UTSA wins its 20th game of the season with a 60-49 victory over Wichita State

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Discombobulated and not playing very well most of the afternoon, the UTSA women pulled it together in the final minutes Saturday to win their 20th game of the season, posting a 60-49 road victory over the Wichita State Shockers.

As a result, the Roadrunners improved to 20-3 for their first 20-win season in 16 years and only the fourth in 44 years of program history. They also maintained the lead in the American Athletic Conference at 11-1.

UTSA hopes to win the AAC title and reach the NCAA tournament this year, but reaching 20 wins has always been a goal for a coaching staff that took over a 2-18 team when it arrived in 2021.

“We’ve talked about it since we got here four years ago,” UTSA coach Karen Aston told Neal Raphael on the team’s radio broadcast. “It’s just something that I think is a benchmark of a good basketball team and a successful season.

“The kids knew that. Maybe they were a little anxious about it. I don’t know. They really wanted to get to 20, and they did it.”

With a 13-1 record in their last 14 games, the Roadrunners’ AAC title quest continues Wednesday night when they host the East Carolina Pirates at the Convocation Center. They’ll play two at home next week, including a game against Memphis on Saturday, Feb. 15.

With the game against Wichita State tied midway through the fourth period, statistics showed that the Roadrunners had made only nine of 49 shots from the field to that point.

But they shrugged it off and hit five field goals on their next five possessions to take charge against a team that was tied for last in the conference.

It started when Nina De Leon Negron pushed the pace on a breakout, feeding Jordyn Jenkins for a layup. After Jayla Murray sank a three from the left wing to give the Shockers a 43-42 lead, Roadrunners’ sophomore Aysia Proctor answered with a three out of the left corner.

Following a miss by Wichita State, forward Idara Udo sank a layup off a feed from Jenkins, pushing UTSA’s lead to four. Shockers guard Taylor Jameson attacked on the other end and hit a crazy, no-look flip shot from under the basket to make it a two-point game.

At that point, the Roadrunners sensed a victory was at hand and would not be denied. First, Sidney Love sliced inside and flipped in a finger roll. When Wichita State turned it over on the next possession, Love again responded, catching a feed from De Leon Negron and laying it in for a 51-45 advantage.

Wichita State made one last push to stay in the game when Maimouna Cissoko, the sister of former Spurs guard Sidy Cissoko, sprinted ahead for a layup. When it fell, UTSA’s lead had been trimmed to four and the Shockers had some momentum.

But as Love brought the ball up for the Roadrunners, she was contested by a defender at halfcourt and drew a foul. Shockers coach Terry Nooner vocally protested the call and was hit with a technical. As a result, the Roadrunners were awarded four free throws — two for the personal foul and one for the tech — and made three of them.

They also were awarded the next possession, and they capitalized when Jenkins followed a miss to make it a nine-point game with 1:48 left. The Shockers never threatened again.

First half

Salese Blow scored 11 points over the opening two quarters and Wichita State held sluggish UTSA to 23 percent shooting. As a result, the Shockers took a 27-23 advantage into the dressing room at halftime.

Looking for answers and, perhaps, a hot hand shooting the ball, UTSA coach Karen Aston sent 11 players into the game. But the results were not pretty. The Roadrunners hit only six of 26 from the field and two of 11 from three.

Meanwhile, the last-place Shockers did just enough to give themselves a cushion. They fell behind early, but then took advantage of sloppy play from the Roadrunners to kick the lead up gradually to nine points in the second quarter.

Idara Udo led the Roadrunners with six points and four rebounds. Jordyn Jenkins had five points on one of six shooting. The Shockers did a good job on Jenkins, forcing multiple turnovers when the Roadrunners tried to pass inside to her.

Records

UTSA 20-3, 11-1
Wichita State 8-17, 2-10

Coming up

East Carolina at UTSA, Wednesday, 6:30 p.m.
Memphis at UTSA, Saturday, Feb. 15, 2 p.m.

UTSA women have 20 wins in mind as they prepare for a road test at Wichita State

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

A 20-win season is in reach for the surging UTSA Roadrunners.

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

Karen Aston’s first-place UTSA Roadrunners lead in the AAC standings by one game in the loss column over the South Florida Bulls. – File photo by Joe Alexander

Coach Karen Aston’s first-place Roadrunners (19-3, 10-1) will play on the road against the Wichita State Shockers (8-16, 2-9) in an American Athletic Conference game that tips off at 1 p.m. Saturday at Koch Arena.

