season. Miller added an RBI single and Diego Diaz a run-scoring double.

Records

UTSA 13-2
New Mexico State 7-8

Coming up

UTSA at Texas Tech, Tuesday
UTSA at Texas Tech, Wednesday

Pat Hallmark wins his 200th game at UTSA in a 13-0 rout over New Mexico State

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By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Coach Pat Hallmark reached a milestone with his 200th win at UTSA as the 25th-ranked Roadrunners scored in double figures for the 10th time in 14 games with a 13-0 run-rule victory over the New Mexico State Aggies Saturday night.

In the contest stopped after eight innings at Las Cruces, N.M., the Roadrunners (13-1) stroked 14 hits and homered twice to win their sixth straight, tying the 1994 team for the fastest start in program history.

New Mexico State (6-8) was baffled from the beginning by UTSA starter Conor Myles, who pitched 5 and 1/3 innings scoreless. Myles allowed only two hits and one walk while striking out eight.

As Myles cruised, UTSA bats supplied the thunder with both Andrew Stucky and Drew Detlefsen, returning players from last year’s NCAA Super Regional team, hitting home runs.

Stucky bashed a solo homer in the sixth and Detlefsen unloaded with a two-run shot in the seventh.

For Stucky, it was his fourth round-tripper of the season, temporarily tying him for the team lead until Detlefsen delivered his fifth an inning later.

Newcomer Lane Haworth, a transfer from Wichita State, also had a big night. He went four for six, scored three runs and produced two RBIs.

UTSA produced a big inning for the second straight night in Las Cruces. On Friday night, the Roadrunners scored four runs in the fourth en route to a 10-2 victory.

On Saturday, they jumped all over Aggies reliever Jack Turner for seven runs on seven hits in the fifth.

Christian Hallmark opened the inning with a double and scored on Detlefsen’s single up the middle.

Jordan Ballin capped the uprising with a two-run single, chasing Turner to the showers.

Once the dust settled, UTSA had sent 11 batters to the plate and had built a 9-0 lead on the home team.

Records

UTSA 13-1
New Mexico State 6-8

Coming up

UTSA at New Mexico State, Sunday, noon

Notable

Pat Hallmark improved his record at UTSA to 200-112 in a little more than six seasons. He is 265-160 for his career, which includes two seasons at the University of the Incarnate Word.

For Lane Haworth, it was his second four-hit performance of the season. He also had four in the third game of the season, a 13-1 victory over South Dakota State on Feb. 15.

Starting pitching for the Roadrunners is starting to round into form. On Friday night, Connor Kelley pitched six innings scoreless. On Saturday, it was Conor Myles, who shut out New Mexico State for five and 1/3.

The Aggies were last shut out at home on March 15, 2024, when they fell to Sam Houston 10-0 in eight innings.

UTSA women win, 61-52, snapping Rice’s 22-game winning streak

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Update: With the American Conference women’s basketball tournament set to open Tuesday in Birmingham, Ala., the UTSA Roadrunners are seeded sixth, with a first-round bye. They will open play in Wednesday’s second round against either the No. 7 Temple Owls or the 10th-seeded Tulane Green Wave.

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Crazy things in college basketball tend to happen in March, and so it came to be on a Saturday afternoon in Houston, as the UTSA women built a 25-point lead in the third quarter and then held on, 61-52, snapping the Rice Owls’ 22-game winning streak.

For those following Roadrunners women’s basketball lately, it was a surprising development. Stunning, really.

Earlier in the week, on Wednesday night in San Antonio, the Roadrunners walked off the floor at home with their heads down, having lost 52-41 to the Tulsa Golden Hurricane.

UTSA’s fourth setback in five games left open the troubling question of just how far the team had fallen since it won a school-record 26 games and the 2025 American Conference regular-season title.

In the second quarter against Tulsa, the Roadrunners’ offense bottomed out, scoring only one point, shooting zero for 10 from the field and turning it over seven times.

Their 41 points represented a low for the season in conference.

Taking the floor against Rice in Houston, however, players seemed to put all of the negative thoughts out of their minds and blasted out to a 41-21 intermission lead.

Coming out of halftime, they built their advantage to 48-23 when Mia Hammonds scored on a fast break with 6:43 remaining in the third quarter.