UTSA has won 20 in a season only three times in the first 43 years of the program. The Roadrunners first hit the plateau in 1983-84 when they went 21-6 under Coach Bill MacLeay. They did it again in 2007-08 and ’08-09 when they carved out back-to-back marks of 23-10 and 24-9, respectively, under Rae Rippetoe-Blair.

For Aston, winning 20 would be a meaningful milestone because she has always thought it represented a successful season. It might be more meaningful for the fourth-year coach this time, considering UTSA was 2-18 in 2020-21, the year before she was hired.

Aston has won 20 eight times in her 16 previous seasons as a head coach. She reached the plateau twice in four years at Charlotte and six times in eight seasons at Texas.

The Roadrunners are on a roll, registering a 12-1 record in their last 13 games. The only loss in the streak came Jan. 22 at South Florida. On that day, they played without star forward Jordyn Jenkins for the only time this season and fell 75-63 to the Bulls.

UTSA, in its last two games, played at home and downed a pair of AAC challengers in the Temple Owls and the North Texas Mean Green. Against North Texas on Tuesday night, Jenkins produced 26 points and eight rebounds, Idara Udo notched a double double and Sidney Love blocked a potential game-tying shot at the buzzer. The Roadrunners came away with a 54-52 victory.

The Roadrunners are trying for a series sweep against Wichita State. They beat the Shockers 69-51 on Jan. 11 in San Antonio.

Men’s basketball

Meanwhile, the UTSA men will play later Saturday at home in the Convocation Center when they host the East Carolina Pirates. Tipoff will be at 7 p.m.

The Roadrunners (10-12, 4-6) lost the first game in the second half of the AAC schedule in heartbreaking fashion Wednesday night, allowing the Tulane Green Wave to erase a 10-point deficit in the final three minutes to win 61-60. Marcus Millender scored a career-high 28 points in the loss.

The Pirates (12-11, 4-6) also lost a home game on Wednesday, falling 73-60 to the Rice Owls.

UTSA men defeat Wichita State, 88-75, for first AAC victory

Marcus Millender. UTSA beat Wichita State 88-75 in American Athletic Conference men's basketball on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA guard Marcus Millender scored 21 points to lead the Roadrunners Saturday afternoon against the Wichita State Shockers. – Photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The hot-shooting UTSA Roadrunners snapped a three-game losing streak Saturday, knocking down 15 three-point baskets in an 88-75 decision over the Wichita State Shockers for their first victory in the American Athletic Conference under first-year Coach Austin Claunch.

Playing on the back end of a basketball doubleheader at the Convocation Center, the Roadrunners raced to a 47-32 halftime lead and never let up in what Claunch described as the team’s best performance of the season. They shot 52.5 percent from the field and 50 percent from beyond the arc.

Guard Marcus Millender tied a season-high with 21 points and made five three-pointers. Also, forward Raekwon Horton had 19 points and 10 rebounds. Damari Monsanto pitched in 17 points and he, too, had five threes.

Austin Claunch. UTSA beat Wichita State 88-75 in American Athletic Conference men's basketball on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA coach Austin Claunch picked up his first victory in the American Athletic Conference and vowed there would be more to come. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Six-foot-nine forward Jo Smith defended the basket with four blocks on one end of the floor, and he also contributed 13 points on the other.

With the performance, the Roadrunners earned a measure of redemption for their showing on Tuesday night at home against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane.

Tulsa rallied from a 16-point second-half deficit to win, 82-77, handing UTSA its third straight loss and dropping the team into an 0-2 hole in the AAC race. After manhandling the Shockers, the Roadrunners improved to 7-8 on the season and to 1-2 in conference.

Asked what changed in the days between the Tulsa and Wichita State games, Claunch launched into a story about how athletes sometimes just need to keep working to get things right.

“Ninety percent of me is fired up,” Claunch said. “Then there’s 10 percent, it’s like I feel we should be 2-1 (in the AAC). You know, you play 28 minutes of good basketball — give Tulsa a lot of credit; I’m not going to take anything away from what they did — but the point is, we showed today that, now, we can finish it.

“And so as excited as we are, we’re double as hungry. Because I think now, you know, it just takes time. The team is always giving me a hard time because I’m always giving them metaphors, stories, things like that. We talk about the stone cutter and … you just show up and work every day.

“Eventually, it shows up. Today, I think was a good example of that. We’re just getting started. You know, we got a lot of work to do. Our goal is not to win one conference game. Our goal is to win a lot of conference games. So, you’ll see these guys back in here working tomorrow.”

Raekwon Horton. UTSA beat Wichita State 88-75 in American Athletic Conference men's basketball on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Raekwon Horton had 19 points and 10 rebounds against Wichita State. He also had five assists and a couple of steals, all in 36 minutes. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Horton talked about how hungry the Roadrunners were to win against the Shockers and what it meant to get the victory for Claunch, who was hired last spring and built the team mostly from scratch after all but one scholarship player from last season entered the transfer portal.

“I love playing for coach,” said Horton, who talked about how Claunch has a way of pumping up players’ confidence.

“Some coaches will tear you down or put you on the bench,” Horton said. “Coach Claunch will build you up. He’ll never tell you to stop shooting. He say, ‘Next one is good. Keep going hard. I got you. I got you.’ ”

For the Shockers, who remained winless through three games in the AAC, guard Xavier Bell led with 23 points, and center Quincy Ballard had 22.

With a little more than three minutes remaining, tempers flared between the teams when Wichita State’s Corey Washington contested a jumper by UTSA’s Primo Spears.

As Spears released his shot, Washington re-directed it into the corner. On his backside, Spears caught it, and then two-handed it in the other direction, hitting Washington on the head with the ball.

It didn’t land hard, but it was hard enough for tempers to flare and for officials to move in to keep the peace.

They sent both teams to their respective benches and went to the monitor to look at the replay. When it was over, Washington was called for a personal foul. In addition, both Spears and Washington were assessed technical fouls.

A technical was also called on the UTSA bench, presumably for something that was said when emotions were running high.

Damari Monsanto. UTSA beat Wichita State 88-75 in American Athletic Conference men's basketball on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Damari Monsanto produced 17 points in 18 minutes of playing time. As usual, he was deadly from deep, making five of seven, including four of four in the second half. – Photo by Joe Alexander

On the back end of the drama, Xavier Bell sank two free throws for Wichita State, followed by Spears making two for UTSA. The Roadrunners, leading by 86-69 with 3:27 remaining at that point, had the game more or less in the bag.

But Claunch said he was happy that his players stayed composed and finished with the double-digit victory.

“It’s a competitive game,” the coach said. ” … We did a great job keeping our composure. But, these guys love each other. They’re going to defend themselves and defend each other … I thought we did a great job coming out of that huddle and finishing the game, making free throws, not turning it over and milking the clock.

“Really proud of it all around. Obviously, you don’t want to have dust-ups or anything like that. But again, we protect home (court). We protect home, and obviously, we’re going to always have each other’s back. But, on top of that, we did a great job of just being composed.

“That’s what happens with an older team that’s been in this experience, and having guys like (Millender) who’s a great ball handler, having older guys like Rae and Pri (Spears). It’s what it’s all about and that’s how you finish games.”

UTSA shot the ball well from long distance all night. If it wasn’t Millender making five of seven threes in the first half, it was Damari Monsanto hitting four of four from deep in the second.

One of Monsanto’s high-arcing shots splashed, topping off a 7-0 run and giving the Roadrunners their largest lead of the game, 71-49, with 11:29 remaining.

Records

Wichita State 10-6, 0-3
UTSA 7-8, 1-2

Coming up

UTSA at Rice, Tuesday, 7 p.m.

Notable

The Roadrunners won both ends of the doubleheader against the Shockers, with the women claiming the first game, 69-51.

Jonnivius Smith. UTSA beat Wichita State 88-75 in American Athletic Conference men's basketball on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Jonnivius Smith, cocking his wrist and preparing to dunk, finished with 13 points, five rebounds and four blocks against the Shockers. – Photo by Joe Alexander

The UTSA men should get a boost in the NET ratings after beating Wichita State by 13 points. Wichita State, with victories earlier in the season over Power 4 teams Minnesota and Kansas State, entered the game rated at No. 139 in the nation. UTSA entered at No. 281.

Roadrunners guard Primo Spears, who scored a career-high 40 points Wednesday night against Tulsa, had eight points, six assists and a steal against Wichita State.

UTSA forward Jaquan Scott did not play in his second straight game. A team spokesman said later that Scott is “away from the team on a family matter.”