The Owls, who had clinched the American regular-season title on Feb. 25, made a run in the final minutes of the game but ultimately ran out of time against the suddenly rejuvenated Roadrunners.

How did they get it done?

“Honestly, trusting in our coaches, trusting in each other, playing real hard, and just going all out on every possession — loose balls, rebounds, all that,” UTSA forward Idara Udo told an ESPN reporter in the post game. “Just playing together.”

With an offense that averaged only 60 points and 38 percent shooting from the field, the Roadrunners were on pace to score in the 70s until they started to slow the ball down at the end to drain the clock.

They finished the game by hitting 51 percent afield and 55 percent from three (five for nine.) Though the Roadrunners’ 25 turnovers hurt them, the Owls failed to take maximum advantage, scoring only 16 points off the miscues.

“I thought we played our tails off,” UTSA coach Karen Aston said. “I mean, it wasn’t always beautiful, in particular the second half. It was … rough and tumble. They were doing everything they could to turn us over, and they did, a lot.

“But I just thought that we were resilient and we played hard. We played really hard today.”

Hammonds led UTSA in scoring with 14 points.

Inconsistent for much of her second season with the Roadrunners, the 6-foot-3 wing from Cibolo Steele High School showed poise and some finesse in hitting seven of 10 shots from the field.

Udo also played efficiently in making six of nine.

The 6-foot-1 junior from Plano finished with 12 points and nine rebounds. Cheyenne Rowe, UTSA’s leader, averaging nearly 14 points, scored only six but battled effectively in the paint for 12 rebounds.

Freshman guard Adriana Robles scored nine, with backcourt mates Ereauna Hardaway and Damara Allen finishing with eight apiece.

The Owls, playing on Senior Day, seemed out of sorts from the beginning. Especially on the defensive end, the Owls didn’t seem to adjust with the Roadrunners moving the ball and getting scoring from multiple sources.

On Jan. 31, the Owls came into San Antonio and emerged with a 65-55 victory, holding UTSA to 29.7 percent shooting.

At the same time, Rice point guard Victoria Flores erupted for 33 points on eight of 10 shooting. She also hit four of six from three and 13 of 14 at the line.

In the rematch, the Roadrunners limited Flores’ touches and held her to eight points. She finished three of 10 from the field and two of six from three.

Dominique Ennis, another one of the Owls’ standouts, had a rough day as well with six points on one for 12 shooting. She misfired on all seven attempts from long range.

Forward Aniyah Alexis led the Owls with 15 points. She was a six of 15 shooter. Flores and forward Shelby Hayes finished with eight points apiece.

San Antonio’s Hailey Adams, helped off the floor in the first half with an apparent leg injury, returned to action after intermission. The Clark High School graduate finished with four points and six rebounds.

Adams, an all-conference candidate, is averaging more than eight points and 10 rebounds per game.

Records

UTSA 14-15, 9-9
Rice 27-4, 17-1

Coming up

American Conference tournament, next Tuesday through Saturday, in Birmingham.

Tournament notes

UTSA will open the American’s postseason tournament in the second round on Wednesday as the No. 6 seed against either No. 7 Temple or 10th-seeded Tulane. The game will tip off at 2 p.m.

If the Roadrunners win on Wednesday, they would advance to Thursday’s quarterfinals, matched against the third-seeded South Florida Bulls. That game would also have a 2 p.m. start.

Rice, as the No. 1 seed, will get a triple bye and will open in the semifinals on Friday.

The American’s postseason champion gets an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament. The Roadrunners will need to win four games in four days to reach the NCAA’s 68-team event.

Rice game at a glance

The Roadrunners stunned the Owls in the first half, playing loose and free, shooting 59 percent and racing to a 41-21 lead.

UTSA’s point total matched what the team scored in the entire game Wednesday night in San Antonio, when they lost 53-41 to Tulsa.

Another oddity of the Roadrunners’ explosion in the first two quarters centered on Rowe, the team’s leading scorer. Limited to only eight minutes because of two early fouls, Rowe was scoreless.

As she sat and watched much of the half from the bench, Udo, Mia Hammonds and Allen all scored eight points apiece. Hardaway and Adriana Robles both scored seven.