The Rice Owls, who will host the Roadrunners Tuesday night, suffered a tough loss at home on Saturday afternoon. They fell to Temple, 73-70. Temple secured the victory on two Jamal Mashburn free throws with 1.5 seconds remaining. As a result, Rice fell to 11-6 on the season and to 2-2 in the AAC in Rob Lanier’s first season at the school.

Tai'Reon Joseph. UTSA beat Wichita State 88-75 in American Athletic Conference men's basketball on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. - Photo by Joe Alexander High-flying UTSA guard Tai’Reon Joseph finishes off a slam against the Wichita State Shockers. – Photo by Joe Alexander

WNBA coach Becky Hammon watches as the UTSA women win their seventh straight

Jordyn Jenkins. UTSA women's basketball beat Wichita State 69-51 at the Convocation Center in the American Athletic Conference on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Jordyn Jenkins scored 21 points on 10 of 19 shooting as the UTSA Roadrunners defeated the Wichita State Shockers. – Photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

With a prominent WNBA coach in attendance, Jordyn Jenkins scored 21 points Saturday as the UTSA Roadrunners beat the Wichita State Shockers 69-51 for their seventh straight victory.

As a result, UTSA improved to a program-best 14-2 after 16 games. Dominating in the paint against the Shockers, the Roadrunners also stayed undefeated in the American Athletic Conference at 5-0.

The 5-0 mark ties for the program-best start in conference from the 1983-84 season, the third year of basketball at UTSA, when the team played in the Oil Country Athletic Conference.

UTSA started fast with a 20-8 first quarter and were never seriously challenged afterward, claiming their 10th straight win at home, dating back to last season.

Idara Udo. UTSA women's basketball beat Wichita State 69-51 at the Convocation Center in the American Athletic Conference on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Forward Idara Udo had 11 points and 10 rebounds for the Roadrunners. She pulled down four rebounds on the offensive glass. – Photo by Joe Alexander

“I thought we played really, really well out of the gates,” UTSA coach Karen Aston said. “That was something we talked about it after the Rice game. Thought it was a little unusual how we started that game, so I thought we were pretty intentional in starting better.

“Played well in the first half and then sort of maybe took a nap at half, or something. I thought Wichita State made some adjustments at halftime, too, and started attacking us a little differently. I thought we re-focused for the fourth quarter and ended up playing pretty well.”

Las Vegas Aces head coach Becky Hammon attended the game and talked to the Roadrunners afterward.

Asked if Hammon was her personal guest or whether she came to watch some players, Aston said, “Maybe a little of both. I’ve been talking to her quite a bit about just coming out. I mean, this is kind of her home base. I don’t think it’s home base very often, but definitely wanted to try and get her out.”

Hammon served as an assistant coach with the Spurs in the NBA before taking a job with the Aces in the WNBA. With the Spurs, the former WNBA point guard for the San Antonio Stars became the first female to be hired fulltime as an assistant coach in the NBA.

She took a job with the Aces as head coach and won the WNBA title in 2022 and 2023.

“It’s important for our players to see someone that’s willing to step out of their busy schedule and support women’s basketball in our community,” Aston said. “She has a unique place in San Antonio history as far as basketball is concerned. So I’ve been coaxing her for some time to come out to practice. Anything that would help these guys (the UTSA players) just have some words of wisdom, from someone who’s had the type of success that she’s had.”

Aston declined to comment on the status of UTSA forward Nyayongah Gony, who has been on crutches this week and hasn’t played either in the Roadrunners’ 67-58 victory over Rice on Wednesday or on Saturday against the Shockers.

Gony was wearing a brace on her left leg. Also, Aston said she didn’t know what happened with forward Cheyenne Rowe, who went down to the floor on a play in the final minutes of the game in front of the UTSA bench. She was assisted off the floor by a trainer.

First half

Attacking in the paint and controlling the boards, the UTSA Roadrunners overwhelmed the Wichita State Shockers, taking a 34-16 lead into the dressing room at intermission.

UTSA held a 27-11 lead in rebounding and a 15-0 lead in second-chance points at the break. Cheyenne Rowe had six rebounds off the bench, including three on the offensive end.

Idara Udo and Sidney Love had five boards apiece.

Jenkins led the offense with 10 points on five of 10 shooting from the field. Udo had seven points and, in all, seven players scored.

The Roadrunners kept Wichita State scoring leader Jayla Murray off balance, as the power forward made only two field goals in five attempts and scored four. Guard Taylor Jameson knocked down a couple of threes and scored six.

Records

Wichita State 7-12, 1-4
UTSA 14-2, 5-0

Coming up

UTSA at Memphis, Wednesday, 7 p.m.

Notable

UTSA has two winning streaks of seven games this season. The team lost its opener at Texas A&M and then won the next seven. After losing at Stanford, UTSA has won another seven going into Memphis Wednesday night. Nine of UTSA’s 14 victories have come by double-digit margins.

Jenkins is known for her scoring. She’s scored 315 points in 16 games for a 19.7 average this season. She’s also shot it well, hitting 51 percent from the field. But she’s also worked hard defensively, registering 22 steals and 23 blocked shots.

Nina De Leon Negron. UTSA women's basketball beat Wichita State 69-51 at the Convocation Center in the American Athletic Conference on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. - Photo by Joe Alexander

UTSA point guard UTSA point guard Nina De Leon Negron had 11 points and four assists in 29 minutes against the Shockers. She hit four of four shots from the field and three of three from 3-point distance. – Photo by Joe Alexander

Young stars on the rise for the surging UTSA women

Damara Allen. UTSA women's basketball beat Rice 67-58 in American Athletic Conference action at the Convocation Center on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Freshman guard Damara Allen scored seven points, all in the fourth quarter, on three for three shooting to help rally the Roadrunners past the Rice Owls Wednesday night. – Photo by Joe Alexander

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

Whatever ultimately happens in UTSA’s quest for a championship season in women’s basketball, Jordyn Jenkins, Sidney Love and Nina De Leon Negron will fuel the charge. They are the headliners on a team that has shown NCAA tournament potential through their first 15 games.

But as the twice-beaten Roadrunners prepare to host the Wichita State Shockers Saturday at the Convocation Center, two freshmen have started to emerge as players who could become important components in the team’s effort to make history.

Guard Damara Allen and power forward Taylor Ross both delivered significant production Wednesday night in UTSA’s 67-58 victory over the Rice Owls.

Taylor Ross. UTSA women's basketball beat Rice 67-58 in American Athletic Conference action at the Convocation Center on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. - Photo by Joe Alexander

Freshman forward Taylor Ross, from San Antonio’s Brennan High School, had six points and four rebounds in six minutes against Rice, the defending tournament champion in the American Athletic Conference. – Photo by Jerry Briggs

With Love unavailable because of an illness, Allen started and produced seven points and four rebounds. Ross, from San Antonio Brennan High School, had six points and four boards in only six minutes. Both were in the game at the same time for a couple of minutes in the fourth quarter when the Roadrunners rallied to win.

Allen started the fourth period, and then Ross took the floor 15 seconds later when Idara Udo picked up her fourth foul. Just about that time, good things started to happen for UTSA. When De Leon Negron missed a driving layup, Ross muscled inside to grab the offensive rebound and scored.

After Rice scored on the other end, Allen responded, sneaking inside to take an inbounds pass from De Leon Negron and hitting an easy layup. Next offensive possession for the Roadrunners, Allen scored again, this time driving to the hoop on the right side, stopping and spinning back to her left for another layup – good for six straight points combined for the two first-year players.

Finally, as the Roadrunners were trying to seal the deal in the last minute of the game, Allen popped out behind a screen set by Udo, executed a step-back move behind the arc and did the honors, knocking down a three from the top of the circle.

UTSA coach Karen Aston liked what she saw from her two freshman.

“Taylor’s going to learn,” Aston said after the game. “I mean, this was a great learning experience for her. She had a couple of really huge plays and, you know, a couple of freshmen plays.

“But that’s about the only way you can get through to a freshman sometimes, it’s for them to experience it in a game. So, I think today will make Taylor so much better and more engaged. And then Damara came in, and, the thing I think I’ll go back and look at on film, that probably will please me the most, is that they knew what they were supposed to do.

“And that’s a big step. You can’t just run around out there. Like, there’s details to what you’re doing on the defensive end. I thought there were some moments when (the Owls) were running stuff that maybe could have suckered our young kids, and I could tell they knew where they were supposed to be. I mean, that’s a big step for us.”

While Ross has played sparingly to this point in only 10 games, Allen, from Aurora, Colo., has been on the floor quite a bit, appearing in 14 games and earning three starts. Allen, in fact, is one of the fastest-improving talents on the team. Averaging 13 minutes for the season, she is playing 17 per game in conference.

A wing player who can play both the small forward and shooting guard, she’s almost doubled her scoring average in AAC games to 5.8, and her shooting percentages have also risen. After suffering some shooting woes in November and early December, Allen is hitting 42.8 percent on field goals and 38.4 percent from three in conference.

“We’re all comfortable with her shooting shots and making them,” Jenkins said. “She just has to be comfortable (herself). As long as she’s comfortable, then, we’re deadly.”

Allen said she is enjoying herself, playing on a contending team and contributing.

“I feel like it’s extremely fun,” she said. “As a freshman, to experience the culture, it’s definitely exciting. Everybody is excited to be here. My teammates are super fun. And the coaching staff. I really love them, too. They make it fun.”

Allen admitted that the work-load can be a grind, but it all pays off on game nights, particularly with the exhilarating finish to the Rice game.

“I know we came out slow,” she said. “But, we just had our composure the whole game, and going on a run in the quarter, it was definitely exciting. You can, like, feel the energy in the Convo.”

Rice won the American Athletic Conference postseason title and played in the NCAA tournament last year, so, hitting the three-point shot to close out the Owls was a special feeling for Allen.

“I felt on top of the world,” she said. “I know it sealed the deal, but having my teammates celebrate, and everybody just being there, it was super fun.” A little chaotic, but fun. “Yeah, I was getting pushed around a little bit,” she said, smiling.

After growing up in Aurora, Colo., Allen moved to Texas last summer, which was a significant change for her in a lot of respects

“It’s been a lot,” she said. “I know the first time I came here, it seemed like it was super hot, because I’m from Colorado. But the change of pace and the grind that we put in here, is so much different than high school. In high school, it’s not as serious as it is here.”

Allen said she embraces the grind because she knows she is improving.

“I’m in the gym every day,” she said. “I have, like, two-a-days before practice and after practice. Getting in the film room is also part of the grind. Like, I love it.”

Allen and Ross aren’t the only freshman making contributions to the program. Coaches are also high on guard Mia Hammonds, from San Antonio-area Steele High School, and center Emilia Dannebauer from Germany, though those two haven’t played as much.

“Since we came here in the summer, we’ve all been pretty close,” Allen said. “Like, Taylor, Mia and Emilia, they’re my best friends. I feel like I can talk to them and tell them anything. Like, off the court, too. We hang out all the time.”

And now, at least for one big game recently, Allen and Ross celebrated their roles in a victory, which also may have served as a preview of even better days ahead — this season, and beyond. “I think it means a lot for us because we’re so young,” Allen said. “But we just want to help the team for the overall goal.”

UTSA women’s report

Records: Wichita State 7-10, 1-3; UTSA 13-2, 4-0

Coming up: Wichita State at UTSA, Saturday, noon. UTSA at Memphis, Wednesday, 7 p.m.

Notable

The UTSA men will play Wichita State at 3 p.m. Saturday. The Roadrunners (6-8, 0-2) and the Shockers (10-5, 0-2) are still looking for their first victory in AAC play.

UTSA women’s team guard Sidney Love practiced Friday and is expected to play after sitting out the Rice game. Forward Nyayongah Gony has been on crutches this week, so it’s doubtful that she will be available.

Wichita State has lost four of its last five. In conference, the Shockers lost at home to North Texas and on the road at Memphis. They won on the road at UAB and then got walloped 72-46 at home by South Florida Wednesday night. Forward Jayla Murray (12.4 ppg, 5.4 rpg) leads Wichita State.

Tulane wins American Baseball Championship title to claim an NCAA automatic bid

The Tulane Green Wave will play in the NCAA baseball tournament once again.

Jackson Linn hit his second home run of the game with two out in the bottom of the ninth on Sunday, boosting the Green Wave to an 11-10 victory over the Wichita State Shockers for the American Baseball Championship title.

Powered by five home runs in the title game, the Green Wave clinched the postseason crown and an NCAA tournament automatic bid out of the American Athletic Conference for a second straight season.

In a game that went back and forth, third-seeded Tulane built a 3-2 lead after three innings. Undeterred, fourth-seeded Wichita State answered with five runs in the fifth to take charge, 7-3. In the end, though, the Green Wave had more pop in their bats.

They scored three runs in the fifth and fourth more in the sixth, building a 10-7 advantage. The Shockers had one more burst in them, crossing three runs in the seventh to tie the game.

In the top of the eighth, Tulane lefthander Luc Fladda relieved with one out and retired the next two Wichita State batters in order. Fladda would finish the ninth, as well, working around a two-out hit by pitch to shut down the Shockers again.

Wichita State lefty Hunter Holmes, throwing well in the bottom half, struck out Colin Tuft and retired Marcus Cline on a ground ball as the possibility of an extra-innings showdown loomed.

Linn had other ideas. He stepped to the plate, and on a 2-2 count, drilled a pitch that landed beyond the left field fence for the game winner. Flada (4-3) became the winning pitcher, while Holmes (1-4) took the loss.

Records

Wichita State 32-29
Tulane 35-24

Notable

The American is expected to send two of its teams into the NCAA tournament. Tulane will get the automatic bid, and East Carolina at 43-15 overall is expected to receive an at large. The 64-team bracket will be announced Monday.

The American’s tournament had a six-day run at the BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater, Fla. UTSA, the tournament’s No. 2 seed, lost its first two games and bowed out last Wednesday.

The Roadrunners won seven of their nine AAC weekend series, including one in New Orleans in which they swept all three games from the Green Wave.

UTSA finished 32-24 overall and 17-10 in conference.

Wichita State, Tulane set to play for the AAC’s postseason title

The Wichita State Shockers will play the Tulane Green Wave today in the title game of the American Baseball Championship.

They’ll throw the first pitch momentarily in a game that will be staged in Clearwater, Fla., at the BayCare Ballpark.

Let’s take a look at the teams vying for the American Athletic Conference’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament:

Wichita State

Overall record: 32-28

In the American championship tournament: 3-1 … Beat UAB 8-2 on May 21 … beat East Carolina 14-4 on May 23 … lost to East Carolina 4-5 on on May 25 … beat East Carolina 12-2 in eight innings (run rule) on May 25.

Last 10 games: 8-2

Record in the AAC regular season: 15-12

In nine games covering the last three AAC weekend series: 7-2

Record versus Tulane: 1-2 (at Wichita, Kan.)

Versus UTSA: 2-1 (at San Antonio)

Top hitters: Camden Johnson, .328, 2 HR, 28 RBI; Derek Williams, 14 HR, 44 RBI.

Today’s starting pitcher: Tommy LaPour, 6-3, 4.12 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, .226 batting average against.

Tulane

Record overall: 34-24

In the American championship tournament: 3-0 … Beat FAU 14-2 in 7 innings (run rule) on May 21 … beat Charlotte 7-5 on May 23 … beat FAU 13-1 in 7 innings (run rule) on May 25.

Last 10 games: 8-2

Record in the AAC regular season: 15-12

In nine games covering the last three AAC weekend series: 6-3

Record versus Wichita State: 2-1 (at Wichita, Kan.)

Versus UTSA: 0-3 (at New Orleans)

Top hitters: Brady Marget, .335, 9 HR, 53 RBI; Connor Rasmussen, .324, 7 HR, 48 RBI

Today’s starting pitcher: Chandler Welch, 7-3, 4.41 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, .296 batting average against.

American conference expected to send two teams to the NCAA baseball tournament

The American Athletic Conference is expected to send two teams to the NCAA Division I baseball tournament.

The Tulane Green Wave and the Wichita State Shockers will play one game for the title in the American Baseball Championship on Sunday in Clearwater, Fla. The winner will claim the conference’s automatic bid into the NCAA’s 64-team field.

The East Carolina Pirates are expected to be an NCAA at-large selection based on their strong showing in the regular season.

Tulane and Wichita State emerged from the semifinals to claim spots in the American title game.

The Green Wave advanced in only one game in the semifinal round, dispatching the Florida Atlantic University Owls, 13-1, in seven innings on the run rule. It took two games for the Shockers to eliminate the Pirates.

East Carolina claimed a 5-4 victory in a wild one, when Dixon Williams stole home with two out in the bottom of the ninth inning to cap a three-run rally. The win forced a second game between the teams, in which the Shockers rebounded to win 12-2 in eight innings on the run rule.

American Baseball Championship semifinals are underway in Clearwater

By Jerry Briggs
Special for The JB Replay

The field in the American Baseball Championship has been trimmed to four, with the tournament semifinals set to commence today in Clearwater, Fla.

The Wichita State Shockers will play the top-seeded and regular-season champion East Carolina Pirates at 9 a.m. Central, followed by the Tulane Green Wave and the Florida Atlantic Owls 47 minutes after the conclusion of the first game.

As many as four games could be contested today because the Pirates and the Owls will need to win twice to knock out their opponents.

East Carolina coach Cliff Godwin will be serving the second of a two-game suspension. If the Pirates win, he will be able to come back in the re-match.

The title game in the six-game conference tournament is set for Sunday at 11 a.m. at the BayCare Ballpark in Clearwater.

Today’s matchups

East Carolina (42-14) vs. Wichita State (31-27) – The Shockers enter the semifinals with tournament victories over the UAB Blazers (8-2) and the Pirates (14-4). Wichita State caught fire with a regular-season series win at UTSA has now won nine of its last 10 overall. The Shockers will need to win Saturday and again Sunday in the American title game to secure an NCAA tournament bid. The Pirates, based on their strong regular season, are likely a lock to make the national field. East Carolina coach Cliff Godwin will be serving the second game of a conference-mandated suspension.

Florida Atlantic (28-28) vs. Tulane (33-24) – The Tulane Green Wave look to be in good shape coming into the semis with four straight victories and a day’s rest. On top of that, the Tulane pitching hasn’t had to work quite as hard as some others this week after beating FAU 14-2 in seven innings on the run rule Tuesday. The Green Wave downed Charlotte 7-5 on Thursday. Both the Owls and the Green Wave will need to win the tournament in Clearwater to secure an NCAA automatic bid.

Notable

Both once-beaten East Carolina and Florida Atlantic stayed alive with victories on Friday.

Playing without All-American Trey Yesavage (injury) and Dixon Williams (one-game suspension), and also without coach Cliff Godwin (suspension), the Pirates beat Rice 8-7 Friday to stay alive. They opened the tournament by beating Rice, 12-4, on Tuesday and then losing to Wichita State, 14-4, on Thursday. Godwin was suspended for his actions in the 14-4 loss.

Florida Atlantic’s season has also been on the brink all week.

Sixth-seeded FAU took a 14-2 loss to Wichita State on opening day on Tuesday before bouncing back the next day to down the UTSA Roadrunners, 12-5. With new life, the Owls surged into a seven-run lead on the Charlotte 49ers Friday and then held on as Danny Trehey pitched shutout innings in the eighth and ninth to secure a 10-8 victory.

Undefeated Wichita State, Tulane reach semis in American Baseball Championship

The Wichita State Shockers and the Tulane Green Wave have played their way into commanding position to reach the title game in the American Baseball Championship.

In the tournament being staged at Clearwater, Fla., both lead their double-elimination brackets with 2-0 records and are already slotted into the semifinals, which will be held on Saturday.

Matchups in the semifinals will be determined Friday by the outcome in two elimination games.

In one bracket, the Rice Owls play the East Carolina Pirates at noon Central time. In the other, which will start 47 minutes after the conclusion of the first game, the Charlotte 49ers will play the Florida Atlantic Owls.

The losers will be eliminated and the winners will move on to play Saturday. The Rice-East Carolina winner will play Wichita State. The Charlotte-FAU winner will take on Tulane.

A possibility exists that four games could be played in the bracket semifinals. Teams coming out of the losers’ bracket will be eliminated with one loss. But both Wichita State and Tulane would need to be beaten twice.

The championship game has been set for Sunday at 11 a.m. Central.

Thursday’s results

Wichita State beat East Carolina, 14-4
Tulane beat Charlotte, 7-5

Notable

The conference announced Friday morning that it has suspended East Carolina coach Cliff Godwin for two games and East Carolina player Dixon Williams for one following a play against Wichita State Thursday.

Godwin was ejected from Thursday’s game and assessed an additional two-game suspension for violating NCAA Rule 2-26-h, which states that “no team personnel may continue to argue or to continue to excessively express themselves with prolonged action or offensive language after an ejection,” according to a news release.

Williams was ejected from Thursday’s game and hit with a one-game suspension for violating NCAA Rule 8-7, which prohibits “unnecessary and violent collisions with the catcher at home plate, and with infielders at all bases.”

Friday’s schedule

Rice vs. East Carolina, noon
Charlotte vs. Florida Atlantic, 47 minutes afterward

Eliminated

Both the UAB Blazers and UTSA Roadrunners have lost twice and have been eliminated.